The Cruelest Mercy

May 14, 2021

Gr 7 Up-In The Kinder Poison, Zahru was unwillingly thrust into the spotlight in Orkena when Prince Kasta marked her as the human sacrifice to be killed at the end of the Crossing, the race across the desert to determine the next heir to the throne. Using her wit and determination, Zahru managed to survive. In this sequel, Prince Jet, the winner of the Crossing, is poised to become the next Mestrah of Orkena. That is, until Kasta, whom they had left for dead, returns bearing the mark of the gods, which identifies him as the true ruler. Zahru reveals that she has the same mark and thus will have to learn to rule beside the man who wanted her dead. As Zahru learns to rule, she loses some of what made her a compelling protagonist in the first book. Gone are her talents at understanding what makes people tick, and in their place she is filled with a myopic desire to prove that Kasta is the evil person she believes him to be. Mae continues to build on the enthralling world she developed in the first installment, but Zahru's turn to revenge and paranoia, as well as a slower paced story and smaller roles for secondary characters, makes this tale unfortunately less enjoyable than the first entry. Characters have various skin tones. VERDICT While this fantasy offers an engrossing world full of intrigue and deception, this sequel lacks some of the magic of its predecessor. Offer to fans of The Kinder Poison.-Erica Deb, Matawan Aberdeen P.L., NJ

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Starred review from May 1, 2021
She was once merely a sacrifice to the gods, but now she has a chance to rule. Zahru is certain her story has reached the happy ending she deserves. She survived the Crossing, when she was nearly killed as a sacrifice to the gods; Prince Kasta is gone; and her maybe-boyfriend, Prince Jet, is now ready to be crowned the new ruler of Orkena--while Zahru gets to live her life quietly and consume lots (and lots) of chocolate. But on the day of the coronation, Kasta returns, and, inconceivably, he has the circle of Numet, the mark indicating he is the rightful heir to the throne. The problem is Zahru has the same mark, accompanied by a different kind of magic coursing through her veins, which makes her a contender for the throne as well. And gods help her, but she will do whatever it takes to not let the ruthless, lying Kasta win-- even if she must become the villain of her own story. In this charming, well-rounded follow-up to The Kinder Poison (2020), Zahru's entertaining, funny narrative voice continues to engage and balance out the otherwise heavier tone of a story that deals with power dynamics, dark magic, horrific betrayals, and social injustice and that offers a thoughtful examination of just what a ruler should be willing to sacrifice for the greater good. The cast is diverse in skin tone and sexuality. A fantastically rewarding sequel. (glossary) (Fantasy. 14-18)

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