About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is navigating the complexities of identity, secret burdens, or the transition from childhood fantasy to adult reality. In the town of Fairfold, where the mundane and the magical live side by side, siblings Hazel and Ben have spent years dreaming about a horned prince trapped in a glass coffin. When he finally wakes, the siblings are pulled into a dangerous game of ancient bargains and faerie politics that forces them to confront their own hidden histories. It is an atmospheric exploration of bravery, sibling loyalty, and the masks we wear to protect those we love. While the setting is enchanted, the emotional core is deeply grounded in the teenage experience. The story handles themes of romantic discovery and self-sacrifice with a sharp, modern edge. It is ideal for readers aged 12 and up who enjoy high-stakes fantasy but are ready for more nuanced character development and slightly darker, more sophisticated folkloric elements than those found in middle grade novels.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
DISTRESS: The book contains scenes of folkloric violence and body horror that may be unsettling. Specifically, a character is forced to eat their own fingers under a faerie curse, and there are descriptions of the Alder King's cruelty. There is also a scene involving the 'Monstrosity,' a terrifying creature made of many bodies, which might cause distress to readers sensitive to visceral monsters. CONVERSATION: Parents should be prepared to discuss the concept of consent and manipulation within the context of 'faerie bargains.' The Folk often use technical truths to deceive characters, which provides an opening to talk about how people might use words to manipulate others in real life. Additionally, the parents in the book are often neglectful or absent, which may require context regarding how Hazel and Ben have had to parent themselves.
Ideal Reader
A 14-year-old who loves dark folklore and feels like they have to hold their family together or hide their true self to fit in.
Parent Prep
Preview the scene involving the Alder King's curse (the finger-eating) if the child is sensitive to self-harm or body horror. Seeing the protagonists' parents being consistently checked out, artistic, and largely indifferent to the physical and magical safety of their children.
Age Experience
Younger teens will focus on the quest and the magic. Older teens will resonate more with Hazel’s struggle to balance her protective instincts with the heavy cost of her secrets and the nuanced romantic tensions.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many YA fantasies that focus on a 'chosen one' from another world, this book focuses on the cost of living alongside magic every day and the specific, fierce bond between siblings.
Read plot summary
Hazel and Ben live in Fairfold, a town famous for its coexistence with the Folk. For years, they have visited a sleeping horned boy in a glass coffin. When the boy, Prince Severin, finally awakens, the town's delicate peace shatters. Hazel, who has secretly traded her shadow to the faerie king to protect her brother, must take up a sword and embrace her role as a knight. The story involves breaking ancient curses, Ben’s burgeoning romance with the faerie prince, and uncovering the truth about Hazel and Ben's childhood encounters with the faerie world.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Hazel spends much of the book trying to be a 'knight' to protect Ben. Why does she feel she has to do this alone instead of asking for help?
2
The Folk cannot lie, but they often deceive. How does this compare to how people use the truth to mislead others in the real world?
3
How does Hazel's secret bargain with the Alder King affect her sense of self throughout the story?
4
Ben and Hazel have very different relationships with their parents. How do those relationships shape the way they interact with the Prince?
5
What does the glass coffin represent to the town of Fairfold before the Prince wakes up versus after?
