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Summary
Summary
Here be ghosts, the maps said, and that was all.
In this haunted kingdom, ghosts linger--not just in the deepest forests or the darkest caverns, but alongside the living, as part of a twisted palace court that revels all night and sleeps through the daylight hours.
Darri's sister was trapped in this place of fear and shadows as a child. And now Darri has a chance to save her sister . . . if she agrees to a betrothal with the prince of the dead. But nothing is simple in this eerie kingdom--not her sister, who has changed beyond recognition; not her plan, which will be thrown off track almost at once; and not the undead prince, who seems more alive than anyone else.
In a court seething with the desire for vengeance, Darri holds the key to the balance between life and death. Can her warrior heart withstand the most wrenching choice of all?
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-9-Princess Darrianka and her brother, Varis, travel far from their barbaric home in the Raellian countryside to Ghostland for different reasons-Darri is hoping to save her sister from a political marriage to the prince of Ghostland. Varis is following their father's orders and plans to trade Darri for Callie and then to conquer Ghostland for territorial domination. Things are never that cut-and-dried, however, and there are definite problems with both of their plans. Will Darri save Callie? Does Callie even want to be saved? Will Darri and Varis find a common purpose and actually get along? The family drama here is pretty thick. Nightspell is a great entry into fantasy as it reads more like European royal historical fiction. Even students who do not typically like fantasy will enjoy this title, and the connections to the alliance-building betrothals and hostile takeovers could be linked to the social-studies curriculum. The book would make a good read-aloud, as it is packed with impressive grotesque imagery and action.-Kristina Weber, Bernotas Middle School, Crystal Lake, IL (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
This tale of courtly intrigue stars both living and dead players, each with his or her own schemes, driven by love, guilt, and power-lust. In Ghostland, murder victims linger to avenge their own deaths. Darri's sister was trapped there--but she may not want to be saved. This solid companion to Mistwood fills its intriguing and eerie world with tightly woven relationships. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The distinctions between life and death are dissolved with sinister consequences in this dark companion to Mistwood (2010).In the night-shrouded court of Ghostland, the dead do not rest quietly; they mingle freely with the living, dominating their amusements, intrigues and politics, centuries after their bodies have rotted away. Despite their disgust, the nomadic Raellians sent Callie, their youngest princess, as a prospective royal bride. Now her siblings have come at last: Prince Varis, ambitious for alliance (or conquest), and Princess Darri, determined to rescue Callie from her ghastly fate. Callie is not ready to leave, however, and the living and the dead each have their own agenda for their "barbarian" guests. While only a secondary character links this to the earlier title, fans will recognize the poetic style and rich characterization. The three protagonists stand out in their blunt vitality, but every character is portrayed with complexity and clear-eyed sympathy; none is unambiguously hero or villain. Elegant, allusive prose conveys both the claustrophobic horror and overripe allure of the decadent court, where the dead exude macabre charm, disarming sorrow and a dreadful "otherness." Some may be disappointed in the lack of dramatic resolutions; the more thoughtful will appreciate the fluid navigation between good and evil, freedom and duty, life and death, with only love reigning supreme.Morbid and moving, transcendent and triumphant. (Horror. 14 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
This companion book to Mistwood (2010) is set in a different country and introduces new characters. Raellian royal siblings Varis and Darri ride on a diplomatic mission to Ghostland, where vengeance-seeking ghosts are indistinguishable from the living. Darri has been sent as an arranged bride to the Ghostland's heir, but her plans falter when she discovers that Prince Kestin was recently murdered and is now a ghost. As in the previous book, multiple schemes, nefarious plots, and secrets are gradually revealed. Swordfights, blood, and double-dealing pack the pages as this action-filled story races to a surprising conclusion.--Rutan, Lynn Copyright 2010 Booklist