Narrator Emily Ellet offers an immersive and emotional performance in this stand-alone fantasy. Marynka, warmly voiced with bubbling overconfidence, must obtain the Lechija prince’s pure heart to prove herself to her grandmother. Zosia, given a darker tone and a gentle, cautious voice, competes for the same prize in order to obtain the heart’s power for herself. In scenes of snowy nights and fairy-tale-like masquerades, the girls use magic to battle over the heart, only to find themselves slowly falling for each other along the way. Disaster threatens the freedom they both ultimately seek as both girls push their ambitions to their limits. Ellet’s vocal versatility creates distinct character voices, and her passionate narration will have listeners swooning to the very last minute. A.K.R. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

★ 11/01/2021

The teen servants of three brutal legendary witches compete to obtain princes’ literal hearts in this fierce sapphic adventure set in an alternate 18th-century Poland. Imbued with powers such as riding the wind and manipulating the elements, each fetches the organs to power her ancient mistress: Beata, White Jaga’s servant, is known as Morning; Marynka, known as Midday, serves Red Jaga; and Black Jaga’s servant, Zosia, is called Midnight. When Beata and Marynka are dispatched to Warszów to obtain the exceptionally pure heart of Prince Józef, they soon encounter Zosia. As the three compete for the same prize amid the revels of the winter Karnawał season, Marynka and Zosia slowly discover a mutual attraction born of competition, danger, and shared monstrosity, but neither can afford to fail her unforgiving mistress. A raw chemistry links the duo, turning discord into wary courtship without blunting either’s passions or wits, and allowing for plenty of satisfying conflict. Jasinska (The Dark Tide) mingles human fears and goals with sharp-edged default-white protagonists in this rewarding high-stakes novel, drawing from Slavic fairy tales to craft an intriguing tale of bitter rivals exploring their bond. Ages 14–up. Agent: Rena Rossner, the Deborah Harris Agency. (Dec.)

"Bad girls steal hearts—literally—in this Sapphic sophomore novel...fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy and readers craving morally gray queer characters will happily make room on their shelves for this one." — Kirkus Reviews

"Jasinska mingles human fears and goals... drawing from Slavic fairy tales to craft an intriguing tale of bitter rivals exploring their bond." — Publishers Weekly, STARRED

"Dark and delectable, you'll sink into this tale with utter delight. A magical, immersive and feminist fantasy - I wanted it to last forever. Keep your eyes on Alicia Jasinska." — Amie Kaufman, New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author

"An additional purchase for readers who ­prefer slow-build romance or for fans of dark, fairy ­tale–i­nspired fantasy authors like Marie Rutkoski or Natasha Ngan." — School Library Journal

"Jasinska delivers a sharp, satisfying crash of mutual pining wrapped in bloodstained teeth and ruthless competition...This is a glittering, compelling, richly rewarding read." — Tor.com

"...a slow-burn romance with murderous heat that fans of BBC’s Killing Eve will devour." — Booklist

07/08/2022

Gr 8 Up—Teen girls Beatka, Marynka, and Zosia were snapped up under murky circumstances by witch sisters representing morning, noon, and midnight. There is competition among the witches for pure hearts, but it is fiercest between the noon and midnight sisters. Each heart taken by the girls is consumed by the witch controlling her. Eating them increases the power inherent in their magic. When the story opens, Marynka is determined to best Zosia, whom she believes is four hearts ahead of her. When the three girls are sent to steal the heart of Prince Józef, it is the first time Marynka and Zosia have met, and coming face-to-face increases their determination to best each other. The first third of the story is quite slow and may cause some listeners to lose interest. That would be a big mistake. Like a freight train climbing a long, steep grade, then roaring down the other side with faulty brakes, this story suddenly propels ahead, mixing intrigue, danger, bouts of self-doubt, and a building attraction between these two girls who are viewed by many as monsters. Add in a secondary romance involving the prince and a looming civil war only heightens the complexity. The story is narrated by Emily Ellet. VERDICT The slow burn leads to an abundance of action and intrigue, leaving this as a purchase consideration for collections where that kind of pacing is of interest.—John R. Clark

12/01/2021

Gr 8 Up—In this atmospheric fantasy inspired by Polish culture, two monstrous girls battle each other for the heart of a prince but ultimately fall for each other. Marynka and Zosia are apprenticed to the witches of midday and midnight, vicious competitors who consume the hearts of princes to gain power. Caught in a cycle of brutal one-upmanship, the girls must constantly outfox each other to gain the upper hand, extract princely hearts with their claws, and feed their masters. However, instead of demoralizing them, this fierce rivalry inspires both to greater heights. On assignment to gain the heart of the saintly Prince Józef, Marynka and Zosia finally meet in person and find that the tension between them easily shifts from violence to flirtation. Although the brutal nature of their connection often leaves the romance feeling cold, Marynka and Zosia do eventually find common ground in their shared experiences. However, the lack of closure at the end may leave some readers feeling unfulfilled. A background romance between Prince Józef and his former best friend turned enemy is at times more compelling than the main affair. Jasinska crafts a detailed, distinctive world, including diverse religious beliefs and Polish mythology, though all of the main characters are coded as white. VERDICT An additional purchase for readers who prefer slow-build romance or for fans of dark, fairy tale–inspired fantasy authors like Marie Rutkoski or Natasha Ngan.—Catherine Cote, John Champe H.S., Aldie, VA

Narrator Emily Ellet offers an immersive and emotional performance in this stand-alone fantasy. Marynka, warmly voiced with bubbling overconfidence, must obtain the Lechija prince’s pure heart to prove herself to her grandmother. Zosia, given a darker tone and a gentle, cautious voice, competes for the same prize in order to obtain the heart’s power for herself. In scenes of snowy nights and fairy-tale-like masquerades, the girls use magic to battle over the heart, only to find themselves slowly falling for each other along the way. Disaster threatens the freedom they both ultimately seek as both girls push their ambitions to their limits. Ellet’s vocal versatility creates distinct character voices, and her passionate narration will have listeners swooning to the very last minute. A.K.R. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

2021-09-29
Bad girls steal hearts—literally—in this Sapphic sophomore novel.

In a magical version of 18th-century Poland, three girls are bound to serve three extremely powerful, abusive, elderly witch sisters. Beata, aka Morning, serves White Jaga; Marynka, or Midday, serves Red Jaga; and Zosia, who is Midnight, serves Black Jaga. Gifted magical powers that can transform them into murderous monsters, each is tasked with murdering princes and bringing their hearts to their Jagas to give their Jagas power. When Beata and Marynka team up to bring their Jagas the highly coveted pure heart of Prince Józef during his annual winter Karnawał, they quickly discover that Zosia is on the same quest. Fiery Marynka has always been obsessed from afar with sleek, powerful Zosia, but as their dangerous competition continues to ratchet up, the two begin to realize that their obsessive rivalry may, in fact, be a simmering desire. All three long for freedom, but what that means for each of them is something they’ll need to figure out for themselves. The well-realized setting adds a richness to the third-person narrative, which is focalized through Marynka and Zosia. Whiteness is the default, although there are Muslim and Jewish secondary characters, and same-gender attraction is the norm. Some intriguing worldbuilding aspects are underexplored, but fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy and readers craving morally gray queer characters will happily make room on their shelves for this one.

A satisfying story evocative of fairy tales. (pronunciation guide, author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)