Genre: YA, Fantasy
Key Stage: Year 9+
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer (2021)
Plot: Tessa Cade, the apothecary apprentice, and her best friend Wes, try every night to steal moonflower petals which treats the plague that has been tormenting their kingdom. They risk their lives by robbing from the rich and giving to the poor that have been suffering more yet are ignored by the royals. This book also follows the perspective of Prince Corrick, the younger brother to the king, who is seen as cruel and heartless. However, behind palace walls, he and the king have been doing their best to keep the kingdom together with the knowledge that they don’t have enough moonflower petals.
Positives: I thought this was an amazing start to the series and had wonderful characters. The book was long, but fast paced with not a single dull moment so I didn’t feel as if the story was dragging along. I also loved the character dynamics, such as the brotherly bond between Corrick and Harristan (the prince and the king). Their interactions were minimal and weren’t the focus of the book, but you could sense the trust they had in each other. This novel was a mix of court politics, romance and risks that I really enjoyed.
Negatives: There were many plot twists that were foreshadowed, however I managed to predict them quite easily which took away a bit of the fun. The only other thing I would say is that the action doesn’t gather pace until you’re around half way through as it took a while for some of the important things to start happening. Regardless of this, I was still invested.
Reviewer: Rose, Year 9