| Kirkus Reviews |
| 01/15/2009 |
| circ=10,000 |
| A tantalizing prologue settles into satisfactory adventure...characters' normative skin color is brown, the heroine interracial, God female; however, traditional power dynamics are less subverted than this setup implies, offering fertile ground for discussion." |
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| Booklist |
| 02/01/2009 |
| circ=24,150 |
| "Marriott's writing is smooth and compelling; lush descriptions are balanced with plenty of fast-paced battles. A satisfying read for fantasy lovers, with rich backstory, lavish costumes, and a happy ending." |
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| Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books |
| 05/01/2009 |
| circ=4,000 |
| An engaging strong heroine…much of the appeal lies in the dramatic fight scenes and in a heroine who can best all the royal guards in hand-to-hand combat. |
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| VOYA |
| 04/01/2009 |
| Voice of Youth Advocates, a fully annotated list for middle and junior high students. circ=7,500
|
| "The world building is excellent, and the build-up of the story equally well done. Girls looking for an affecting romance and a strong female character will find one here in feisty Zira." |
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| Library Media Connection |
| 08/01/2009 |
| circ=18,000 |
| "This is a fantasy with both a substantial socio-political background in racial conflict, and a heroine who learns that the physical aspects are only a part of being strong." |
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| Teensreadtoo.com |
| 04/01/2009 |
| website |
| "Brilliant prose and exciting plotting. Zira's story moves like a wildfire, burning her character into the reader's memory and heart." |
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| Justine |
| 06/01/2009 |
| circ=200,000 |
| What's not to love about non-stop action, romance, and drama - all swirling around a brave and beautiful warrior princess. |
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| Sacramento Book Review |
| 04/09/2009 |
| As she [Zira] proceeds to tangle with a refreshingly complex morality, the plot continues to take us through a series of twists and surprises that should not fail to satisfy the intellectual young reader. |
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