A fantasy series about a kingdom divided by corruption, the prince desperately holding it together, and the girl who will risk everything to bring it crashing down.
The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand.
King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents’ shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King’s Justice. The brothers have learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion–it’s the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely limited.
Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes risk their lives to steal Moonflower petals and distribute the elixir to those who need it most–but it’s still not enough.
As rumors spread that the cure no longer works and sparks of rebellion begin to flare, a particularly cruel act from the King’s Justice makes Tessa desperate enough to try the impossible: sneaking into the palace. But what she finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it’s even possible to fix Kandala without destroying it first.
my thoughts:
Brigid Kemmerer has firmly established herself as a prominent voice in the young adult fantasy genre. While her Cursebreakers series has received widespread acclaim, her newer novel, Defy the Night, is also earning significant praise—and after reading it, I comprehend the enthusiasm entirely.
Defy the Night, the first installment in a new series loosely inspired by the Robin Hood legend, introduces a fantasy kingdom devastated by a virulent plague. A young king, Harristan, and his brother, Corrick, confront the looming threat of revolution as they desperately search for a cure. Amidst internal conflicts within their council and growing whispers of rebellion among the populace, the brothers must find a way to reunite their fractured kingdom.
Eerily, the plague ravaging Kandala bears striking similarities to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the kingdom’s struggles instantly relatable. The rebels’ motivations are understandable; though their methods are often brutal, one can see the justification behind their actions. The central government largely neglects the outlying sectors, where scarce medicine and heightened mortality—from both the disease and the king’s guards—drive citizens to desperate measures for survival. While the rebels are introduced with a villainous aura, I hope future books delve deeper into their camps, revealing a more nuanced perspective beyond their brutality.
The royal family is not without fault. The king and his brother, particularly Corrick in his role as the ruthless “King’s Justice,” employ harsh punishments that make it difficult to perceive their goodness for much of the narrative. Harristan’s character remains somewhat enigmatic until the final chapters; I anticipate and hope he will be more fully developed in subsequent books. In contrast, Corrick is a well-developed character whose internal conflicts foster sympathy. Alongside Quint, the quirky and intelligent advisor who appears to be the real strategist in the royal household, they prevent the reader from completely opposing the royals. Quint, in particular, deserves more page time.
The true protagonist of Defy the Night is Tessa. She is intelligent, courageous, compassionate, and possesses a sense of humor. While occasionally impulsive and not always thorough in planning, her intentions are invariably noble. She exists outside the strict binaries of rebel and royal, yet finds herself intricately caught between both worlds.
For those seeking romance, it is present but not the central focus. The relationship is a slow-burn, laying a foundation of friendship and trust that promises more development in future installments.
The sole reason Defy the Night did not receive a five-star rating from me is its occasional predictability. Major plot twists were sometimes visible from a distance. However, this did not significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
In conclusion, Defy the Night is a compelling start to a promising new YA fantasy series, brimming with royal intrigue, budding romance, and themes of betrayal. Readers will undoubtedly be left eager for the next chapter from Brigid Kemmerer.