A Dark and Hollow Star
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4.3 • 23 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
“Beautifully written and deliciously complex…I couldn’t get enough.” —Nicki Pau Preto, author of the Crown of Feathers series
The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones in this thrilling urban fantasy set in the magical underworld of Toronto that follows a queer cast of characters racing to stop a serial killer whose crimes could expose the hidden world of faeries to humans.
Choose your player.
The “ironborn” half-fae outcast of her royal fae family.
A tempestuous Fury, exiled to earth from the Immortal Realm and hellbent on revenge.
A dutiful fae prince, determined to earn his place on the throne.
The prince’s brooding guardian, burdened with a terrible secret.
For centuries, the Eight Courts of Folk have lived among us, concealed by magic and bound by law to do no harm to humans. This arrangement has long kept peace in the Courts—until a series of gruesome and ritualistic murders rocks the city of Toronto and threatens to expose faeries to the human world.
Four queer teens, each who hold a key piece of the truth behind these murders, must form a tenuous alliance in their effort to track down the mysterious killer behind these crimes. If they fail, they risk the destruction of the faerie and human worlds alike. If that’s not bad enough, there’s a war brewing between the Mortal and Immortal Realms, and one of these teens is destined to tip the scales. The only question is: which way?
Wish them luck. They’re going to need it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When someone starts slaying human-fae hybrids (dubbed "ironborn" for their blood's composition), Toronto teen Arlo Jarsdel knows she should lie low. Though her mother is fae, her father is mortal, and she has yet to mature into any powers she could use to defend herself. The Fae Courts' High King blames the crimes on reckless former Fury and known murderer Nausicaä Kraken—a theory Arlo endorses until Nausicaä saves her life. Against her better judgment (and despite being grounded), Arlo teams up with Nausicaä to catch the real culprit. Aiding their investigation are Nevada teen Vehan Lysterne—a fae prince who believes the attacks are part of a larger plot—and his steward, fellow fae Aurelian Bessel. Sparks fly between Arlo and Nausicaä, while unrequited love complicates Vehan and Aurelian's already thorny relationship. First in a planned duology, Shuttleworth's queer urban fantasy debut combines figures from Greek myth and European folklore with elements of tabletop RPGs. If the story feels overstuffed, with villains who all but twirl their mustaches, Shuttleworth sensitively tackles the plot's darker elements, including trauma and suicidal ideation, tempering them with tenderness and wry wit. A kaleidoscopic narrative adds depth and drive. Ages 14–up.
Customer Reviews
"Nothing is more dangerous than a faerie tale."
Urban fantasy at its finest. Ashley Shuttleworth is YA’s answer to UF giants such as Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, etc.
Shuttleworth did not slack off with A Dark and Hollow Star AT ALL. They created a fascinating sprawling fantasy setting in the heart of Toronto, seamlessly pulling from existing mythology as well as creating their own. The world-building was really quite extraordinary. I was spellbound by the magic of it all, even down to the stunning small details in their settings and character descriptions.
The writing style was nice and concise, a well balanced mixture of straight-forward and flowery prose. The dialogue was excellently sarcastic and full of cultural relevancies. I normally don’t like when books do this, because it makes them borderline illegible to future readers but it really worked here. I will say, I usually love large casts of POV characters, because at least I can enter with a certain confidence that I will at least love one. I loved all of the protagonists. This never happens for me, but these characters were all unique and fantastic, despite their faults and past mistakes. I cannot wait to see where they all go as they grow as individuals and as a group. When’s book two?!!
I will say that The Cruel Prince and City of Bones comparisons don’t make sense to me. Yes there are fae, and yes it takes place in a city but… that’s more or less where the similarities end. This reminded me more of Emily A. Duncan's work, with its RPG/DND-campaign vibes.