Adalyn Grace graduated from Arizona State University when she was nineteen years old. She spent four years working in live theater and acted as the managing editor of a nonprofit newspaper before studying storytelling as an intern on Nickelodeon Animation's popular series The Legend of Korra. Adalyn split time between San Diego and Arizona with her bossy cat and two dorky dogs and spends her days writing full-time while trying to find the best burrito around. All the Stars and Teeth is her debut novel. You can find Adalyn on social media @AdalynGrace_. You can find more of my reviews of Adalyn's work here.
Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses. No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she's lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul. To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything--but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.
In my review of All the Stars and Teeth, I discussed how much I appreciated Amora as a morally gray character. She is fierce, and everything she sacrifices is for her people and her characters. But Amora's unraveling after the death of her father and taking the throne. Yes, she's morally gray and still strong. She won't take any backtalk from her advisors and proves them wrong, but in the same breath she'll deceive her best girl friend by hiding away and essentially protecting her abuser for the kingdom's benefit. But while Amora projects strength, she is struggling with PTSD after her battle with Kaven and having to watch her father die. The scenes where Amora descends into panic attacks are so heart-wrenching and emotional, scary and horrifying. What Amora is going through is real and beyond traumatic, considering all the weight she's putting on herself. Amora's inner turmoil and the external pressure she's bending under make for an even more complicated and richer main character. What Grace does with her character is fantastic, and it's truly exciting to see a character like Amora in fantasy.
One of the reasons that I love Grace's duology is because of the socially relevant conversations she implants into a world that's so different from our own. Visidia is rich with its own magic, its own cultures, its own figures. And yet, there's very real, very troubling conversations that also exist in that world, that help readers tie it to what they see around them, and give All the Stars and Teeth and All the Tides of Fate positions of power in fiction. For example, there's a raw conversation between Amora and her mother about why women leaders aren't respected despite acting the same as their male counterparts. Near the end of the novel, one of the male characters states also that men in leadership positions are expected to act stoic and it makes it harder for them to show and talk about their feelings. The fact that Grace identifies this double standard in her fiction is powerful in making readers feel seen. Grace doesn't try to solve the problems; that's not the point. Her ability to organically add contemporary frustrations and conversations into fantasy makes for a refreshing read. It's not entirely escapism, and it's not meant to be. Feeling seen in fantasy is an important factor in a book's success. Too often we might define fantasy as an escape, but there are some instances, like the ATSAT duology, where the fantasy world benefits from commentary on present day social issues.
There's another conversation in this book that takes place that remains in the forefront of Amora's mind until the very end. The conversation about souls is relevant in today's world where most young people are embedded deeply into hookup culture. What Amora and Bastian were exploring in the first book prior to their battles with Kaven was something deep and meaningful. Now, Amora can't even trust herself around him, questioning how she ever could trust herself or Bastian if he holds the other half of her soul. Could what she feels for him be real, or just what she feels when reunited with her actual missing half? Grace is not shy about examining these really philosophical topics, forcing her characters to grapple with them in the midst of yet another life changing quest. The way Amora's and Bastian's romance develops throughout this second book is absolutely perfect and fitting for their journey. Every conversation is meaningful and propels them to their fated end. This also speaks to Grace's incredible use of pacing in her novels. Each Bastian and Amora moment is perfectly timed, coming exactly when readers are hoping for them to try and talk it out. Their ending is happily bittersweet, and I'm so glad this princess and her pirate got that ending.
Speaking of endings, I'm going to talk about that absolutely heartbreaking turn at the end. So, if you haven't read ATTOF yet and are planning on it, skip this paragraph. I reread ATSAT before reading ATTOF, and I started to see Adalyn posting on her stories apologizing for the ending. I got so nervous about reading the book because of what the ending held that I put it down for a day! When I picked it up with 100 pages to go, I made sure to have a small stash of chocolate with me. I wasn't surprised when Ferrick wasn't able to heal himself, and I wasn't surprised that it was Ferrick, especially once Vataea jumped ship. All readers who read as extensively as I do know that when an author is apologizing for the ending of her book, it's most likely due to a pretty big character death. I was sad to see Ferrick go, but I loved why he did it and I loved Ferrick so much in this second book. It hit like a blow, but it's when Amora and Bastian are getting ready for Amora's address that I felt like I was hit by a truck. They forgot? I was so moved. I recognized it as part of Ferrick's last gift to them, but knowing that didn't make it any easier to accept. Ferrick was such a lovable character, and this last decision made me love him even more, if possible. I can only hope that maybe one day Amora and Bastian will remember his name. I suppose I'm not sure how Ferrick was able to use that kind of magic to make them forget, but it's not like that question could have been resolved! Alas, Ferrick's sacrifice was necessary for the rest of the story too. Amora's grief can consume her, and if she were to save the kingdom, Ferrick would have known that she could not have been consumed by the grief of his death to do what had to be done. His choice makes sense, but I will never not be sad about it! Nicely done, Adalyn!
Adalyn Grace's worldbuilding and writing are so intoxicating, and I can't wait to see what her next book, Belladonna has in store for us. Stay tuned for Belladonna's release in 2022, and for my eventual review!
*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*
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