Ruth Lauren, Seeker of the Crown (Prisoner of Ice and Snow #2), Bloomsbury Publishing, October 2018, 288 pp., RRP $12.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781408884560
Valor is our heroine, a strong young woman with an immovable moral compass, especially when it comes to her twin sister, Sasha. In this young reader novel, Valor seeks to find her sister’s captor, Princess Anastasia. Sasha is free, but Anastasia is still missing in action. A battle for the throne and family secrets and loyalty make this a riveting fantasy with the potential to become a classic.
A female-led adventure, celebrating friendship and bravery, this novel would be well adapted to screen. Few books exist with so many female characters on both sides of the battlefield. With the action heavily focused on the sisters’ efforts to see justice served, on their own terms, it is no surprise it is marketed as a Frozen for primary readers, though I would put it more as a Hunger Games for a fantasy-savvy younger audience. But this book needs to be read by all, with much to keep any fans of fantasy fiction entertained.
Valor is a highly relatable character. Aware of her duties and responsibilities, but bored and seeking adventure, she is flawed but admirable. Valor loves her family but feels like she isn’t heard or seen. If you remember thinking this as a young person, introduce your readers to Seeker of the Crown.
See our review of the first book, Prisoner of Ice and Snow.
Reviewed by Belinda Raposo
