Publisher's Weekly Review
Callender's Caribbean-inspired first novel for adults--a mix of fantasy, history, mystery, and palace intrigue--struggles to overcome its sluggish first half. Hans Lollik is an island nation populated by the white, sea-faring Fjern and the enslaved black natives, who are known simply as islanders. As the only black landholder, Sigourney Lund is seen as a traitor to her people for owning slaves and enforcing the brutal laws of their colonizers. Few know that Sigourney is the survivor of a massacre. Having hidden behind an assumed name and eventually ascended to the role of matriarch of the Lunds, Sigourney is finally prepared to take revenge on the ruling class that plotted her family's assassination and have held the Hans Lollik islanders in bondage for generations. But the cost of revenge is high, and Sigourney's bid for power leads her afoul of her fellow islanders, as she continues to own people even as she claims to fight for their freedom. Callender (This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story) convincingly illustrates the corrupting influence of unchecked power and privilege, but Sigourney is too passive; even after she begins her revenge scheme, events mostly happen to her. The moral complexity of the story's climax is satisfying, but readers will have to be very patient to get there. Agent: Beth Phelan, Gallt & Zacker. (Nov.)
Booklist Review
Callender's first foray into adult fiction presents an alternative colonial Caribbean world with its own brand of magic. Sigourney Rose is unique among her island people. She is the daughter of a freed slave and a nobleman, and has always known freedom. When her family was killed by other nobles, Sigourney was adopted by an uncle who, although disgusted by her black skin, took her in because of his respect for her mother. Since that time, Sigourney has been planning revenge. By emulating their colonizers, she has finally gained enough power and position to begin working towards freeing her people. And she has the added talent for reading and controlling minds an ability that reveals the thoughts of all around her. But of what use are her ambitions if her own people see her as no different than their cruel masters? Callender pulls no punches and uses this diversely populated fantasy world to deliver a polemic on hate and the lies people tell themselves to justify their cruelty.--Lucy Lockley Copyright 2019 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Sigourney Rose is Elskerinde, head of Lund Helle island, one of the islands of Hans Lollik. Yet she is also the only survivor of the Rose family massacre, perpetrated by the same colonizing families she now moves among. As Elskerinde, she is viewed as a betrayer of the enslaved brown-skinned islanders, and to the pale Fjern rulers, she does not know her place. But Sigourney plays the long game, using her power to manipulate thoughts and control people, to get herself to Hans Lollik Helle, where the childless ruler will decide on his successor--and where Sigourney will find vengeance. There she will be trapped for storm season, and murder, power plays, and rebellion simmer into a perfect storm of their own and a battle for the throne. VERDICT Callender's (Hurricane Child; This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story) first adult novel draws race relations, conquest, magic, and politics into an imaginative, layered story that will keep readers twisting until the end. The author's personal experience growing up in St. Thomas lends to the rich setting and postcolonial themes. [See Prepub Alert, 5/5/19.]--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton