Lightlark

Lightlark
Alex Aster
Amulet, 2022
416 pages
Grades 8-Up
Fantasy

As the ruler of Wildling, Isla is sent from her protected kingdom to the Centennial at Lightlark, where six rulers are set to compete and break the curses thrust upon them hundreds of years ago. Every hundred years they are brought together to attempt to break the curse, but this Centennial is even more important for it appears to be the last chance to save their civilization, as the land of Lightlark is beginning to crumble and the most powerful king is losing his power. Isla knows all about dwindling power. She is harboring a terrible secret: she possesses no power, leaving her very vulnerable to the other rulers. The good news is that Isla knows how to fight, has a great set of wits, is fearless, and has a forbidden best friend among the rulers. Initially paired up to work with the main king, they search Lightlark by night to try to discover the heart of the land in order to destroy it and break the curse. Meanwhile, twists and turns abound and Isla must figure out who to trust as she makes friends, suffers betrayals, and finds herself in the middle of a love triangle. As the hundred day competition continues loyalties shift as the rulers are allowed to physically kill each other and Isla now must not just break the curse to save her kingdom, but try to escape with her life in tact.

Having caused a controversy this year on BookTok, Aster managed to get her teen novel on the best-seller charts. I wanted to read the book to see if it was worth the hype. Lightlark has a cool concept, yet borrows strongly from the Hunger Games and Twilight, though most of the teen books ten years ago did, so I can't fault Aster. Though I did feel that the fantasy/adventure plot featuring a love triangle felt very last decade, it still has fresh elements and I enjoyed the premise of the Centennial. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot and it is a wild ride. The book goes on a bit too long, yet it does cover one-hundred days and a lot happens. There is a huge betrayal at the end with a big manic Scooby-Doo confession, which I always enjoy--and readers will as well. The book gets sexual in places and the characters are mostly adults, so it is not for young teens. It also gets violent with a nod to the Game of Thrones Red Wedding. Though not particularly sophisticated, it provides the formula for what makes a successful teen read and I was never bored. Though the story was sewn up nicely I would not be surprised to see Aster re-enter this world with a new adventure.