The Boundless

September 1, 2020
Grades 9-12 Selah is not the same girl who left Potomac to find a husband on her stepmother's orders. She found love with Prince Torden of Asgard, but she found a quest, too, so she must keep sailing. With the crew of the Beholder, she sails into the Imperiya, the territory that has haunted her nightmares, carrying a secret stockpile of weapons for the rebellion against Baba Yaga, the brutal tsarytsya who rules the land with darkness and fear. The first half of this sequel to The Beholder (2019) is filled mostly with Selah's third suitor visit, which, unlike her romantic first, is a fearful farce; this time, Bright draws from German fairy tales, recreating "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." But Baba Yaga is an ominous presence, and both Selah and the reader know that, eventually, she will appear. Eminently readable, this duology will delight any fan of fairy tales or high adventure. Readers may have their favorites of Selah's suitors, but they will cheer as she learns to follow her heart and her feet in this darker, but still glittering, second half.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)