YA Review: Moon Dark Smile
Moon Dark Smile by Tessa Gratton (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 432p., ages 12-up, 9781534498150)
Tessa Gratton's (Strange Grace; Night Shine) affecting fantasy introduces readers to a world of sorcery and intrigue, where great strength lies in stepping beyond limitations of binary choice.
When she was seven, Raliel Dark-Smile's father, the emperor, insisted she choose her own identity. She chose the moniker of a legendary dragon and "declared her name." Since then, Raliel's only true friend has been Moon, the great demon who represents "the power of the empire" and is bound to the palace. The emperor and his consorts are also bound, as Raliel will be once she's completed her upcoming Heir's Journey. But both Moon and Raliel long to be free. They create a magical amulet and, when Raliel is 18, she begins her Journey with Moon secretly nestled "just beneath her heart." Osian Redpop, a young guard with dangerous secrets of his own, is ordered to accompany them. As Raliel and Moon seek a way to expand their world beyond the palace walls, the odyssey leads them to sorcerers of great knowledge and power. It's only when the three companions start to understand the meaning of "liminality" and begin to move beyond the binary, though, that they learn how to break the bonds that imprison them.
Gender fluidity is at the heart of this lush yet ethereal fantasy populated with demons, spirits, witches and sorcerers. Gratton's characters repeatedly slip outside traditional dualities, and her concept of liminality offers a path to the power that Raliel and Moon need to succeed. Mellifluous writing delivers a compelling story that, like Raliel Dark-Smile herself, is nimble and strong, its magic unspooling as effortlessly as a dragon splashing in a pool. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.
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