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reader2575's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
asreadbykat's review against another edition
4.0
True Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content/Trigger Warnings: mentions of execution of family members but nothing graphic or done seriously.
My Thoughts
Patricia C. Wrede has been part of my reading life for years. I read "Dealing with Dragons" over and over again in elementary school, and it remains one of my favorite novels to this day. The first two "Mairelon" books were repeatedly checked out of my school library during my JHS and HS years. And her "Frontier Magic" trilogy got me through a really emotional time back in 2017. So when I saw "The Dark Lord's Daughter" at my Tokyo bookstore, I didn't even think; just snatched it up and bought it. Having my #1 author, Tamor Pierce, be the book's blurb was just a bonus.
Basic Summary: The story follows Kayla, who's snatched from the state fair (along with her adopted mother and brother) by a strange man claiming Kayla is the daughter of his world's Dark Lord, and it's her destiny to become the Dark Lady. All Kayla wants to do is get her and her family home. The problem? To do that, she has to train her magic, and to train her magic, she has to follow the Traditions of the Dark. Can Kayla find a way to use her magic without turning evil?
If you are looking for a book that takes itself seriously, then please turn the other way. While there are some bits of the book that definitely deserve some serious plot, the majority of this book is just absolutely making fun of the entire "Dark Side" idea. Each chapter opens with an excerpt from the ultimate text about the Dark Traditions, and then completely tears that guideline to pieces. This is definitely Wrede at her humorous best. While it doesn't quite go as hard into it as "Dealing with Dragons" does, it definitely follows in that same vein.
Along with the fun of overturning Traditions (as the book calls them), Wrede also shows her creative brilliance in differences between Earth and the world Kayla is pulled to. I was absolutely cackling at what happened to the mom's cellphone, and the ending just had me grinning.
I also love the characters. Kayla herself is a very relatable 14-year-old, and reading the story from her third person POV gives some seriousness to the story. Aside from the main plot and conflict, we do get some minor conflicts that Kayla could go through on Earth: fighting with her mom, meeting new people, learning about her biological family, and the expectations family and society can have for you. Kayla is the perfect age to give this some weight, which in turn helps keep the book from being completely ridiculous.
The only criticism I can give is that there isn't much worldbuilding. Our characters are residing in the same building for a good 80% of the book, so we don't get to see much of this new world, just what other characters tell us. This is great as a standalone, but I would actually like to see a sequel to see not only more of Kayla's growth, but also how her determination to be herself conflicts with what the world expects, and to see more of that world itself.
If you just want a fun, low-stakes adventure story that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is a really great read that I can definitely recommend. Like all of Wrede's works, I will definitely be reading it more than once.
Content/Trigger Warnings: mentions of execution of family members but nothing graphic or done seriously.
My Thoughts
Patricia C. Wrede has been part of my reading life for years. I read "Dealing with Dragons" over and over again in elementary school, and it remains one of my favorite novels to this day. The first two "Mairelon" books were repeatedly checked out of my school library during my JHS and HS years. And her "Frontier Magic" trilogy got me through a really emotional time back in 2017. So when I saw "The Dark Lord's Daughter" at my Tokyo bookstore, I didn't even think; just snatched it up and bought it. Having my #1 author, Tamor Pierce, be the book's blurb was just a bonus.
Basic Summary: The story follows Kayla, who's snatched from the state fair (along with her adopted mother and brother) by a strange man claiming Kayla is the daughter of his world's Dark Lord, and it's her destiny to become the Dark Lady. All Kayla wants to do is get her and her family home. The problem? To do that, she has to train her magic, and to train her magic, she has to follow the Traditions of the Dark. Can Kayla find a way to use her magic without turning evil?
If you are looking for a book that takes itself seriously, then please turn the other way. While there are some bits of the book that definitely deserve some serious plot, the majority of this book is just absolutely making fun of the entire "Dark Side" idea. Each chapter opens with an excerpt from the ultimate text about the Dark Traditions, and then completely tears that guideline to pieces. This is definitely Wrede at her humorous best. While it doesn't quite go as hard into it as "Dealing with Dragons" does, it definitely follows in that same vein.
Along with the fun of overturning Traditions (as the book calls them), Wrede also shows her creative brilliance in differences between Earth and the world Kayla is pulled to. I was absolutely cackling at what happened to the mom's cellphone, and the ending just had me grinning.
I also love the characters. Kayla herself is a very relatable 14-year-old, and reading the story from her third person POV gives some seriousness to the story. Aside from the main plot and conflict, we do get some minor conflicts that Kayla could go through on Earth: fighting with her mom, meeting new people, learning about her biological family, and the expectations family and society can have for you. Kayla is the perfect age to give this some weight, which in turn helps keep the book from being completely ridiculous.
The only criticism I can give is that there isn't much worldbuilding. Our characters are residing in the same building for a good 80% of the book, so we don't get to see much of this new world, just what other characters tell us. This is great as a standalone, but I would actually like to see a sequel to see not only more of Kayla's growth, but also how her determination to be herself conflicts with what the world expects, and to see more of that world itself.
If you just want a fun, low-stakes adventure story that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is a really great read that I can definitely recommend. Like all of Wrede's works, I will definitely be reading it more than once.
laroo's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
atsumeri's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
echoes01's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
librarydreams's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Wrede strikes again with another off-beat fantasy that subverts the common tropes. In an unfamiliar world divided into Light and Dark, what does it really mean to be a Dark Lady? That's what Wrede's protagonist Kayla has to figure out. Most of the named characters come to feel fleshed out and 3-dimensional as the book progresses, and it feels like the flatness of some characters is an intentional choice to reflect the restraints of the world that they refuse to let go of. Some characters remain mysterious, but, again, I think that's more due to the characters' natures than any errors on Wrede's part. Reading this book as an adult, I particularly like the portrayal of Kayla's adoptive mother. Wrede strikes of beautiful balance of showing Kayla's typical teen frustrations with a protective parent while also portraying her mother as someone you'd want as your own parent. She is a wonderful parent, but also an imperfect person who is doing her best to cope.
frankenstens13's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I hope there is a sequel
aerynz's review against another edition
The first couple chapters didn't grab me and then I got busy with other books.
forsidious's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The description of this book is a complete lie. It says she's going to meet her father, which is what I was looking forward to, but very quickly it's clear her father is dead and has been for 10 years....
Also, I'm sorry, but having your mom around treating you like a child when you have the opportunity to become a dark lord is so lame - this is book is the perfect example of why you write off your middle grade protagonists' parents so they can actually do fun things. While realistic, the mom is an absolute buzz kill. At least give her some personality beyond "mom." And why is the protagonist so bored and uninterested in the whole situation at the start? There's glimpses of her interest and she finally buys in at the end, but you just got brought to another world and told your bio dad is a dark lord! Where's the emotion? Even if you don't want to be here, where's the anger? Who was this written for? Kids that like fantasy, or moody teenagers? The kid picking up this book isn't going to have the attitude of the protagonist has that fantasy is a lame thing her baby brother is into, they're going to be the baby brother!
I was looking forward to this because it's young!me's fantasy, but it was a let down. I did enjoy some of the silliness with the minions and traditions, but it's a bit of a missed opportunity and false advertisement. The ending in particular had some funny moments, but it's very abrupt. It's weird, there just seems to be a consensus made on the major conflict (returning to their world, or staying here) without them ever even talking about it. It feels like Riki would have put up more fight. Lots of potential wasted in this.
C - 6, A - 7, W - 6, P - 6, I -5, L - 4, E - 6
Also, I'm sorry, but having your mom around treating you like a child when you have the opportunity to become a dark lord is so lame - this is book is the perfect example of why you write off your middle grade protagonists' parents so they can actually do fun things. While realistic, the mom is an absolute buzz kill. At least give her some personality beyond "mom." And why is the protagonist so bored and uninterested in the whole situation at the start? There's glimpses of her interest and she finally buys in at the end, but you just got brought to another world and told your bio dad is a dark lord! Where's the emotion? Even if you don't want to be here, where's the anger? Who was this written for? Kids that like fantasy, or moody teenagers? The kid picking up this book isn't going to have the attitude of the protagonist has that fantasy is a lame thing her baby brother is into, they're going to be the baby brother!
I was looking forward to this because it's young!me's fantasy, but it was a let down. I did enjoy some of the silliness with the minions and traditions, but it's a bit of a missed opportunity and false advertisement. The ending in particular had some funny moments, but it's very abrupt. It's weird, there just seems to be a consensus made on the major conflict (returning to their world, or staying here) without them ever even talking about it. It feels like Riki would have put up more fight. Lots of potential wasted in this.
C - 6, A - 7, W - 6, P - 6, I -5, L - 4, E - 6
teresaod's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Ahhhh loved this, all the classic Patricia C. Wrede practical approach to fantasy (at least from her protagonist, the people embroiled in the world are suitably baffled by this logic). The mom is a bit overbearing, but really, that's to be expected. Loved how she went about finding ways to make the Traditions of the Dark Lord morally suitable, acceptably Dark for those judging her but keeping the best interests of her people in mind. Amazing!! Want to see more from this!!