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A review by caitcoy
The Jewel and Her Lapidary by Fran Wilde
4.0
The Jewel and Her Lapidary is an intriguing fantasy novella about a kingdom betrayed by those meant to protect it and two teenage girls are left to deal with an invading army and its demands. Lin is the last princess, or "Jewel", left in the kingdom of the Valley as an invading army from the mountains, with the help of a traitor in the palace, has come to bend the powerful, magic gems of the Valley to their will. In order to do that, they need a Lapidary, one of the Valley people who can speak to and control the gems. With all others in the palace gone or dead, it's up to Lin and Sima, the Lapidary bound to her since birth, to find a way to save their people.
The Jewel and Her Lapidary is a relatively short story (as you might guess from the novella category) but has a clever premise that I very much enjoyed. The story is interspersed with tidbits from a travel guide to the valley written years after the events in which Lin and Sima take part. This outside perspective lends weight to the story and makes for an interesting contrast. It's a little unfortunate that this was a novella rather than a full length novel as there's a lot of world-building set up in the first 30-40 pages, which kind of overwhelms the story in parts. I liked Lin and Sima but wanted much more than I got in the novella. I'd still recommend it as an interesting and heartfelt fantasy that felt more original than most but I can't help but hope that Wilde comes backs to the Valley someday for more.
The Jewel and Her Lapidary is a relatively short story (as you might guess from the novella category) but has a clever premise that I very much enjoyed. The story is interspersed with tidbits from a travel guide to the valley written years after the events in which Lin and Sima take part. This outside perspective lends weight to the story and makes for an interesting contrast. It's a little unfortunate that this was a novella rather than a full length novel as there's a lot of world-building set up in the first 30-40 pages, which kind of overwhelms the story in parts. I liked Lin and Sima but wanted much more than I got in the novella. I'd still recommend it as an interesting and heartfelt fantasy that felt more original than most but I can't help but hope that Wilde comes backs to the Valley someday for more.