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OLDER FICTION
Thomas, Aiden

The Sunbearer Trials

416 pp. | Feiwel | September, 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-82213-0 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-250-82214-7 $10.99
(2) YA Every ten years in the fantastical but contemporary-feeling Reino del Sol, ten demigod children are chosen to compete in the Sunbearer Trials, a sacred ritual deemed necessary in order to avert the apocalypse. Although winning the Trials brings glory, it comes with a price: it's the Sunbearer's duty to sacrifice the competitor in last place. Seventeen-year-old Teo, whose family wields little power, is certain he won't be chosen to compete--but the god Sol selects both him and thirteen-year-old fellow trans boy Xio. Teo and his best friend, Niya, vow to keep Xio from becoming the sacrifice and find a way to put the other, stuck-up competitors in their place. Each city that hosts the competition is devoted to one of this world's gods, with elements richly drawn from Mexican culture to create a narrative setting that's colorful, expansive, and unique. Reino del Sol is devoid of queerphobia, with powerful gods in same-sex relationships or using they/them pronouns, and Teo's dysphoria about his wings serves as an intriguing metaphor for transness. Though the cast of characters is large, the individuals are engaging and distinct. The novel successfully balances magical, action-packed battles with lighter interactions and dialogue. A cliffhanger ending sets up a promising second half for the projected duology.
Reviewer: Bodie Shanis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

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