Jester
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Desperate to survive in a city glutted with power, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to become the Queen’s Jester. But without the magic her disgraced father promised her, she might just lose her head.
Description
“. . . Porter’s immersive rendering of Oasis’s grimy grandeur, unique worldbuilding and mythology, and snappy banter between the story’s cast of courtiers and criminals, make for a starry-eyed tale.” —Publishers Weekly
“A deftly crafted, impressively original, and truly memorable read from cover to cover . . .” —Midwest Book Review
What happens in Oasis, stays in Oasis.
Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic.
Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not— real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life.
For readers who enjoy Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, and Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles.
Awards
- Winner, IPPY Silver Award - Best First Book 2023
- Winner, IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award - Teen Fiction 2023
Reviews
“The thrilling fantasy novel Jester situates an ambitious girl at the crossroads between drive, ambition, and an intact sense of self.” —Foreword Reviews
“. . . Porter’s immersive rendering of Oasis’s grimy grandeur, unique worldbuilding and mythology, and snappy banter between the story’s cast of courtiers and criminals, make for a starry-eyed tale.” —Publishers Weekly
“The world building is effective, as the glimpses of Oasis and the barely hidden morass of sins and cruelties that ripple just under its golden surfaces are memorable and vividly described . . . romance fans who don’t mind some fantasy in their true love will find plenty to enjoy here.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“A deftly crafted, impressively original, and truly memorable read from cover to cover, Jester by author Brielle D. Porter is all the more extraordinary when considering that it is her debut as a novelist . . .” —Midwest Book Review