Jessamy Tonor was born fighting, into a world where the way one looks determines everything they will ever be able to achieve or aspire to. But all Je
Jessamy Tonor was born fighting, into a world where the way one looks determines everything they will ever be able to achieve or aspire to. But all Jessamy wants to do is run the Fives, the national competition of strength, agility, and endurance that can turn even a lowly Commoner into a hero. Except her Patron—noble—father has forbidden it. Suddenly, though, Jessamy has an opportunity to do the very thing she’s always dreamed, but the cost is the comfortable and safe family life her father and mother have created almost out of nothing for her and her sisters.
Court of Fives begins a new young adult fantasy series full of vibrant and varied young people willing to risk everything to get what they want out of life. Jessamy and her sisters have to make hard choices, and really challenge their understanding of the world in order to survive the dangerous waters they find themselves in. In twist after plot twist, Jessamy battles the avarice of one Lord out to use her family for everything advantage they can give him while learning the history of a colonized nation—her mother’s people—trying to pry itself out form under the heel of its oppressors. The situations Jessamy and her sisters find themselves in, while they are part of a fantasy world, will be recognizable and relatable to teen readers, and Elliott never stops taking her readers seriously.
Elliott’s world-building and characterization show a deft touch in this new series. The history of Efea, where the story takes place, is deeper than at first meets the eye, leaving plenty for the reader to ponder and look forward to learning more about in the next installment. There is no shortage of personalities and types in this novel, making the reader feel as though these characters were about to spring off the page and into living, breathing action. Speaking of action, it’s a story about a young woman who is not just capable, but amazingly athletically skilled, who makes no apologies for her ability, right up to the end, and has earned it every step of the way.
Readers looking for second-world Hunger Games that features more dynamic and diverse characters need look no further than Court of Fives and its eventual sequels. Those who enjoy stories that put characters in challenging positions where they must take difficult decisions will like the suspense and action in this novel. Anyone tired of fantasy that makes assumptions and doesn’t think about social mores like gender roles and class structure will enjoy the way Elliott questions everything, creating societies that are believable and unique, with characters who are self-aware and actually talk to each other about what matters to them.
I write book reviews and essays at I Am Booking.
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