Changeling

June 11, 2012
Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl) makes a hypnotic YA debut with the first book in her planned Order of Darkness series. Set in 15th-century Italy after the Ottoman Empire captured the city of Constantinople, this historical fantasy follows two distinctive 17-year-old protagonists. Luca Vero is an alleged faerie changeling, who is kicked out of his monastery and sent on an ominous mission by the Pope: to document incidents of the uncanny that are believed to be the work of Satan and signs of approaching end times. Isolde is denied her inheritance and trapped in the role of Lady Abbess at a nunnery. Luca's first assignment sends him, his servant, and his clerk to investigate the nunnery, where women have been plagued by visions, sleep disturbances, and stigmata wounds since Isolde's arrival; she and her servant Ishraq are accused of witchcraft. Gregory creates an immersive medieval world that is under the sway of both unfounded superstitions and very real supernatural forces. Though dialogue-heavy scenes are occasionally labored, powerful imagery, picaresque humor, and a polished literary style should captivate mature readers. Ages 14âup. Agent: Anthony Mason.

June 15, 2012
A paranormal/historical potboiler for teens from Gregory. In June 1483, in Rome, the gorgeous supposed orphan and novice priest Luca Vero, 17, rumored to be a faerie child, is sent forth by the Inquisitor to find evil. At the same time, beautiful Isolde of Lucretili, in one fell swoop, finds her father dead, her brother claiming her lands and castle, and herself sent off with her Moorish companion, Ishraq, to be the abbess at the local nunnery. The convent is a hotbed of madness, and when Luca and his companions investigate, they accuse Isolde and Ishraq of witchcraft. But he learns the true evil lies elsewhere, and Isolde and Ishraq escape amid a grisly denouement. There is no character development to speak of, except for Luca's manservant, who is funny and may have useful hidden talents for subsequent volumes. For a period piece, Gregory indulges in ridiculous-sounding anachronisms. A brigand actually says, "Now, little ladies, put your hands in the air...and nobody will get hurt." A lot of talk is given over to the weakness of women so that Isolde and Ishraq can contradict it--which Isolde does in distinctly noncanonical fashion: "[Y]ou would destroy us who are made in the image of Our Lady Mary and put us under the rule of men?" Even the actual writing is sloppy, in keeping with the overall construction. Gregory says in her author's note how much fun she had writing this. Perhaps some may enjoy reading it. (Paranormal/historical fiction. 14-18)

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October 1, 2012

Gr 7 Up-The time is 1453 and the boundaries of Christendom are being defended against the heretics, the Muslim world, and the more mysterious world of the unseen and magical. Isolde, 17, is forced into an abbey by her greedy and deceitful brother after their father's death, and then accused of witchcraft. Her only friend is Ishraq, who has been her companion, servant, and guardian since the two were children. The abbey becomes overrun with strange happenings and the Church sends in an investigative team. Luca is also 17 and has a questioning mind, which could be dangerous in 15th-century Europe, but he has been noticed by The Order of Darkness and is sent on a mission from his monastery to the abbey to root out the truth and uncover plans to undermine the Church, only to end up helping Isolde escape. The strong, smart teen characters will appeal to both girls and boys and the historical mystery is solidly constructed. This title would also be a welcome supplement for those looking at the role religion has played in world history.-Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 25, 2012
After being accused of heresy and booted from his religious sect for questioning the authenticity of a religious artifact, 17-year-old Luca De Vere is recruited by the Order of the Dragon, a unit commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate supernatural occurrences across Europe. In another part of the country, 17-year-old Isolde is banished to a nunnery to prevent her from claiming her inheritance. But after Isolde arrives, the nuns begin walking in their sleep, have visions, and suffer from open wounds. Luca is sent to investigate and soon romance blooms between the two young people. Narrator Charlie Cox does an excellent job performing Isolde and Luca, as well as all the rich supporting cast—the narrator seems to almost relish playing the book’s smarmy characters. Additionally, Cox is adept at creating a sense of lingering dread and dramatic urgency. However, he is most impressive when he voices the two protagonists, so thoroughly capturing the essence of angry and fragile Isolde that listeners may forget that Cox is a male performer. Ages 14–up. A Simon Pulse hardcover.

July 1, 2012
Luca has been recruited by a shadowy figure to serve the Catholic Church as an inquisitor and root out evil in Christendom. His first duty is to investigate a nunnery where claims of stigmata and visions point to witchcraft. While some of the solutions are obvious, the richly drawn medieval world and strong secondary characters add clever layers to the mystery.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)