The Traitor's Game

The Traitor's Game
by Jennifer A. Nielsen

From the publisher:

"Nothing is as it seems in the kingdom of Antora. Kestra Dallisor has spent three years in exile in the Lava Fields, but that won't stop her from being drawn back into her father's palace politics. He's the right hand man of the cruel king, Lord Endrick, which makes Kestra a valuable bargaining chip. A group of rebels knows this all too well - and they snatch Kestra from her carriage as she reluctantly travels home.The kidnappers want her to retrieve the lost Olden Blade, the only object that can destroy the immortal king, but Kestra is not the obedient captive they expected. Simon, one of her kidnappers, will have his hands full as Kestra tries to foil their plot, by force, cunning, or any means necessary. As motives shift and secrets emerge, both will have to decide what - and who - it is they're fighting for."

It took me a while to get into this book because I didn't really like the main characters very much for a while. I did learn to like them, and the plot was exciting (if predictable) and the world building was cool. I liked that the 2 main characters knew each other as children, but why Simon would ever even think of liking her again is hard to believe. The antagonist in this story is incredibly evil in a Voldemort-y sort of way, but even Voldemort was scared of Dumbledore, and Lord Endrick seems pretty much indestructible and horrible. Quite frankly, I'm not sure how that will pan out in the 2nd and 3rd books. I did like some of the twists at the end and felt very satisfied with the overall experience when I finished. I think middle schoolers will love it.

Areas of concern:
*Very evil person who enjoys inflicting pain, torture and death on anyone and has killed countless people.
*A very dysfunctional family dynamic.
*Many tense moments with death imminent.
*Mild romance.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 6-8