Review: “Defy the Night” is the Robin Hood retelling I never knew I needed! 

 

The first book of Kemmerer’s new fantasy series is told from the perspective of Tessa Cade and Prince Corrick. The daughter of an apothecary, Tessa wants nothing more than to help those who have suffered from the mysterious sickness ravaging the kingdom of Kandala. The only known cure in existence is an elixir made from Moonflower petals, but supply is limited and only the nobility can afford to pay the steep prices for extra dosages. Every night, Tessa and her closest companion Wes use the cover of darkness to sneak into the Royal Sector to steal the Moonflower petals from the wealthy and distribute it to the poor, but there is only so much to go around.  

 

I love how Kemmerer uses Tessa’s character to show that there are two sides to every story. At the beginning of the novel, Tessa despises the royals for doing nothing to stop the people of Kandala from dying. However, her views change once she breaks into the palace and is exposed to the difficulty of maintaining the kingdom’s order with rebellion on the horizon. She learns that both the rebels and the royals are merely doing what they perceive to be right. Neither side is necessarily good or evil, adding complexity to the novel. 

 

Prince Corrick’s internal conflict throughout “Defy the Night” is well-written and enhances the depth of his character. At the age of fifteen, Prince Corrick is thrust into the role of King’s Justice. Over a period of four years, he becomes the most feared man in the kingdom, doling out cruel punishments to those who go against his elder brother’s rule. He hides away the truest parts of himself—the parts that want so desperately to be kind and good—for the benefit of his brother. Whenever he is around Tessa, however, Corrick is unable to prevent that part of him from rising to the surface. The more time he spends with her, the more torn he feels between choosing who he wants to be and who he needs to be. 

 

Despite the few clichés that were present and being able to figure out the plot twists ahead of time, I really enjoyed reading “Defy the Night” and immersing myself in Kemmerer’s fantasy world. I look forward to the release of “Defend the Dawn” in the fall!