The Kingdom of Little Wounds | TheBookSeekers

The Kingdom of Little Wounds


School year: Lower 6th, Upper 6th, Year 10, Year 11, Year 8, Year 9

No. of pages 576

Published: 2015

Great for age 12-18 years

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A young seamstress and a royal nursemaid find themselves at the centre of an epic power struggle in this stunning young adult debut.Game of Thrones meets Grimm's Fairy Tales in this astounding novel, where women become pawns in the struggle for power. On the eve of Princess Sophias wedding, the Scandinavian kingdom of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the thrones heirs, and a courtiers wolfish hunger for the kings favours sets a devious plot in motion. Here in the palace of Skyggehavn, things are seldom as they seem and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of budding young seamstress Ava Bingen and crafty servant Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can, weathering desperate desires and crushing consequences on a journey to ultimate redemption.

 

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book has been graded for interest at 16 years.

There are 576 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2015 by Walker Books Ltd .

Susann Cokal is the author of two adult novels, Mirabilis and Breath and Bones, and her short stories and literary criticisms have been widely published in literary journals and The New York Times Book Review. The Kingdom of Little Wounds is her first novel for young adults and won a 2014 Printz Honor. Currently an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, she lives in Richmond, Virginia, USA.

 

This book has been nominated for the following award:

Michael L Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature - YA
This book was recognised in the YA category by the Michael L Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.

Brazen, baroque, The Kingdom of Little Wounds plots coordinates of history, fever, and magic in such a way that each is occasionally disguised as the other. However, there's no disguising Susann Cokal's immediate rise to eminence as a pantocrator of new realms. I lived in her controversial kingdom for only a week, but I suspect and hope I shall never recover. * Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and What-the-Dickens *

 

There are deep and shallow reading experiences; this is a deep reading experience. There is nothing like it, though the fossil record flashes all kinds of petticoat. (Sigrid Undset. Margaret Atwood.) Elegant, complex, and sharp as a needle. * Blythe Woolston, winner of the William Morris Prize and author of Black Helicopters *

 

An epic, mercurial tale of astounding beauty, power, and madness. * Gigi Amateau, author of Claiming Georgia Tate *

 

Complex and carefully crafted -- mesmerizing. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *

 

[T]he novel's ... brutality, eloquence, and scope are a breathtaking combination. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *

 

The author seamlessly interweaves crooked fairy tales throughout her dark story... [T]he book's lyrical writing, enthralling characters, and compelling plot will give older readers lots to ponder * Booklist *

 

Acquisition noted * Publisher's Lunch *

 

Featured in "Galleys to Grab" roundup * Publishers Weekly *

 

Acquisition noted * PW Children's Bookshelf *

 

Included in Candlewick fall 2013 preview * School Library Journal *

 

Included in BEA 2013 roundup * Publishers Weekly Children's Bookshelf *

 

Starred review featured * PW Children's Bookshelf *

 

Featured as one of the best books of the week * LA Magazine Online *

 

Featured/recommended * Richmond.com *

 

Included in PW Picks: The Best New Books for the Week of October 7, 2013 * Publishers Weekly Online *

 

Featured/recommended * Richmond Magazine *

 

Featured/recommended * The Mom Buzz (blog) *

 

Featured/recommended * Richmond Times-Dispatch *

 

Featured/recommended * Midwest Book Review *

 

Cokal creates a mystical, shadowy setting full of intrigue and hidden passions. * VOYA *

 

This novel is distinctive in thought and elocution, but it is also dense and full of adult content. * School Library Journal (starred review) *