The Night King’s Court

Gr 7 Up–Ida Rosales, a talented luminaire who crafts magical illusions through candles, arrives at the mountain castle of Asteria to serve the reclusive King Aurel IV. Ida is driven by a hidden motive: finding her father, Tomas, who disappeared while serving the crown seven years prior. Alongside the winter spirit Vegard and the king’s illegitimate daughter Lenore, Ida discovers a horrifying truth: the king utilized stolen magic to rewrite reality, erasing Tomas Rosales from history and a tower from Asteria, with the goal of hiding a deadly curse. Bonnin delivers a moody and metaphysical tale where magic is treated as an artistic medium and a tool for oppression. The writing is highly evocative, utilizing sensory details of scent and light to build the atmospheric world of the Night King. Character ethnicity is a vital component of the narrative: Ida is of Arreden and Niresso descent, described with tan skin and thick brown hair. She faces systemic prejudice for her heritage, often feeling like an outsider in a court that values Arreden purity. Lenore, daughter of a Callian witch, adds further depth to the book’s exploration of identity and marginalization.