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The stories of princes and princesses often captivate readers: the adventure, the romance, the splendor. But in the young adult romantic fantasy The Anitdote by author Shelley Sackier, the prince of a faraway land faces dark magic as he tries to restore his kingdom after a decade of suffering and separation.
The story travels to the kingdom of Fireli, where a deadly plague swept over the land 10 years ago, killing off most adults and forcing children to evacuate. Young Prince Xavi and his best friend, Fee, were the only children left behind. As Fee worked with the kingdom’s healer and Xavi prepared to rule, both friends eagerly awaited the time when the quarantine would be lifted and they’d be reunited with Prince Rye, Xavi’s brother and Fee’s future husband. But as the time approaches and Xavi’s health fades, Fee discovers that nothing is as she once thought.
The kingdom of Fireli is steeped in more drama, controversy, and (most of all) magic than Fee realizes—and the years of deceptions and cover-ups and defiance build up to a complex story. It certainly takes a while for things to pick up, though—for the author to set the stage and develop the drama. And, in the process, the pacing sometimes drags.
Eventually, the action builds as the quarantine’s final days approach, and Xavi struggles with his health while attempting to plan for his twenty-first birthday, which will also bring his coronation and his marriage to the princess of a neighboring kingdom. With the princess’s arrival in Fireli, things take a deadly turn, and Fee is left to figure out who is working against the kingdom and its future leader.
As suspense builds, so do the storylines. Several lives are in danger, someone’s been disobeying Fireli’s quarantine laws, poor Rye is confused and conflicted, and Fee discovers all kinds of unexpected things about her family and her true identity. There are so many different storylines running through this novel that they sometimes get a bit tangled—and there’s so much going on here that many of the storylines seem abrupt and underdeveloped. And it all makes for an intriguing but awkward adventure.
If you love fantasies about kings and queens, of alliances and magic, The Antidote may hold your attention. But the excessively complex story, the flowery language, and the lagging pace make for a long and challenging read.
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