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Splinter & Ash #1
Splinter & Ash
New York Times bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp's middle grade prose debut is an immersive medieval fantasy starring queer and disabled young heroes. For two young misfits, a dangerous quest to save their kingdom will also mean saving each other. For fans of B. B. Alston's Amari and the Night Brothers, Soman Chainani's School for Good and Evil, and Tamora Pierce's Tortall books.
Ash--or Princess Adelisa--is the youngest child of the queen, recently returned to the city of Kestrel's Haven after spending six years on the other side of the country. Ash was hoping for a joyous reunion, but the reality is far from it. Her mother is holding the kingdom together by a thread; her brother has only taunts and jibes for her; and court is full of nobles who openly mock and dismiss Ash, who uses a cane and needs braces to strengthen her joints.
Splinter is the youngest child of one of Haven's most prominent families. She's fierce, determined, and adventurous, and she has her sights set on becoming a knight just like her older brother. Even if everyone says she can't because she's not a boy. So what? She's not a girl, either.
A chance encounter throws Ash and Splinter into each other's orbits and changes the course of the kingdom's history. The princess and her new squire will face bullies, snobs, gossips, and their own disapproving families. But when they uncover a shadowy group of nobles plotting to overthrow the queen, they will show everyone how legends are born. Together.
The first in a trilogy, bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp's medieval fantasy is an action-packed love letter to nonbinary, queer, and disabled kids. Splinter & Ash evokes the classic adventure and atmosphere of fantasies by Lloyd Alexander and Tamora Pierce and the fresh, inclusive lens of writers such as Rick Riordan, Angie Thomas, and Soman Chainani. It invites everyone--no matter who they are or what they look like--to fight for what they believe in.
Ash--or Princess Adelisa--is the youngest child of the queen, recently returned to the city of Kestrel's Haven after spending six years on the other side of the country. Ash was hoping for a joyous reunion, but the reality is far from it. Her mother is holding the kingdom together by a thread; her brother has only taunts and jibes for her; and court is full of nobles who openly mock and dismiss Ash, who uses a cane and needs braces to strengthen her joints.
Splinter is the youngest child of one of Haven's most prominent families. She's fierce, determined, and adventurous, and she has her sights set on becoming a knight just like her older brother. Even if everyone says she can't because she's not a boy. So what? She's not a girl, either.
A chance encounter throws Ash and Splinter into each other's orbits and changes the course of the kingdom's history. The princess and her new squire will face bullies, snobs, gossips, and their own disapproving families. But when they uncover a shadowy group of nobles plotting to overthrow the queen, they will show everyone how legends are born. Together.
The first in a trilogy, bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp's medieval fantasy is an action-packed love letter to nonbinary, queer, and disabled kids. Splinter & Ash evokes the classic adventure and atmosphere of fantasies by Lloyd Alexander and Tamora Pierce and the fresh, inclusive lens of writers such as Rick Riordan, Angie Thomas, and Soman Chainani. It invites everyone--no matter who they are or what they look like--to fight for what they believe in.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
About the author
Marieke Nijkamp
59 books2,116 followersMarieke Nijkamp a storyteller, dreamer, globe-trotter, geek.
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Please note I don't respond to friend requests or messages on GR, but you're always welcome to tweet or email me. :)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 26, 2024
I just finished this and loved it so much that I sent Marieke's editor this blurb:
"A thrilling fantasy adventure full of exciting swordplay, dangerous spycraft, cleverness, and courage, with characters I loved. I'm hoping for many more stories in this world!"
And since I have more space in a GR review than a blurb, I'm going to expand: oh, wow, did I love both protagonists!
There's clever and kind Princess Ash, who has to face both danger from her mother's political enemies and cruelty from bigoted members of the court as she returns to it for the first time with a visible disability as well as chronic pain...and bravely sets out to be a spy anyway. Then there's nonbinary Splinter, whose lifelong dream of being made a squire (on the way to becoming a knight) is finally made true by Ash - but who faces discrimination and bullying in the training program as the first-ever non-boy squire.
Both protagonists are incredibly brave and endearing, both of their parallel adventures and challenges are thrilling, and I adored the true friendship that forms between them as they stand against the world. This book is going to feel so empowering to so many MG readers!
I don't know whether there will be any more books in this series, but I really hope so! I'd love to read about whatever Splinter & Ash get up to next.
"A thrilling fantasy adventure full of exciting swordplay, dangerous spycraft, cleverness, and courage, with characters I loved. I'm hoping for many more stories in this world!"
And since I have more space in a GR review than a blurb, I'm going to expand: oh, wow, did I love both protagonists!
There's clever and kind Princess Ash, who has to face both danger from her mother's political enemies and cruelty from bigoted members of the court as she returns to it for the first time with a visible disability as well as chronic pain...and bravely sets out to be a spy anyway. Then there's nonbinary Splinter, whose lifelong dream of being made a squire (on the way to becoming a knight) is finally made true by Ash - but who faces discrimination and bullying in the training program as the first-ever non-boy squire.
Both protagonists are incredibly brave and endearing, both of their parallel adventures and challenges are thrilling, and I adored the true friendship that forms between them as they stand against the world. This book is going to feel so empowering to so many MG readers!
I don't know whether there will be any more books in this series, but I really hope so! I'd love to read about whatever Splinter & Ash get up to next.
Want to read
October 28, 2023YESSSS WE'RE GETTING A FULL SPLINTER & ASH BOOK!!
May 27, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
At the age of twelve, Princess Adelisa is finally returning to the royal city of Kestrel's Haven to take her place in the palace after spending her childhood living with an aunt. She walks with a cane, having been in the carriage accident that took her father's life years ago. Her mother, Queen Avelina, has been dealing with difficult political situations, since the Ferisian Empire is making incursions into Calinor. Her brother, Lucen, the heir to the throne, holds unexplained grudges against her and is not happy that she is back. Ash, as she prefers to be called, has her doubts about being able to survive life at court, since she thinks it is silly. When she steps away from a celebration in her honor because people are being mean to her, she meets Splinter, who claims to be a young squire. When it turns out that Splinter is the orphaned, youngest daughter of the DuLac family whose uncle thinks a convent would be a preferable place for his young ward instead of being a knight, Ash suggests that Splinter become her squire. There is no rule against this, and soon Splinter is outfitted and training with the other squires. Some of the staff support both Ash and Splinter, like Master Elnor, the tutor, and Lord Brenet, the master of the squires, but Lucen has had a previous run in with Splinter, and is quite mean. Ash has to deal with people making offhanded, cruel comments about her disability, but soon has a bigger purpose. Queen Avelina suspects that the Maronnes family is traitorous, since letters between them and Ferisian citizens have been intercepted. Since they have two young daughters, Ash is tasked with befriending them and looking for incriminating information. Eager to help, Ash agrees, but finds the task more difficult when she genuinely likes both Hazel, who is ten, and Melisande (Mist) who is her age. The three have much in common and enjoy many of the same things. Splinter is not welcome to socialize with the three, but is allowed to be taught sword tricks by one of the Maronnes staff, Fenna. When the girls are researching Midwinter Mystery Plays in the father's library, Mist talks about wanting to "spy", but Ash actually steals a letter from the father's desk that is written in Ferisian. Meanwhile, Splinter has a difficult time with the other squires, and when they are on a cleaning detail, is abused and shoved in the mud. Lucen even intercepts a message from Ash and rips it up before Splinter can see it. Soon after, it is discovered that Ash has been kidnapped, and Splinter is blamed for not being with her charge. Splinter decides to run off to find Ash, and is surprised to team up with Lucen, who is also running away with the same purpose. Their common ground in becoming squires is to keep people safe. Unable to locate Ash, the two head to the Maronnes and accuses Hazel and Mist of collusion with the Ferisians, only to find out that the father is working with other scholars to try to bring an end to the war. Meanwhile, Ash has been kidnapped by people who share a surprising connection with her, and want to keep her away from the palace. Splinter wants to contact her brother, Anders, who has been off fighting for some time, but when the two finally connect, Anders seems to be a traitor working with the Larks, an organization that opposes the queen. Ash manages to escape her captors and run into one of her mother's lords... who turns out not to be who she thought he was. Will Splinter, Lucen, and Ash be able to get back to the palace and let the queen know what is going on? There is definitely room for a sequel to discuss the progression of the hostilities between Ferisia and Calinor.
Strengths: An author's note at the front references De Brief Voor de Koning (1962) by Tonke Dragt, a classic Dutch book, as well as one of my all time favorite medieval fantasy series, Pierce's Tortall books, as the inspiration for this tale. The parallels are clear, since Alanna escaped being sent to a convent and disguised herself as a boy to train to be a knight, but Nijkamp puts a modern spin on this with Splinter's nonbinary identification. Calinor has a well developed back story, Ash's family history is complicated, and her new friendship with Splinter is heart warming. It's always good to see characters who fall outside the mainstream band together and be successful in their endeavors. Having Lucen understand both Splinter and his sister better was better than having him remain a villain. I especially liked Hazel and Mist, and would love to see them appear in future volumes.
Weaknesses: When Splinter and Ash leave the palace to find Ash, they don't take their horses. I'm willing to buy that there are a lot of coincindences that bring various people into contact with each other, but I would have thought squires who had horses would have taken them instead of walking, which would take much too long. Personally, I always struggle with the politics of fantasy wars, but those who enjoyed Nielsen's The False Prince, Lairamore's Ivy Ever After, Haskells' Handbook for Dragon Slayers, Liddell's The Cadet of Tildor, and Flanagan's The Ranger's Apprentice books. (I love these because of the adventures in the woods and the coffee over the campfires, and tend to skip over a lot of the politics.)
What I really think: I really enjoyed this one, but still have very few readers who ask for medieval fantasy adventures. This is an excellent update to purchase for collections where Pierces' Alanna: the First Adventure or Wrede's Dealing with Dragons are in constant circulation. I have some extra money due to a very generous donation, so will be able to buy this for the readers I have who can't get enough of books like Burgis' The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart, Lloyd's The Book of Three, Ursu's The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy, Durst's Journey Across the Hidden Islands, or Hale's The Princess Academy, or George's The Rose Legacy..
To be clear, I enjoyed this book and would love to hand it to students, but there are far more fantasy books being published than I have readers who ask for them. It is one of the better, new, medieval fantasies I've seen recently.
At the age of twelve, Princess Adelisa is finally returning to the royal city of Kestrel's Haven to take her place in the palace after spending her childhood living with an aunt. She walks with a cane, having been in the carriage accident that took her father's life years ago. Her mother, Queen Avelina, has been dealing with difficult political situations, since the Ferisian Empire is making incursions into Calinor. Her brother, Lucen, the heir to the throne, holds unexplained grudges against her and is not happy that she is back. Ash, as she prefers to be called, has her doubts about being able to survive life at court, since she thinks it is silly. When she steps away from a celebration in her honor because people are being mean to her, she meets Splinter, who claims to be a young squire. When it turns out that Splinter is the orphaned, youngest daughter of the DuLac family whose uncle thinks a convent would be a preferable place for his young ward instead of being a knight, Ash suggests that Splinter become her squire. There is no rule against this, and soon Splinter is outfitted and training with the other squires. Some of the staff support both Ash and Splinter, like Master Elnor, the tutor, and Lord Brenet, the master of the squires, but Lucen has had a previous run in with Splinter, and is quite mean. Ash has to deal with people making offhanded, cruel comments about her disability, but soon has a bigger purpose. Queen Avelina suspects that the Maronnes family is traitorous, since letters between them and Ferisian citizens have been intercepted. Since they have two young daughters, Ash is tasked with befriending them and looking for incriminating information. Eager to help, Ash agrees, but finds the task more difficult when she genuinely likes both Hazel, who is ten, and Melisande (Mist) who is her age. The three have much in common and enjoy many of the same things. Splinter is not welcome to socialize with the three, but is allowed to be taught sword tricks by one of the Maronnes staff, Fenna. When the girls are researching Midwinter Mystery Plays in the father's library, Mist talks about wanting to "spy", but Ash actually steals a letter from the father's desk that is written in Ferisian. Meanwhile, Splinter has a difficult time with the other squires, and when they are on a cleaning detail, is abused and shoved in the mud. Lucen even intercepts a message from Ash and rips it up before Splinter can see it. Soon after, it is discovered that Ash has been kidnapped, and Splinter is blamed for not being with her charge. Splinter decides to run off to find Ash, and is surprised to team up with Lucen, who is also running away with the same purpose. Their common ground in becoming squires is to keep people safe. Unable to locate Ash, the two head to the Maronnes and accuses Hazel and Mist of collusion with the Ferisians, only to find out that the father is working with other scholars to try to bring an end to the war. Meanwhile, Ash has been kidnapped by people who share a surprising connection with her, and want to keep her away from the palace. Splinter wants to contact her brother, Anders, who has been off fighting for some time, but when the two finally connect, Anders seems to be a traitor working with the Larks, an organization that opposes the queen. Ash manages to escape her captors and run into one of her mother's lords... who turns out not to be who she thought he was. Will Splinter, Lucen, and Ash be able to get back to the palace and let the queen know what is going on? There is definitely room for a sequel to discuss the progression of the hostilities between Ferisia and Calinor.
Strengths: An author's note at the front references De Brief Voor de Koning (1962) by Tonke Dragt, a classic Dutch book, as well as one of my all time favorite medieval fantasy series, Pierce's Tortall books, as the inspiration for this tale. The parallels are clear, since Alanna escaped being sent to a convent and disguised herself as a boy to train to be a knight, but Nijkamp puts a modern spin on this with Splinter's nonbinary identification. Calinor has a well developed back story, Ash's family history is complicated, and her new friendship with Splinter is heart warming. It's always good to see characters who fall outside the mainstream band together and be successful in their endeavors. Having Lucen understand both Splinter and his sister better was better than having him remain a villain. I especially liked Hazel and Mist, and would love to see them appear in future volumes.
Weaknesses: When Splinter and Ash leave the palace to find Ash, they don't take their horses. I'm willing to buy that there are a lot of coincindences that bring various people into contact with each other, but I would have thought squires who had horses would have taken them instead of walking, which would take much too long. Personally, I always struggle with the politics of fantasy wars, but those who enjoyed Nielsen's The False Prince, Lairamore's Ivy Ever After, Haskells' Handbook for Dragon Slayers, Liddell's The Cadet of Tildor, and Flanagan's The Ranger's Apprentice books. (I love these because of the adventures in the woods and the coffee over the campfires, and tend to skip over a lot of the politics.)
What I really think: I really enjoyed this one, but still have very few readers who ask for medieval fantasy adventures. This is an excellent update to purchase for collections where Pierces' Alanna: the First Adventure or Wrede's Dealing with Dragons are in constant circulation. I have some extra money due to a very generous donation, so will be able to buy this for the readers I have who can't get enough of books like Burgis' The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart, Lloyd's The Book of Three, Ursu's The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy, Durst's Journey Across the Hidden Islands, or Hale's The Princess Academy, or George's The Rose Legacy..
To be clear, I enjoyed this book and would love to hand it to students, but there are far more fantasy books being published than I have readers who ask for them. It is one of the better, new, medieval fantasies I've seen recently.
June 29, 2024
As someone with hypermobility, who is still getting used to wearing finger splints and walking with a cane (and the looks I get for both), I cannot stress how monumental it was to read Splinter and Ash. To see a character with my disability who was neither barred from the story, nor singled out for the sake of representation. Ash just is disabled. It was wonderful to come home, after a long day of explaining, “this cane is for me, I’m not playing with it” and “yes, I do wear a lot of rings”, and escape into the life of someone who knows why I need those things, because she needs them too.
Outside of being one of two series that I’ve read featuring protagonists with cane (shout out Six of Crows!), this book was just altogether wonderful. The plot was engaging, the characters were interesting, and the setting was magical. If I had to name one nitpick, it’s that the world-building was a little simplified, I would have loved to see more of Ash and Splinter’s universe, instead of it just being exposed to me. Take this with a grain of salt however, as I am the adult fiction reader who picked up a book that said “grades 3-7” on the back. Something something dead pigeon.
Altogether, this includes a wide variety of characters that are not often seen in the genre, while still managing to be pleasant and entertaining. Readers young and old (at least as far as I can vouch) will find something worthwhile.
Outside of being one of two series that I’ve read featuring protagonists with cane (shout out Six of Crows!), this book was just altogether wonderful. The plot was engaging, the characters were interesting, and the setting was magical. If I had to name one nitpick, it’s that the world-building was a little simplified, I would have loved to see more of Ash and Splinter’s universe, instead of it just being exposed to me. Take this with a grain of salt however, as I am the adult fiction reader who picked up a book that said “grades 3-7” on the back. Something something dead pigeon.
Altogether, this includes a wide variety of characters that are not often seen in the genre, while still managing to be pleasant and entertaining. Readers young and old (at least as far as I can vouch) will find something worthwhile.
October 31, 2024
DNF'ed at 100 pages. It's definitely inspired by Tamora Pierce's books but I don't think it has the heart behind them.
The writing is very simplified and the setting even more so. It's a shame because I really like Splinter but I found it very slow yet fast-paced. By that I mean things were fast-forwarded to the determent of character development and things slowed to a crawl randomly.
The writing is very simplified and the setting even more so. It's a shame because I really like Splinter but I found it very slow yet fast-paced. By that I mean things were fast-forwarded to the determent of character development and things slowed to a crawl randomly.
September 27, 2024
Splinter & Ash is an uncommonly heartwarming middle-grade book featuring an agender child and a child with a disability. Both of these topics are mentioned in the story, but the focus is on the children themselves and what they are capable of doing. Other individuals in the book also have passing reference to their status as members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community or as having some form of disability. In all cases, this is treated appropriately.
The story itself is heartachingly familiar as an echo of one of my favorite books as a child, Tamora Pierce's The Song of the Lionness. While not an exact parallel, I had already drawn my own conclusion about its gentle familiarity and influence on the novel before I read the author's acknowledgements honoring the Tortall Universe. Pierce's books were a strong lodestone for me as a female-presenting child striving to be seen as more in the 80s. I predict this compassionate and uplifting story to be the same for the 2020s with updates for agender children and those with disabilities.
We are capable. We are able. We can be who we are.
This would be an excellent read-aloud for the classroom as it lends itself well to some in depth discussion questions about morality and social emotional development.
The story itself is compelling and interesting with a kingdom-wide conspiracy, kidnapping, possible hidden secrets, and adventure. The characters are as rounded as one gets in middle grade with some (somewhat stereotypical) character development over the course of the novel.
Great job, Marieke Nijkamp. Oh, and your cover is fantastic.
The story itself is heartachingly familiar as an echo of one of my favorite books as a child, Tamora Pierce's The Song of the Lionness. While not an exact parallel, I had already drawn my own conclusion about its gentle familiarity and influence on the novel before I read the author's acknowledgements honoring the Tortall Universe. Pierce's books were a strong lodestone for me as a female-presenting child striving to be seen as more in the 80s. I predict this compassionate and uplifting story to be the same for the 2020s with updates for agender children and those with disabilities.
We are capable. We are able. We can be who we are.
This would be an excellent read-aloud for the classroom as it lends itself well to some in depth discussion questions about morality and social emotional development.
The story itself is compelling and interesting with a kingdom-wide conspiracy, kidnapping, possible hidden secrets, and adventure. The characters are as rounded as one gets in middle grade with some (somewhat stereotypical) character development over the course of the novel.
Great job, Marieke Nijkamp. Oh, and your cover is fantastic.
November 20, 2024
Disappointed by this, tbh. Parts of it were cute—the disabled and queer rep was fantastic(NONBINARY REP THAT DOESN’T USE THEY/THEM PRONOUNS?? WORD??), Splinter’s perseverance in her POV as well as her overall fiery attitude made her a highlight of the first half, and the friendship between the titular characters was endearing. I think in hindsight their development was a little rushed, but I still liked them nonetheless.
The plot was standard to a painful degree, though. I think for kids new to the fantasy genre they’ll get a lot out of the action, the characters with endless ambition, and the sprinkling of kingdom politics, but for me (as both someone well-acquainted with fantasy for younger demographics, and an older reader) the plot twists were predictable and the lack of immersion in the world left me feeling bored. I’ll admit there was one plot twist I technically didn’t predict, but that’s because I couldn’t tell if it was a plot hole or not.
And, of course, there are some other grudges I have that younger readers either won’t catch on to, or won’t care about as much(I grew up with the “Rescue Princesses” series, and those princesses made some pretty terrible decisions that partially annoyed me and sent my dad fuming, okay): Ash’s kidnappers were a little terrible at their job and that was obviously the reason why she could have more than one escape attempt; Lucen’s turnaround was quick, and frustrating for an arc that started out with some surprisingly realistic examples on how bullying can be overlooked especially because of favoritism; and Ash’s “I can protect myself :)” message being hammered in for a couple of moments annoyed me because she still obviously needed some help..?
I did like a few other things, though: Firstly, Splinter and Lucen’s initial reluctance to work with each other. Their banter was fun, and I liked that Splinter used several opportunities to call him out. But the main reason why the pacing of Lucen’s turnaround annoys me so badly is that a lot of his issues with Splinter very clearly stemmed from sexism, and the story didn’t think about even exploring how the toxic masculinity cultivated with both monarchy and squire/knight roles cultivated that?? (Because it can also be tied to the reason he revealed for being so closed-off to Ash!) Secondly, I liked Ash’s internal conflict around befriending—and subsequently betraying—Mist and Hazel. (Although the wording for her guilt and anxiety was simplistic.) I don’t know how to feel about the overall message of it though, because as important as it is for kids to recognize when they did wrong and ruined a friendship, Ash was forced by her circumstances, and also clearly valued Mist and Hazel as friends, she just wasn’t in a space she could say she did.
I think I’ll be dropping the series, but it’s pretty cool that characters like Splinter and Ash can exist.
The plot was standard to a painful degree, though. I think for kids new to the fantasy genre they’ll get a lot out of the action, the characters with endless ambition, and the sprinkling of kingdom politics, but for me (as both someone well-acquainted with fantasy for younger demographics, and an older reader) the plot twists were predictable and the lack of immersion in the world left me feeling bored. I’ll admit there was one plot twist I technically didn’t predict, but that’s because I couldn’t tell if it was a plot hole or not.
And, of course, there are some other grudges I have that younger readers either won’t catch on to, or won’t care about as much(I grew up with the “Rescue Princesses” series, and those princesses made some pretty terrible decisions that partially annoyed me and sent my dad fuming, okay): Ash’s kidnappers were a little terrible at their job and that was obviously the reason why she could have more than one escape attempt; Lucen’s turnaround was quick, and frustrating for an arc that started out with some surprisingly realistic examples on how bullying can be overlooked especially because of favoritism; and Ash’s “I can protect myself :)” message being hammered in for a couple of moments annoyed me because she still obviously needed some help..?
I did like a few other things, though: Firstly, Splinter and Lucen’s initial reluctance to work with each other. Their banter was fun, and I liked that Splinter used several opportunities to call him out. But the main reason why the pacing of Lucen’s turnaround annoys me so badly is that a lot of his issues with Splinter very clearly stemmed from sexism, and the story didn’t think about even exploring how the toxic masculinity cultivated with both monarchy and squire/knight roles cultivated that?? (Because it can also be tied to the reason he revealed for being so closed-off to Ash!) Secondly, I liked Ash’s internal conflict around befriending—and subsequently betraying—Mist and Hazel. (Although the wording for her guilt and anxiety was simplistic.) I don’t know how to feel about the overall message of it though, because as important as it is for kids to recognize when they did wrong and ruined a friendship, Ash was forced by her circumstances, and also clearly valued Mist and Hazel as friends, she just wasn’t in a space she could say she did.
I think I’ll be dropping the series, but it’s pretty cool that characters like Splinter and Ash can exist.
November 21, 2024
3 and a half stars for me, actually. I enjoyed this solid fantasy which is distinguished by strong characterizations. But there were things that frustrated me as an adult reader that I think would also have frustrated me as a child.
1. The first thing I noticed was some awkwardness in the translation. You don't arrive to a place, you arrive in or at it. And why use "arrive" in this context, anyway? (When Ash arrived to the dining room--why not 'entered" if you want a somewhat vague verb--there are many others you could choose!)
2. I was really, really sad for a minor character, and frustrated by the lack of closure for her story. This, perhaps, is as much a strength of the book as a weakness.
3. Along the same lines, the story made clear that being a princess is a sort of prison, requiring you to use and betray people who might otherwise be your friends. This was a strength. I would have hated it when I was eleven, but it was well-used in the novel.
4. When Splinter and Ash meet, and Splinter's mask is pushed off, Ash immediately recognizes her as a girl. How and why? Is it her long hair? But men and boys in the book also have long hair. Some young kids look quite androgynous. So this didn't make sense to me.
5. And later, Ash proclaims to Splinter (to Splinter's relief), "You're not a girl." How, again, does she know this, and what does it mean? Why does Splinter, who uses feminine pronouns throughout, object so passionately to being a girl? I understand her wanting to be seen simply as herself, but it seems she IS female, and doesn't mind that. Maybe I'm being dense here?
6. Finally, I wanted to know exactly what syndrome/condition Ash has that handicaps her. An endnote would have been nice.
It's the first in a series, and I realize some of my questions may be answered later on. I do recommend it for most collections; young fans of Tamora Pierce should love it.
1. The first thing I noticed was some awkwardness in the translation. You don't arrive to a place, you arrive in or at it. And why use "arrive" in this context, anyway? (When Ash arrived to the dining room--why not 'entered" if you want a somewhat vague verb--there are many others you could choose!)
2. I was really, really sad for a minor character, and frustrated by the lack of closure for her story. This, perhaps, is as much a strength of the book as a weakness.
3. Along the same lines, the story made clear that being a princess is a sort of prison, requiring you to use and betray people who might otherwise be your friends. This was a strength. I would have hated it when I was eleven, but it was well-used in the novel.
4. When Splinter and Ash meet, and Splinter's mask is pushed off, Ash immediately recognizes her as a girl. How and why? Is it her long hair? But men and boys in the book also have long hair. Some young kids look quite androgynous. So this didn't make sense to me.
5. And later, Ash proclaims to Splinter (to Splinter's relief), "You're not a girl." How, again, does she know this, and what does it mean? Why does Splinter, who uses feminine pronouns throughout, object so passionately to being a girl? I understand her wanting to be seen simply as herself, but it seems she IS female, and doesn't mind that. Maybe I'm being dense here?
6. Finally, I wanted to know exactly what syndrome/condition Ash has that handicaps her. An endnote would have been nice.
It's the first in a series, and I realize some of my questions may be answered later on. I do recommend it for most collections; young fans of Tamora Pierce should love it.
September 26, 2024
This is a great middle-grade fantasy adventure to shelf right next to Tamora Pierce! Well written, wonderful relatable characters, great descriptions - I felt the mud splashing!!
Ash is the princess who has lived away from her family for most of her life but has now returned to the capital. Greeted by her loving mother with open arms, Ash thinks things might be ok, even if her older brother seems to hate her presence and resent her return. She doesn’t easily fit into life at court but tries to find her way and support her family.
Then she meets Splinter.
Splinter looks up to big brother Anders with adoration and is desperate to be a squire although the world sees Splinter as just a “girl”.
Splinter rejoices in the meeting with Ash and accepts the offer to be the Princess’s squire with great joy. Splinter doesn’t mind the mud or the endless sword exercises - much - and is trying not to hear the taunts and bullying from the other squires, led on by Ash’s brother.
But when danger truly threatens the kingdom, it will be up to Ash and Splinter to work together to show the true meaning of loyalty, honor, and friendship.
I didn’t realize until the end blurb that I’d already read the short story the author first wrote about these characters - no wonder they seemed to immediately be old friends.
Cannot wait to see what adventures Ash and Splinter get up to next!
Ash is the princess who has lived away from her family for most of her life but has now returned to the capital. Greeted by her loving mother with open arms, Ash thinks things might be ok, even if her older brother seems to hate her presence and resent her return. She doesn’t easily fit into life at court but tries to find her way and support her family.
Then she meets Splinter.
Splinter looks up to big brother Anders with adoration and is desperate to be a squire although the world sees Splinter as just a “girl”.
Splinter rejoices in the meeting with Ash and accepts the offer to be the Princess’s squire with great joy. Splinter doesn’t mind the mud or the endless sword exercises - much - and is trying not to hear the taunts and bullying from the other squires, led on by Ash’s brother.
But when danger truly threatens the kingdom, it will be up to Ash and Splinter to work together to show the true meaning of loyalty, honor, and friendship.
I didn’t realize until the end blurb that I’d already read the short story the author first wrote about these characters - no wonder they seemed to immediately be old friends.
Cannot wait to see what adventures Ash and Splinter get up to next!
August 24, 2024
Princess Adelisa, Ash, returns to Calinor's capitol, Kestral's Haven, after 6 years away at school. Now, at 12, she returns to listen to hateful remarks of her being unfit because she is disabled - her joints like to dislocate so she uses braces to stabilize them and walks with a cane. Her kindness and intelligence, earns her an unwelcome squire, Splinter, a nonbinary who goes by she when all squires are meant to be male. It doesn't help that Prince Lucen, Ash's brother, is hateful to them both and bullies Splinter with the other squires to get her thrown out of training with her dreams of becming a knight shattered. Then, Ash gets kidnapped by enemy forces that Calinor is at war with, and Splinter will do whatever it takes to save her princess, like any knight should do. All the characters stand on their own and they learn and grow into themselves as the intrigue, danger, and adventure unfolds in the quest to save Ash. The worldbuilding is a little light, but with this being a series opener, there is room for the Calinor kingdom and the Fresian Empire to unfold. A wonderful medieval era read with many twists and turns that will leave readers eager for the next book.
November 11, 2024
Adventure abounds in this promising start to a new middle grade fantasy series. Splinter is desperate to serve her kingdom as a knight like her much-admired older brother, unfortunately girls are not welcome to serve in that capacity. Ash is a princess, though her brittle bones make her less than fit in the eyes of some members of the court and her intellect is underestimated. When a chance encounter brings the two together they find just the friendship they need. Spying, kidnapping, sword-fighting, war with a neighboring kingdom, a plot against the royal family—the story is full of action, but also full of heart. Loyalty, friendship, and compassion are rewarded in this first installment. Splinter does not want to be a boy, exactly, but doesn't entirely identify as a girl. Ash is one of several characters with disabilities. The ending satisfies and, delightfully, leaves the door open for further adventures. Hand to fantasy fans, especially readers who appreciated The Ranger's Apprentice series.
Highly recommended for readers in grades 4-7.
Highly recommended for readers in grades 4-7.
September 5, 2024
3.5✨
I tend to rate low and for my own notes rather than for the community but I read this as an arc- which means if you're looking at this for a community rating a 4✨ is accurate, it's a great book. The 3.5✨ is just for my own notes.
Splinter and Ash is a great middle-years read. It's full of adventure and the characters are charming. Personally I was predisposed to love this because any book dedicated to Tamora Pierce will catch my attention, and I love the nods to her work, but Splinter and Ash is unique unto itself and Nijkamp has created an interesting world with good characters.
I'm curious as to where the rest of the series will go and would absolutely read the next book.
I tend to rate low and for my own notes rather than for the community but I read this as an arc- which means if you're looking at this for a community rating a 4✨ is accurate, it's a great book. The 3.5✨ is just for my own notes.
Splinter and Ash is a great middle-years read. It's full of adventure and the characters are charming. Personally I was predisposed to love this because any book dedicated to Tamora Pierce will catch my attention, and I love the nods to her work, but Splinter and Ash is unique unto itself and Nijkamp has created an interesting world with good characters.
I'm curious as to where the rest of the series will go and would absolutely read the next book.
August 17, 2024
I totally agree with the comparison to Tamora Pierce's books, which I love. This felt very much like old school children's fantasy, pre-Harry Potter when everything became about magic schools or magical realism. The themes and characters are updated, with Splinter not identifying as a boy or a girl. The adventure and the characters are fabulous. I can't wait to read more in this series! Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
September 23, 2024
This was an enjoyable start to a new series. I liked the three main characters, Ash, Splinter, and Lucen. Actually, I really loved both Ash and Splinter. Both of them were strong characters that stepped outside of the societal norms that wanted to label and constrict them. I wasn't so keen on Lucen at the beginning, but he definitely makes some personal growth here. I am intrigued to see where the next book takes us, considering the danger to the kingdom that is still out there.
July 28, 2024
This is for everyone who loved the stores of Tamara Pierce, and are excited to see that same energy presented in world featuring a much more diverse cast. This was so charming!! Highly recommend for any and all middle grade classrooms.
October 6, 2024
If you loved Tamora Pierce's Tortall series, especially the Song of the Lioness quartet and the Protector of the Small quartet, there is a good chance that you will thoroughly enjoy this book, inspired in part by those.
November 14, 2024
I don't have a lot of thoughts other than reading it post election and suffering, I was grateful for the parallels to what's going on in this country and wish that I knew a child that I could give this book to. I would have liked it a lot at the target age group, I think.
Want to read
June 3, 2024a queer mg fantasy with disability rep?
yes, please
yes, please
Shelved as 'on-hold'
September 10, 2024Won via Instagram giveaway ✨️ from @theshelfstuff
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September 27, 2024
It’s cute. Solid choice for a kid that might be just a bit young for Tamara Pierce.
October 7, 2024
reads very similar to SIR CALLIE, but I fricking love SIR CALLIE so I liked this one!
October 10, 2024
Sweet and adventurous
October 22, 2024
An exciting medieval style adventure story following a princess dealing with a chronic illness and her squire desperate to prove themself. Reminded me of Tamora Pierce’s Tortall books.
November 5, 2024
Another wonderful book I wish had been available back when I was a tween.
November 13, 2024
It was a nice easy read. Having read Sir Callie, I much preferred how personal identity was addressed in this story. It was clear the challenges. Instead of getting this inner angsty monologue we see splinter and ash acknowledging the differences in opinion and then rolling with the punches despite them. And inevitably coming out on top.
It was great to see the development of the characters around the main crew.
It was great to see the development of the characters around the main crew.
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