cover image Except the Queen

Except the Queen

Jane Yolen, Midori Snyder, . . Roc, $23.95 (371pp) ISBN 978-0-451-46273-2

World Fantasy Award–winning Yolen (Dragon’s Heart ) teams up with Snyder (The Innamorati ) to weave a magical tale. After Serana and Meteora stumble across a secret that could damage the reputation of the Fairy Queen, the close-knit fae siblings are separated and banished to Earth. Stripped of youth, beauty, and magic, they struggle to adapt to the baffling modern world. In New York, Serana meets a feral young man whose talent for music is uncanny. In Milwaukee, Meteora finds refuge in the legendary Baba Yaga’s house, where she befriends a troubled woman being stalked by a murderous tattooist. As the various players converge for a deadly showdown, the truth behind the sisters’ exile is revealed. Unconventional narrative techniques and a full dose of magic and folklore give this urban fantasy a lyrical, mythic feel. (Feb.)