The Dark Lord’s Daughter
by Patricia Wrede
Fantasy
Tween
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
Kayla learns that she’s from another world and that she’s REALLY the daughter of the Dark Lord Xavriel of Zaradwin, and her given name is Xavrielina (lame). She and her adoptive family (mom & brother) are whisked (by magic) back to Zaradwin where Kayla is to become the new Dark Lady. Her mom gets EXTREMELY upset and protective and keeps demanding that they all be sent back home, but no one has the magical know-how to re-create the spell that transported them. Kayla and her brother have the potential to be powerful magic users, but neither is trained, so they’re more of a liability (and a danger) at the moment. So they’re stuck and Kayla has to figure out how to be a Dark Lady without putting everyone to death (how Dark Lords and Ladies normally operate), or putting her subjects and her family in danger (new Dark Lords and Ladies are always popular targets for usurpers!). An intriguing beginning if you can get past all of the bickering between Kayla and her mother. A sequel continuing the story would be welcome! For grades 5+.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
