The Sunbearer Trials
by Aiden Thomas
High School    Feiwel    416 pp.
9/22    9781250822130    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781250822147    $10.99

Every ten years in the fantastical but ­contemporary-feeling Reino del Sol, ten demigod children are chosen to compete in the Sunbearer Trials, a sacred ritual deemed necessary in order to avert the apocalypse. Although winning the Trials brings glory, it comes with a price: it’s the Sunbearer’s duty to sacrifice the competitor in last place. Seventeen-year-old Teo, whose family wields little power, is certain he won’t be chosen to compete—but the god Sol selects both him and thirteen-year-old ­fellow trans boy Xio. Teo and his best friend, Niya, vow to keep Xio from becoming the sacrifice and find a way to put the other, stuck-up competitors in their place. Each city that hosts the competition is devoted to one of this world’s gods, with elements richly drawn from Mexican culture to create a ­narrative setting that’s colorful, expansive, and unique. Reino del Sol is devoid of ­queerphobia, with powerful gods in same-sex relationships or using they/them pronouns, and Teo’s ­dysphoria about his wings serves as an intriguing metaphor for transness. Though the cast of characters is large, the individuals are engaging and distinct. The novel ­successfully balances magical, action-packed battles with lighter interactions and ­dialogue. A cliffhanger ending sets up a promising second half for the projected ­duology.

From the January/February 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.