Review: To Best the Boys by Mary Weber
SYNOPSIS:
The task is simple: don a disguise. Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys.
In a thrilling new fantasy from the bestselling author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, one girl makes a stand against society and enters a world made exclusively for boys.
Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port have received a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. The poorer residents look to see if their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.
In the province of Caldon, where women train in wifely duties and men pursue collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.
With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone is ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the deadly maze.
Welcome to the Labyrinth.
REVIEW:
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
Mary Weber is a fantasy genius; in a masterful stand-alone that test gender standards and societal expectations, Rhen Tellur goes on a journey of determination and self-discovery and re-defines history in the process. This book was everything I wanted and so much more. Teenage angst, strong characters, lush settings, complex backgrounds and so much more, once I picked up the book, I knew I wasn’t putting it down till I was finished.
Rhen is the bad-*ss heroine we all want in a YA fantasy novel, except she delivers! She has the knowledge, mindset, and will-power to see anything through. Her mission is out of love and selfless-ness, as opposed to many of the boys entering the Labyrinth, who want money and glory. Rhen just wants an education in a world where women are expected to be home-makers, and to ultimately find a cure to save her mum. Of course, Rhen isn’t alone of this epic quest.
Seleni, Rhen’s cousin, joins in on the epic adventure, and what started out as a prim-and-proper girl, Seleni finds strength and courage over the course of the Labyrinth. Beryll, is soft-spoken and after Seleni’s heart, finds his voice in the Labyrinth. But the real hero her is Lute, cue the swoon, the handsome fisherman after my own heart. He takes care of his mother and special needs brother, entering the Labyrinth in the hopes of being able to provide them with a better life. Lute and Rhen are all the swoon. Supportive, the play off each others strengths and weaknesses, and make for a dynamic duo that you can’t help but cheer on.
The plot is fast paced and while initially it took a little bit to get going, there is a lot of world building happening. The adventures are action packed and the story effortlessly flows until I too was sucked into the Labyrinth with them. The perfect balance of fantasy and romance, Mary Weber doesn’t disappoint. And the best part is, I got the ending I was hoping for and the amazing story line I wanted…all in one book!
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
