‘The Summer Queen’ review: Rochelle Hassan continues to enchant

Rochelle Hassan’s The Summer Queen, the sequel to 2023’s The Buried and the Bound, is yet another triumph. She cleverly weaves the mystical and fantastical with grounded reality, resulting in a story that drips with excitement. From the yearning love story at its core to the found family nature of our central trio, the series continues to define itself as one of the best additions to the YA genre in years. Hassan’s voice is clear and confident in her storytelling. She imposes modernity into the magical realism stories and their inhabitants we’ve come to know over time. But for all the worldbuilding she crafts — which is truly immense — it’s the three heroes at its center, Aziza, Leo, and Tristan, who bring the necessary heart. 

After defeating the hag, the three of them became a coven at the end of The Buried and the Bound. Now, with Aziza and Tristan mentally bonded and Tristan living in Leo’s family home, they’re more tethered than ever. A beautiful note in the series is how the scars of the battle with the witch still burden them. Aziza has lost full abilities of one of her hands due to scars from the fight. Mentally, Leo is worried about being baggage to his stronger friends after having to be rescued. But rather than let them succumb to the darkness, The Summer Queen demonstrates how they flourish with their new bond and lead with their hard-won knowledge. 

They’re barely given time to process the existing mysteries of their world before the Summer Court arrives in Blackthorn. They’re a nomadic community of Fair Folk from deep within Elphame whose presence threatens the safety of Leo’s younger sister. Due to that, Leo strikes a deal with the Summer Court’s princess and regent, where he and his coven — Aziza and Tristan — must embark on a hunt against the Fair Folk’s strongest warrior. 

One of the strongest aspects of The Summer Queen is how each character develops individually while maintaining their integral tether to one another. Leo is seeking out his sense of self-worth as the resident non-magic user of his cover. His insecurity is often the driver of his decision-making, though it never strips him of his intelligence. He isn’t suddenly making dumb decisions for no reason. Instead, he’s constantly seeking answers. He needs proof to justify his inclusion in the coven, and reasons to commit fully to the true love he can’t remember (who is always, unbeknownst to him, by his side.) He’s the lovable heart of the group whose journey is emotional. 

Meanwhile, Aziza and Tristan are both dealing with the magic they have and how to wield it better. Aziza learns about the wondrous world of hedge magic beyond what she was taught. It’s a shame her story also deals with a potential love interest. Hassan writes romance well, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with Aziza getting her own possible love story. Her character was interesting just enough without it. 

Tristan, too, is learning more about his necromancy as he wields better control over his blackhounds. His story aches with the knowledge that he’ll continue to love Leo, whether Leo can remember him or not. It’s a lovely, bittersweet tragedy baked into the story as they grow closer, with Leo unable to know the truth. We almost learn more about Tristan from chapters set in either Aziza or Leo’s perspectives. The two often call out Tristan’s lack of self-preservation skills, his time with the hag having eroded his belief that his life is as worthy of saving as the other two. 

This found family between the three fuels some of the book’s sweetest, most understated moments. There’s a particular moment when facing incredible dangers and even possible death when Leo thinks to himself that the time spent pursuing said danger with Tristan and Aziza is time he’d never trade. He cherishes his time with them above all else. It’s a lovely sentiment that speaks to the impossible bonds they’ve shaped with each other and their unyielding trust in one another. The book is best when they’re together. This conflicts with later in the story when they’re separated to better cover the expansive world. 

Hassan’s prose, especially in how she captures all things mythical, remains superb, her descriptions alluring and transfixing. From costumes brought to vivid life of “spider-fang helmets” and “supple, fish-scale armor” to how “wind sprites spilled into chambers, carrying the scents of toothpaste, black coffee, and the sweet, early-morning air,” her world is enriched with a complete understanding of how fantasy builds off of what we know. There’s a particular line in lead up to a critical standoff that exemplifies what Hassan does best. 

“…you have to move beyond basic spellwork and make it your own. The easiest way to do that is to come up with a story yourself, one that’s specific to the task at hand.” 

This line speaks to the nature of Hassan’s stories. Here’s an author taking common, familiar folk tales and fantasy and rendering them her own. It’s there where she finds her power.  

The world building is a huge triumph. Hassan has already painted readers such a vivid story in the first novel and still manages to expand further by introducing new mythical creatures and customs. It’s not just their inclusions but the care in the prose that enriches each species so they become tangible. The blackhounds fur is as textured as the bark of a nymph. The reverence for these timeless stories shines through, but they’re injected with Hassan’s curiosity and imagination. Things such as the idea of the wind sprites passing along notes in exchange for the smell of mothballs, morning breeze, and coffee grounds. It’s a touch that enhances the delicate nature of these creatures. 

Hassan continues to enchant by delivering a dense world captured with spry, engaging text. The second in a trilogy, The Summer Queen, serves as ample middle ground. This includes all of the awkwardness in pacing that comes with it. Regardless, there’s no doubt that this series should be on “the next big things”radar in YA Fantasy in particular. Tackling poignant thematic stories with dizzying witchcraft, found family warmth, delightful worlds, and a will-they-won’t-they romance, the series continues to whisk readers away through an abundance of heart and magic. 

The Summer Queen by Rochelle Hassan is available January 23.