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Court of Fives (Court of Fives, 1) Paperback – July 12, 2016
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Jessamy's life is a balance between acting like an upper-class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But away from her family she can be whoever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multilevel athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's best contenders. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between two Fives competitors—one of mixed race and the other a Patron boy—causes heads to turn. When Kal's powerful, scheming uncle tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test her new friend's loyalty and risk the vengeance of a royal clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.
- Reading age12 years and up
- Print length464 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level7 and up
- Lexile measure850L
- Dimensions5.45 x 2.1 x 8.25 inches
- PublisherLittle, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication dateJuly 12, 2016
- ISBN-100316364304
- ISBN-13978-0316364300
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Editorial Reviews
Review
A NPR Best Book of 2015
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Tayshas Top Ten Pick
A Lone Star Reading Pick
"Kate Elliott's magic and mastery is better than ever. Court of Fives enchanted me from start to finish, with characters and worlds that lingered long after I turned the final page."―Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series and the Young Elites series
"This book is amazing. Kate Elliott combines everything I love best in a YA novel. Jes is a killer protagonist, tough and capable, but also lost in her upbringing and faced with impossible choices that test her character and her beliefs.... This book will not fail you." ―Gail Carriger, New York Times bestselling author of the Parasol Protectorate series and the Finishing School series
"Fast-paced, tense, and riveting. I couldn't put it down, and you won't be able to either!"―Tamora Pierce, author of the Tortall series and the Circle of Magic series
"Haunting. Epic. Impassioned. Layered. Breathtaking. This isn't just a novel; it is a coup d'état of the soul. Prepare to be ravished by Kate Elliott's Court of Fives."―Ann Aguirre, New York Times bestselling author of the Razorland trilogy
* "Jes will remind readers of fearless Katniss with her skill and strategy for games. But it's the fascinating descriptions of traditions, royal interactions, and, of course, the intensities of the Fives that will enthrall readers most of all. Let the games continue!"―Booklist, starred review
"A gripping, original plot; vivid, complicated characters; and layered, convincingly detailed worldbuilding. A compelling look at racial and social identity wrapped in a page-turning adventure."―Kirkus Reviews
"An imaginative journey.... Elliott creates an intricate and intriguing story, conjuring a world of mysticism and centuries-old customs. Jessamy's boldness and impulsiveness make her a striking heroine in a male-dominated land."―Publishers Weekly
"Sure to garner a following of adventure and suspense fans. While highly entertaining and fresh, the novel also speaks to issues of gender, class strife, and identity. Jessamy is an exciting protagonist: strong, quick witted, and smart.... This book is a winner, and readers will be clamoring for the next installment."―VOYA
"A high fantasy novel that explores race, class, and gender struggles in a patriarchal society.... Jessamy is loyal and strong female protagonist who fights against injustice. This trilogy opener will be a hit with readers who love action-packed fantasy adventures."―School Library Journal
"Full of high-stakes adventure but also heartfelt musings on identity, family and colonization, this book presents a fantasy world that is refreshingly inspired by Greco-Roman and Egyptian cultures."―NPR
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (July 12, 2016)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 464 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0316364304
- ISBN-13 : 978-0316364300
- Reading age : 12 years and up
- Lexile measure : 850L
- Grade level : 7 and up
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.45 x 2.1 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #964,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Kate Elliott lives in Hawaii, USA. In addition to the Crossroads series and the Crown of Stars series, she is co-author of THE GOLDEN KEY.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers praise the book for its engaging plot and world-building. They find the characters interesting and relatable, with a strong female lead character. The writing style is described as beautiful and well-written. Many appreciate the fast-paced story and the beautiful setting.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the engaging plot of the book. They find it well-written and a wonderful coming-of-age story set in a fantasy world with some magic. The book is described as a terrific opener to a series, and readers are eagerly awaiting the next installment.
".../maze/challenge of dexterity, thinking, and cunning as well as brute strength, the competition and design of it is well suited to having contestants..." Read more
"Court of Fives by Kate Elliott is a YA fantasy book and one that I found myself being sucked into even in the middle of a reading slump...." Read more
"...It’s set in a fantasy world with some magic, although it isn’t heavily used for the most part...." Read more
"...Court of Fives is fundamentally a great story, but needs help with pacing and the depth of it’s characters...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's world-building. They find it unique, detailed, and rich. The concept is interesting and the world-building is detailed without being overly detailed. Readers describe the story as engrossing, fast-paced, inspirational, and satisfying their world-building expectations.
"...An obstacle/maze/challenge of dexterity, thinking, and cunning as well as brute strength, the competition and design of it is well suited to having..." Read more
"...I enjoy the perspective of characters, their differences, simplicity where it needs to be simple, building complexity where there needs more answers..." Read more
"...I loved the world building, Elliott respects her readers enough that she doesn’t feel the need to guide them by hand and explain every little thing,..." Read more
"...An interesting world where you are dealing with racial tensions between a conquering and conquered peoples but we are seeing it mainly from the..." Read more
Customers enjoyed the book. They found it engrossing, fast-paced, and enjoyable. The first-person narrative was perfect for the story, and the protagonists engaged with the world. Readers described the concept as unique and intriguing.
"...Elliott does an excellent job of juxtaposing Jes’ preconceptions and thoughts on characters with their observed actions, and providing a..." Read more
"...I found the protagonists engaging and loved the world. I found it had a bit more substance than some YA fantasy novels...." Read more
"...for very honest internal voice that is the most natural and brilliant comic relief I've read - A talent that made me literally laugh out loud in..." Read more
"...Quite a good book, and apparently the start of a series. Recommended." Read more
Customers appreciate the interesting and well-developed characters. They find the female lead character admirable and relatable, with a stunning growth arc.
"...much more compact volume in terms of observed setting and scope, characters, and a fast-paced structure that suits the form very well...." Read more
"...I found the protagonists engaging and loved the world. I found it had a bit more substance than some YA fantasy novels...." Read more
"...that Kate Elliott has in her writing, the sincerity and believability in the characters and how they interact with each other that is so simple and..." Read more
"...Jessamy, the main character is definitely interesting, she is our door into the setting and an adolescent (a potentially dangerous combination), but..." Read more
Customers enjoy the writing style. They find the story well-written and woven into the author's world.
"...These are wonderfully done, showing a real consideration for athletic competitions and what it takes to excel in them...." Read more
"...I felt these were very well written and engaged my sympathy for the characters...." Read more
"...seems to play very heavily on YA tropes - but it is woven into her own world so beautifully, that none of them seem to bother me...." Read more
"...I liked Kate Elliott’s writing style and found that Jessamy’s first person narrative is perfect for the book...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's style and enchanting setting. They find the writing easy to read and reminiscent of Tamora Pierce's works.
"...But there is a beauty and an ease that Kate Elliott has in her writing, the sincerity and believability in the characters and how they interact with..." Read more
"...novel, and that’s no mean feat for somebody who is noble, rich and good-looking to boot...." Read more
"...It all makes for a vibrant backdrop and enhances and deepens all the characters. No supporting character is just a cardboard construct...." Read more
"...This makes the her progress all the more relatable. The stage for her story is also beautiful: the Hellenistic Egypt like setting offers a good..." Read more
Customers find the book's pacing engaging and fast-paced.
"...in terms of observed setting and scope, characters, and a fast-paced structure that suits the form very well...." Read more
"...It was well paced with engaging, believable characters and my only issue with it was that as Jessamy has been being strong and brave for the entire..." Read more
"...The intricate Fives trainings and competitions made the book fast-paced and riveting...." Read more
"I really enjoyed the book: the pacing's fast, the story well structured and deftly written...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2015The daughter of a precarious and disapproved union between an upper class military leader and a commoner mother finds solace, personal freedom, and a possible route to justice, in an athletic competition in Court of Fives, the first turn into YA by epic fantasy author Kate Elliott.
Jessamy is one of the daughters of Captain Esladas. Pledged to the High clan Tonor, Esladas has found fame and fortune in Efea, far away from his homeland. He also fell in love with a local girl, a commoner like himself. As he rose in rank and status, he has scandalously remained faithful to the woman he cannot marry and will not abandon, daughters and all. Caught between the worlds of Patrons and commoners, Jessamy chafes at the clash of social roles and expectations. Her joy and desire is to run the Fives, a multi-level complex athletic competition. That she does so masked, and trains when her father is away on campaign should come as no surprise. Events soon come to a head as a change in Esladas’ fortune overwhelms the fragile world Jessamy inhabits, and her skills are called to greater purpose–for the good of her mother and sisters.
Jessamy is the heart and soul of the book, and Elliott has taken great pains to show a multi-sided and relatable young heroine. Her hopes, fears, dreams, strengths and weaknesses are drawn from an intimate and fluent first person perspective, a clear evolution and development of the voice she used to depict Catherine in the Cold Magic/Spiritwalker series. Court of Fives is a much much more compact volume in terms of observed setting and scope, characters, and a fast-paced structure that suits the form very well. We don’t get into anyone else’s head in the novel, so everyone and everything is filtered through Jes’ viewpoint. Elliott does an excellent job of juxtaposing Jes’ preconceptions and thoughts on characters with their observed actions, and providing a multidimensional point of view on her sisters, her mother, her father, and others. Notably among these is Kalliarkos, a patron boy with all the advantages of life, and we get the sense that even in his position and rank, he, like Jes, chafes at the duty he is called to, and dreams of what he might do if given the chance to break out of his societal mold. Their interactions as they get to know each other, and compete with one another, are a highlight of the book.
The world and culture itself is another achievement in Elliott’s oeuvre. The world is reminiscent ofthe broad outlines of Ptolemaic-Era Egypt, with an outsider expatriate ruling class over a common, local population. Add in class struggles, divisions, culture clashes, and all the richness of a society divided,reflecting and refracting itself over and over again. Saryenia, the city that Jessamy and the other characters make their home, is reminiscent of Alexandria, with its port-town culture mixing, ancient tombs and mausoleums, and opulent wealth thrust against grinding poverty. Rather than simply copying the layout of that fabled city, however, the roadside geology of Elliott’s city is an invention of its own, a city sprawling across two conical hills which are clearly extinct volcanoes, and festooned with a pair of harbors in Saryenia that are perfect circles (and thus whose origin is beautifully clear to the alert reader)
The Fives game itself is a wonderful bit of invention on the author’s part. An obstacle/maze/challenge of dexterity, thinking, and cunning as well as brute strength, the competition and design of it is well suited to having contestants of both genders compete on a relatively even footing. We get a couple of set-piece run throughs, and a lot of Jessamy’s thoughts on how the courses work and how she faces each of the five pieces of it. These are wonderfully done, showing a real consideration for athletic competitions and what it takes to excel in them.
We don’t get to see quite as much of that world, or some of the revealed secrets, in this volume as we might were this one of the author’s more standard-length Epic Fantasy tomes. I was left with a lot of questions about how some things work and the layout of certain aspects of society,magic and culture that simply would have made a tight volume aimed at a YA audience be too unwieldy. The fact that this is the first in a series gives me hope that many of my questions about the world Elliott has created will be answered. That is above and beyond the strong desire I have to see the continuation of Jessamy’s story. While she achieves a significant victory at the end of this novel, Jes’ story has only begun, and Elliott has planted some very intriguing seeds for what is to come. I aim to finish the trilogy to see if the brass ring at the end of the course is really, as it is with so much of the author’s work, gold.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2016Court of Fives by Kate Elliott is a YA fantasy book and one that I found myself being sucked into even in the middle of a reading slump. I found the protagonists engaging and loved the world. I found it had a bit more substance than some YA fantasy novels.
What I liked
Cultural tensions. This is very much a tale of being caught between two cultures. Our protagonist, Jessamy, is the child of a Saroese father and Efean mother and struggles to fit in with either culture. Her father’s people, who are the conquerers of the Efeans, do not fully accept Jes as one of their own due to her mixed heritage yet her genteel upbringing closes her off from acceptance in her mother’s society. Jes herself also struggles to find her place in her world. The only time she can truly be herself is when she is training for the game the Court of Fives. Although we do not live in a magical society, this theme may still strike a chord with many readers.
The Games. I really enjoyed how the game of Court of Fives permeated the story to a great extent. We see the games themselves a couple of times in the books, but it’s made clear that the skills Jes uses to become a successful Fives player are the same skills she and Kalliarkos will need to get out of certain situations and also to navigate Saroese politics. I really loved that politics was hinted to be just a different version of the Court of Fives.
The magic and Jes’s journey. The magic is very subtle in this book and is tied to the Efean culture. At this point in her story Jes still struggles to accept her Efean heritage, so she has difficulty understanding the magic. I expect that Jes’s journey in future books will be to embrace her cultural background, at which point the magic will become more and more prominent. That I am excited to see.
Little Women. I read in the author’s notes that the characters of Jes and her sisters were based on those of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. I didn’t notice that at first, but once you do see it, it is very clear. It was fun seeing those personality types in a completely different setting. I am curious about what it means for the sisters’ character arcs in upcoming books and whether they will mirror those of Alcott’s.
Moral dilemmas. Certain of the characters, including Jes, face moral dilemmas at certain points in the book. I felt these were very well written and engaged my sympathy for the characters. I am very interested to see how the decisions made will impact future character development and relationships. I’d like to think Jes will have more understanding for her father in future.
What I didn’t like
The romance. I wouldn’t say I disliked the Kalliarkos/Jes romance; it’s more a case of I’m waiting to see how it plays out in future books. I was concerned that it felt a little too much Instalovey, which I don’t like. If the parallels with Little Women hold true, the future for the couple doesn’t look too rosy.
In the end I really enjoyed Court of Fives and gave it four stars out of five. I have an Advanced Reader Copy of the sequel, The Poisoned Blade, and I’m very excited to read it.
Top reviews from other countries
- VISAReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Great book great writer
- L. UnrauReviewed in Canada on September 6, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Great pacing, dynamic characters
I read this book in one weekend after being captivated by the sample chapter. This book had everything I look for in a story that will stay in my heart. It has all of the best parts of Hunger Games and Divergent without the flaws I saw in those books. The pacing was wonderfully fast while still giving deep characterization that made me care deeply about Jes and Kal and everyone else.
There were times that I found the plot to be a bit predictable but because the pacing was so perfect I didn't have time to be bothered by that. Plus, there were enough interesting twists that I didn't expect and threads that I know will be past of the next book that I'm anxious to read it the day it comes out.
If you like fast paced stories about characters who will matter to you I certainly recommend this book with high praise.
- milanReviewed in Germany on September 11, 2015
4.0 out of 5 stars Another interesting world of intrigue.
Knowing most of Kate Elliott's former books, I was looking forward to this new novel. Again she has managed to spin intricate patterns of relationships between the various actors of the play.
I am looking forward to the continuation of the story.
- ECamaldulensisReviewed in Australia on December 15, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars A great quick read
This was thoroughly engaging. Elliot creates a great heroine in a complex world that she describes effortlessly. Definitely one to read.
- CPReviewed in Canada on January 2, 2018
4.0 out of 5 stars Good debut
This debut story of Jessamy's adventure into the competition of Court of Fives is interesting with mixture of political intrigues, social injustices an unlikely friendship and romance between Jessamy, a mixed race girl and Kalliarkos, a Patron teenager prince.
It reminds me a little bit of The Black Mage series, but this book is less focused on the training for the competition of Court of Fives, but it more concentrates on the society suffocated by rules of class and privileges.