Helston and its champions have been torn apart by war. Finally reunited after being scattered across the realm fighting personal battles, Callie, Elowen, Edwyn and Willow must prepare to step into the roles they've been training Champion, Witch, Knight and King. |
I’ve read hundreds of middle-grade novels in the past few years alone, and I’ve never encountered a story quite like the Sir Callie series. Fierce and funny and achingly real, this series is dark in all the right ways: not dark for darkness’s sake but because nothing else can quite reflect the reality that kids, especially queer and trans kids, have to live through every day. Symes-Smith proves here that it is possible to write a middle-grade story that has it all, with the kind of emotional resonance that literally changes lives: deftly drawn character relationships, high stakes, an ensemble cast, vibrant worldbuilding, and a heartbreaking but incredibly satisfying ending.
This is now the fourth book in this series I’ve read, loved, and reviewed, and I still find myself utterly lost for words to describe how much Callie and their friends mean to me. Willow, Edwyn, Elowen, and Callie are four of the best characters I’ve ever encountered; there’s so much reality bound up in their conflicts, struggles, and relationships, and I found it impossible not to see parts of myself in every one of them. Their defiant hope made me believe that we truly can do better,
Too often the final book in a series will fall flat, but Sir Callie and the Final Stand lived up to my extremely high expectations. Every plotline and character is treated with care and depth as they are wrapped up, and while I would love to read more in this world, I trust that all the characters are in the best of hands - their own. I struggle to think of another recent MG series so flawlessly executed from beginning to end. Sir Callie and the Final Stand is truly unputdownable, and I'm incredibly excited for whatever Symes-Smith writes next!
If you're looking for a spot of joy that doesn't shy away from the reality and hardship of being a queer young person today, this series will change your life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Book description credited to the publisher.









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