The Notorious Virtues coming April 1st, 2025 from Viking Books for Young Readers; 512 pages
Content Warning: Violence, murder, death, graphic descriptions, alcohol
About the Author: “Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King’s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often. Alwyn’s New York Times-bestselling debut, the YA fantasy REBEL OF THE SANDS, was published by Viking Children’s Books in the US and Faber Children’s Books in the UK, and in 14 other territories. The trilogy continues in TRAITOR TO THE THRONE and HERO AT THE FALL. Alwyn was named the 2016 Goodreads Choice Award winner for Best Debut Author” (Bio from author’s website).
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The Notorious Virtues follows the lives of the Holtzfalls, the most powerful family in the city of Walstad. Everything was perfect for Nora: her mother was the heiress, and Nora was next in line. But then her mother was found dead. Now, Nora must compete against her cousins in the Veritaz Trials, the deadly test to discover which Holtzfall is most worthy to inherit the family’s vast fortune of magic and wealth. However, Nora’s attention strays to hunting down clues about her mother’s murder, thinking she is guaranteed to win—until her Aunt Grace reveals a secret child. Lotte, who grew up in a country convent with no idea about her lineage, does not fit into this world of dresses and charms, no matter how much she craves a family. But the trials come for both the girls when they least expect it.
The Notorious Virtues is a masterpiece of unexpected twists, complex plot devices, and phenomenal characters. The story is told through four perspectives, and each one drove the novel forward. I really liked both Nora and Lotte and, at times, found myself torn between who I wanted to win the trials more. Lotte craves a family more than anything, and I empathize with her longing. Nora has spent her entire life training to be the heiress, so her character arc focuses on her learning who she is without the certainty of her future, which was wonderfully portrayed. I wasn’t fully expecting the dash of murder mystery, but it added a fresh layer of depth to enjoy. I liked the magic, a cross between charmed jewelry and abilities that a character can utilize at their own will. There are also many fairy tale references, with breaks in the narrative that tell the origins of the Holtzfall family like a fable, which was another thing I absolutely loved. But what I loved most of all about this book was that each detail, even ones I didn’t think would matter, came back to surprise me. This only added to the vibrancy of the plot, and the many intersecting threads throughout fit perfectly into the whole. The ending, while it was a cliffhanger, was an absolute showstopper. I am delighted to say that this is only the first book in a trilogy, and I am beyond excited to see where Hamilton takes this story!
The Notorious Virtues releases on April 1st, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Hannah Goerndt, Pine Reads Review Writer