AUGUST 2024 - AudioFile
In this updated retelling of Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT, the classic tale of false identities and gender-swapping is enhanced by the talented narrations of Alexandra Palting and Kevin R. Free. Their youthful and energetic performances bring to life injured football player Jack Orsino and geeky tabletop gamer Viola Reyes, who meet up in an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) called Twelfth Knight and develop a strong emotional connection. Free and Palting's nuanced voices help listeners enjoy the twists and turns of this enjoyable young adult romance. Both narrators display finesse in navigating their characters' development. C.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
"The feelings here are baroque in scope, and every interaction feels fraught with significance. It’s delicious.”—The New York Times
"Utterly charming.”—Paste
"Between the expertly executed slow burn romance, intricate world building, delightful grumpy-sunshine banter, and genuinely joyful cast of characters, Twelfth Knight completely stole my heart. Whipsmart, hilarious, fantastical, and downright swoonworthy, Twelfth Knight is the Excalibur of nerdy, feminist, YA romcoms.”—Crystal Maldonado, author of The Fall of Whit Rivera and Fat Chance, Charlie Vega
"A love letter to fandom and gaming culture. Twelfth Knight is a charming read which doesn't shy away from examining the fraught relationship between fandom, gaming, and misogyny. Vi and Jack encapsulate the perfect enemies-to-lovers romance; opposites in every way but sizzling with chemistry."—Adiba Jaigirdar, award-winning author of The Henna Wars
"Chock-full of Shakespeare references and gamer culture, with nods to nerd franchises like Game of Thrones and D&D, this adorkable Twelfth Night retelling is the stuff that rom-coms are made of.”—Booklist
“What a joy this book was, found myself literally kicking my feet and screaming. Twelfth Knight is a firecracker of a novel, taking a well-beloved Shakespearean classic, gutting out its heart, and forming a fresh, compulsively readable story that is reminiscent of the best of the 90’s movie teen cult classics. With charming nods to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and a captivating heroine who always stands her ground, Alexene Farol Follmuth has composed an irresistible and heartwarming novel.”—Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, New York Times bestselling author of Ace of Spades
"Twelfth Knight is a smart, fresh, and heartwarming rom-com that any reader will enjoy!"—Nick Brooks, author of Promise Boys
"A delightful nerd romance.”—Kirkus Reviews
"In Twelfth Knight, Alexene Farol Follmuth, much like that other writer who wrote that other Twelfth Night, beautifully reimagines a classic tale for the modern moment with tremendous wit, effortless grace, and laugh out loud jokes. Viola and Duke Orsino have never been better together. There is heart and humor here that exemplifies the very best of romance and comedy. There is wisdom here that surprises and salves."—Arya Shahi, author of An Impossible Thing to Say
"As lively as it is charming."—School Library Journal
School Library Journal
06/01/2024
Gr 9 Up—Being student VP to Jack "Duke" Orsino's student body president is frustrating. Add in a recent fallout with her tabletop group, and Vi Reyes's only safe haven is her MMORPG Twelfth Knight, where she plays as a male character. However, Vi's sacred gaming space is changed when a football injury benches Jack for the season. He is introduced to Twelfth Knight and unknowingly begins late nights gaming with Vi. There's just one problem; Vi's pretending to be her brother Bash online. While the pair build a virtual friendship, Vi grapples with telling Jack the truth, especially when their real-world interactions begin to spark feelings. Follmuth's sophomore YA novel is as lively as it is charming. The modernization of Shakespeare's work perfectly showcases teens grappling with anger over life circumstances. Vi is no stranger to inequality, and her gruff, guarded demeanor will resonate with many readers. Jack's search for positivity, coinciding with the potential loss of his future, hits the reality that life is more than just a game; it's about the people who stand with you. As Vi and Jack's relationship develops, both learn to appreciate the other while ultimately finding that having conviction, sensitivity, and steadfastness isn't bad if one cultivates and communicates with the people they love. Jack is Black, and Vi is contextually cued as Latinx. VERDICT A coming-of-age Shakespearean revamp where building personal connections, while unapologetically being yourself, is at the forefront of this romantic comedy.—Emily Walker
Kirkus Reviews
2024-03-23
Viola Reyes is a gamer, a fangirl, and a feminist.
Vi plays tabletop games and massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and she obsessively watches the medieval fantasy TV show War of Thorns. She loves to spend time at Renaissance faires and fan conventions, where she can be herself. Unfortunately, male-dominated fandoms aren’t always welcoming to female-identifying and presenting people. More often than not, Vi is forced to defend herself and her right to exist in fandom circles. She plays as Cesario, a boy, in Twelfth Knight, her current MMORPG, so she can actually enjoy the game rather than battle constant harassment. Meanwhile, Jack “Duke” Orsino is student body president (Vi is the vice president) and high school football royalty. When he seriously injures his knee and is benched for the season, he starts playing Twelfth Knight, too—and DukeOrsino12 encounters Cesario. When the two begin chatting and teaming up within the game, Vi panics and pretends to be her twin brother, Sebastian. This engaging modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night has a genderbending plot that’s a perfect fit for contemporary readers. While some of the allusions will be a bit too on the nose for anyone familiar with the source material (and may make suspending disbelief difficult for some), the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers storyline (and the absence of Twelfth Night’s sinister subplot) more than carry this successful adaptation. Duke is Black, and Vi is cued Latine.
A delightful nerd romance. (dramatis personae) (Romance. 14-18)
