Review by Booklist Review
Meet Edward, Crown Prince of Canada. That's right, for in Geron's contemporary fairy tale, Canada is a monarchy that boasts royalty. With that as a base, Geron develops his intriguing plot by borrowing a leaf from Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. The prince is obviously Edward; the pauper is Billy, who works on his family's ranch in Montana. What neither boy knows is that they are identical twins, separated at birth. They meet when Billy, a gifted violinist, heads to New York to audition at Juilliard and runs into Edward (literally). The two boys recognize their resemblance, but nothing is made of it until, a few plot twists later, the truth is revealed. It turns that not only do they look alike, both are queer: Billy is out, but Edward remains deeply closeted. Meanwhile, when it is established that Billy is the older twin, he becomes the crown prince. A furious Edward decides to discredit Billy by pranking him with some small success. However, it is a larger, darker force (homophobia) that disgraces Billy and sends him back to Montana. Is that it? Not on your tintype, for this is a quintessentially feel-good novel so richly plotted that it is hard to put down--and the empathetic, beautifully developed characters are to die for. Long may they reign.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A closeted prince and an out-and-proud cowboy, both 17 and white-cued, discover that they are twins in this raucous tale by Geron (Bye Bye, Binary). Weeks before his 18th birthday and investiture, a ceremony during which he will be named heir to the Canadian royal throne, Prince Edward Dinnissen serendipitously bumps into his doppelgänger, Billy Boone, a gay rancher from Montana. Billy is attending a Juilliard audition and Edward is appearing at a charity ball in N.Y.C. when they learn that a hospital error separated them at birth, and Billy--born minutes earlier--is the true heir to the throne. Billy soon moves to New York to prepare for his own investiture under the demanding tutelage of a royal adviser. Resentful of Billy's sudden rise to fame and his ease with being out, Edward recruits his pretend girlfriend and best friend to turn public opinion against Billy and reclaim his title by purposefully misleading him in royal propriety. When Edward and Billy finally begin warming up to each other, however, a long-buried family secret jeopardizes their fledgling siblinghood. The twins' dynamic relationship unfurls swiftly, and their unique alternating perspectives, paired with the narrative's solidly crafted emotional landscape, offer monarchical fanatics a hijinks-filled royal escape. Ages 13--up. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US. (Jan.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Accidentally separated at birth, gay identical twin brothers Edward and Billy are thrown into a royal whirlwind when their unexpected reunion interrupts both of their plans for the future. Crown Prince of Canada Edward Dinnissen is starting his senior year of high school at an elite prep school in New York City. He's ready to shed the bad press from a mishap on his last birthday and is busy preparing for his upcoming investiture ceremony. Meanwhile, Montana native Billy Boone is trying to find his place in the world, torn between working on his family's ranch and carrying on his recently deceased father's legacy and feeling like he's meant for something bigger. A gifted violinist, Billy is elated to be invited to try out for Juilliard. The two boys' worlds are turned upside down when an accidental run-in while Billy is in New York City for the audition leads to the discovery that the presumed White 18-year-olds are in fact long-lost twins. Pax, Billy's best friend from home, is a Black, nonbinary aspiring fashion designer whose attraction to Prince Edward takes an exciting turn. The plot is relatively engaging, with scenes that will keep many readers interested. Unfortunately, character development is weak, and as a result, the characters' motivations come across as inconsistent and ungrounded. Since many deeper themes and feelings are spelled out rather than emerging organically, events that should evoke serious emotions often fall flat and lack resonance. A pleasant but unremarkable coming-of-age tale. (Fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
