Parents' Guide to Grim and Oro: Dueling Crowns Edition: A Lightlark Saga Companion

Book Alex Aster Fantasy 2025
Grim and Oro: Dueling Crowns Edition book cover: Grim's face behind a crescent moon, Oro's face with serious expression surrounded by gold flames

Common Sense Media Review

Andrea Beach By Andrea Beach , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Compelling companion novels explore dark, light, and love.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

Each novel in GRIM AND ORO takes readers into the childhood and early life of the rival love interests from the Lightlark series, as well as narrating events from the previous books from each title character's perspective. When Oro becomes king, he's determined to find the magical artifact that's the key to breaking the curses that each kingdom in the realm has been under for centuries. Grim has to spend most of his time fighting increasing invasions of creatures from another dimension who keep finding ways into his kingdom. But when both meet Isla, she makes a huge impression on both men, and is destined to change both of their lives forever. But who does she love?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

Fans of the Lightlark series will enjoy this intriguing dive into Grim and Oro's backstories, as well as reliving the excitement of the series from two new points of view. It's best to read the other books in the series before reading Grim and Oro for a better understanding of the characters and events. There's lots of excitement from fantasy action, surprising revelations from exploring the story from new points of view, and plenty of tension and suspense from a steamy love triangle to keep the pages turning. The deluxe packaging provides each novel printed upside-down from the other, making it easy to avoid spoilers and enhancing the reading experience for fans of the series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Grim and Oro explores the power of love. How do their childhoods and young lives affect what they think about love and how, or whether, they show it? Do you agree that love is the strongest emotion?

  • Are Grim and Oro good role models? What gives them the courage to persevere against overwhelming odds and monstrous creatures? Grim thinks of himself as a monster, do you think he's bad or evil?

  • Have you read any of the other books in the Lightlark series? If you have, which is your favorite? If you haven't, would you like to now?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

Grim and Oro: Dueling Crowns Edition book cover: Grim's face behind a crescent moon, Oro's face with serious expression surrounded by gold flames

What to Read Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate