'Twelfth Knight'
by Alexene Farol Follmuth

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six (under the penname Olivie Blake) comes Twelfth Knight, a YA romantic comedy and coming of age story about taking up space in the world and learning what it means to let others in.

Viola Reyes is annoyed.

Her painstakingly crafted tabletop game campaign was shot down, her best friend is suggesting she try being more “likable,” and her school’s star running back Jack Orsino is the most lackadaisical Student Body President she’s ever seen, which makes her job as VP that much harder. Vi’s favorite escape from the world is the MMORPG Twelfth Knight, but online spaces aren’t exactly kind to girls like her—girls who are extremely competent and have the swagger to prove it. So Vi creates a masculine alter ego, choosing to play as a knight named Cesario to create a safe haven for herself.

But when a football injury leads Jack Orsino to the world of Twelfth Knight, Vi is alarmed to discover their online alter egos—Cesario and Duke Orsino—are surprisingly well-matched.

As the long nights of game-play turn into discussions about life and love, Vi and Jack soon realise they’ve become more than just weapon-wielding characters in an online game. But Vi has been concealing her true identity from Jack, and Jack might just be falling for her offline…

The Folger Shakespeare Library’s collection explores not only Shakespeare’s life and works, but also the plays’ historical context, source material, critical and performance histories, and the ways in which they inspire and are adapted by contemporary novelists.

Twelfth Knight borrows plot elements and character inspiration from William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, thoughtfully exploring questions of sexism and self-identity in a high school setting. YA fiction is increasingly being recognized for its high-quality and appeal beyond teenage audiences, with outlets such as The Atlantic and The Guardian exploring how YA books have been broadening their readership.

Twelfth Knight also connect to two exciting strands of Folger programming: Folger Institute’s “Folger Foe-lios,” a series of introductory 5E Adventures meant to be enjoyed in a single session up to six players and a Game Master (GM), and Folger Theatre’s upcoming production of Twelfth Night, on stage May 13 – June 22.

Alexene Farol Follmuth is a young adult romance author, a first-generation American, and a lover and writer of stories. Alexene has penned a number of adult titles under the name Olivie Blake, including the internationally bestselling The Atlas Six. Her YA debut My Mechanical Romance (2022) was a Goodreads Choice Nominee, while her sophomore release, Twelfth Knight (2024), was an instant New York Times and Indie bestseller, a June 2024 B&N YA Book Club Pick, and a Reese’s Book Club Summer 2024 YA Pick. Alexene lives in Los Angeles with her husband and goblin prince/toddler.

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