A young girl’s life changes dramatically when she becomes the apprentice to one of the most famed alchemists of her time.
Jenny Swift, only 14 years old, is taken from her parents and her sheltered upbringing in lush Queerwood to become apprentice to the famed alchemist Richard Antrobus. But when her newfound master is attacked as they embark upon their journey into nearby Vale, Jenny soon realizes that this isn’t just another apprenticeship. Upon her arrival in Vale, the young apprentice is thrust into a world unlike any she’s ever known—a mysterious stranger gives her an antique brass astrolabe, and she is attacked by a vicious stranger and subsequently saved by Rayker, who works for Duke Emeric. She then meets her roommate, the flighty, well-off, yet well-meaning Emily. Jenny, who is already an accomplished healer, soon learns the basics of alchemy in Antrobus’ study nestled deep within the castle. Her first real test comes when she must defend herself against violent outlaws who will stop at nothing to gain the secrets hidden deep within Antrobus’ study. When her master is kidnapped, it is up to Jenny to save him and protect the secrets he’s worked his entire life to collect. What results is a story of deceit, murder and the quest to decipher the secrets of an ancient manuscript that contains the deepest secrets of alchemy. Skinner handles the characters and ensuing plot twists with gusto, yet at times there are so many characters that the reader has to stop for a moment to place them. As the first installment in Skinner’s Earth, Air, Fire and Water series, the book follows suit with the exploding popularity of the young-adult science fiction and fantasy genre, yet the author approaches the genre in an original way, focusing on the principles of early science and historically accurate—yet fictional—settings, characters and plots. A worthy read, perfect for the young adult, fantasy loving set; true devotees will anxiously await the next installment in this original series.
Pub Date: Oct. 30, 2010
ISBN: 978-0955726866
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sibling Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 4, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
