For readers wanting a multicultural version of a familiar romantic storyline.
An American girl falls in love with a being from Japanese mythology.
Orphaned Katie Greene’s custodial grandfather is battling cancer, so she’s sent to live with her aunt, Diane, in Japan. At school there, Katie witnesses the handsome kendo star, Yuu Tomohiro, coldly dumping his girlfriend—and more importantly, Katie glimpses a drawing he did moving by itself. Tomohiro’s a familiar romantic hero, broody and mysterious while hiding a good heart under a rough exterior, as does his best friend, who immediately dislikes Katie and who has connections to the Yakuza, or Japanese organized crime. The boys’ friendship is surprisingly well-developed, especially considering Katie’s bland relationships. Katie focuses on following Tomohiro and delving into his mysteries—the dark rumors about his past and why his drawings move. She breaks through his tough exterior and learns he’s a Kami, a Shinto god, and that he has trouble controlling his drawings, which not only come to life on the paper, but can leap off of it as well. He has even more trouble when Katie is near, causing danger for them both from multiple sources. The text is peppered with Japanese words and phrases (defined in a glossary), the effective setting echoing Katie’s immersion into Japanese culture. Interior spotlight art illustrates Tomohiro’s drawings and features a couple of small flip animations. The ending leaves many mysteries unanswered, predictably setting up a sequel.
For readers wanting a multicultural version of a familiar romantic storyline. (Paranormal romance. 12-17)Pub Date: July 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-373-21071-8
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
A smart, timely outing.
Two teens connect through a mysterious podcast in this sophomore effort by British author Oseman (Solitaire, 2015).
Frances Janvier is a 17-year-old British-Ethiopian head girl who is so driven to get into Cambridge that she mostly forgoes friendships for schoolwork. Her only self-indulgence is listening to and creating fan art for the podcast Universe City, “a…show about a suit-wearing student detective looking for a way to escape a sci-fi, monster-infested university.” Aled Last is a quiet white boy who identifies as “partly asexual.” When Frances discovers that Aled is the secret creator of Universe City, the two embark on a passionate, platonic relationship based on their joint love of pop culture. Their bond is complicated by Aled’s controlling mother and by Frances’ previous crush on Aled’s twin sister, Carys, who ran away last year and disappeared. When Aled’s identity is accidently leaked to the Universe City fandom, he severs his relationship with Frances, leaving her questioning her Cambridge goals and determined to win back his affection, no matter what the cost. Frances’ narration is keenly intelligent; she takes mordant pleasure in using an Indian friend’s ID to get into a club despite the fact they look nothing alike: “Gotta love white people.” Though the social-media–suffused plot occasionally lags, the main characters’ realistic relationship accurately depicts current issues of gender, race, and class.
A smart, timely outing. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-233571-5
Page Count: 496
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
This is no didactic near-future warning of present evils, but a cinematic adventure featuring endearing, compelling heroes
A gripping thriller in dystopic future Los Angeles.
Fifteen-year-olds June and Day live completely different lives in the glorious Republic. June is rich and brilliant, the only candidate ever to get a perfect score in the Trials, and is destined for a glowing career in the military. She looks forward to the day when she can join up and fight the Republic’s treacherous enemies east of the Dakotas. Day, on the other hand, is an anonymous street rat, a slum child who failed his own Trial. He's also the Republic's most wanted criminal, prone to stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. When tragedies strike both their families, the two brilliant teens are thrown into direct opposition. In alternating first-person narratives, Day and June experience coming-of-age adventures in the midst of spying, theft and daredevil combat. Their voices are distinct and richly drawn, from Day’s self-deprecating affection for others to June's Holmesian attention to detail. All the flavor of a post-apocalyptic setting—plagues, class warfare, maniacal soldiers—escalates to greater complexity while leaving space for further worldbuilding in the sequel.
This is no didactic near-future warning of present evils, but a cinematic adventure featuring endearing, compelling heroes . (Science fiction. 12-14)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25675-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: April 8, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
BOOK TO SCREEN
© Copyright 2024 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.
bookshelf
