Pleasant enough, but Silvie’s constant protestations against her leadership and heroism won’t get much argument.
A runaway noblewoman takes up robbery, aided by a band of merry rogues, in this gender-flipped Robin Hood retelling.
Lady Silviana flees to the forest, mostly to escape her brutal brother, John, and his incestuous desires. Along with a servant, a boy named Bird who is her lifelong friend and love interest, she offers refuge to John’s victims, starting with the raped and pregnant Little Jane. To her astonishment, Silvie soon finds these outlaws are looking to her to command an uprising against feudal injustice. Pseudo-British, vaguely medieval Esting is an intriguing world—nobles are either dark-complexioned or extremely pale, and they rule over a population that is somewhere in the middle in terms of coloring; most occupations are open to men and women alike; and birth control, abortion, and bisexuality are openly accepted—yet patriarchal authority essentially remains unchallenged. Themes of freedom and feminism are heavily emphasized, while traditional swashbuckling is downplayed in favor of Silvie’s romantic angst and dawning social consciousness. Colorful side characters are vividly drawn, if occasionally wincingly exoticized (especially the princess Ghazia), and are frankly more compelling than diffident Silvie or blandly perfect Bird. Nonetheless, the inspiring ethos, brisk pace, and genuinely thrilling climax all hold attention even if the disappointing epilogue suggests that systemic oppression can be corrected by punishing one egregious villain.
Pleasant enough, but Silvie’s constant protestations against her leadership and heroism won’t get much argument. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-88819-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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