A touching adventure with rich mythology and immersive descriptions.
In Brushett’s YA fantasy, Crusoe the dog encounters an ancient evil in a Nova Scotian public park.
In Nova Scotia, a lonely dog named Crusoe encounters some magic in a park called Dartmouth Commons, where he has been living. Crusoe is a mid-20th-century dog; the magic is an ancient evil—referred to by the elves who inhabit the Commons as Thaur Halda—that has been slowly destroying the park and influencing the people in it. One day, Crusoe meets Elena, a young elf. Reading Crusoe’s thoughts, Elena experiences Crusoe’s life leading him to his present circumstances in the Commons. Crusoe’s first home after leaving his mother was with Boy and his family, who lived near the park. Crusoe and Boy were inseparable and spent a lot of time in the Commons until Boy became infected by Thaur Halda. Crusoe then ended up with Tommy, a local criminal, for a while before losing him, too, leaving the dog hesitant to get close to anyone else. Elena and her family manage to gain his trust, and they explain the backstory of the “Shadowed Abomination” to him as they ask him to help protect the volunteer gardener, Leighton “Joe” Dillman, from Thaur Halda’s evil influence as Joe works to restore the Commons. Brushett describes Nova Scotia with lush details invoking all of the senses: “The rigging tinkled a bright, clear melody as she danced on the harbour swell, and her hardware and brightwork gleamed in the morning sun.” While beautiful and well-written, the story may be a bit much for some younger readers; however, the action sequences (especially the climax) are written with exciting, kinetic language that will hold interest. The mythology of the elves and the Commons is compellingly detailed and engaging. Readers will find Crusoe an easy protagonist to root for as he learns about himself and finds his way to a loving family.
A touching adventure with rich mythology and immersive descriptions.Pub Date: June 25, 2025
ISBN: 9781038336781
Page Count: 252
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Oct. 17, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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