An ambitious and imaginative series opener that mixes ecological allegory with character-driven fantasy.
A teenager grieving the loss of her father discovers a mysterious connection with two young otters from rival tribes in Mason and Moore’s YA fantasy novel, the first in a series.
Thirteen-year-old Ayana Outerbridge is headed north with her mother for another summer at her grandparents’ isolated homestead on the Pacific Northwest coast. Once these trips were times of joy—now, the experience feels hollow (“One minute, Ayana had a father. The next ― POOF! ― she didn’t”). At the same time, in the waters just offshore, a young river otter named Sleek violates tribal law by entering a sacred cave to retrieve a magical gift for Gloss, the headstrong daughter of the sea otter king. The cave—once part of a luminous, mind-awakening realm known as Liminal—has been overrun by a monstrous predator, and Sleek’s trespass could reignite the war between the river and sea otters. Gloss chafes under the strict rules that forbid females from hunting or wielding weapons. Her clandestine efforts to prove herself collide with Sleek’s mission. Unbeknownst to both of them, Ayana’s fate may be linked to theirs. The story effectively blends naturalism with high fantasy. The authors construct a dense but coherent mythos that frames the ocean as both a literal and symbolic frontier, rendering underwater societies with distinct hierarchies, dialects, and beliefs. Gloss, in particular, emerges as a standout character—a female warrior determined to break caste and gender restrictions (“I will defend my Raft just as you do. Better than you do.”) Ayana’s arc is more introspective, centering around her grief and alienation. Her skin condition (vitiligo) and conversations with her late father’s memory add emotional depth, though her connection to the fantasy plotline remains mostly suggestive in this first volume in Mason and Moore’s series. While the novel’s early chapters can be dense with exposition, especially in the undersea scenes, the pacing soon quickens, and readers are rewarded with richly imagined action, interpersonal tension, and a final act that sets the stage for an expansive saga.
An ambitious and imaginative series opener that mixes ecological allegory with character-driven fantasy.Pub Date: March 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781735833019
Page Count: 524
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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