A masterpiece of storytelling that is addictive and engrossing.
Gidwitz strikes literary gold with this mirthful and compulsively readable adventure story set in medieval France.
In a style reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales, this multiple-narrator fairy tale relates the adventures of Jeanne, a white Christian peasant girl who has prophetic visions; biracial white/black William, a Muslim-born monk-in-training with preternatural strength; and Jacob, a Jewish boy with incredible healing powers. While some townspeople hail them as saints for their gifts, other, narrow-minded Christians drive the children from their homes on a journey that takes them from the church of Saint Denis to a confrontation with Louis IX and his mother in Paris. While the three protagonists initially come together out of necessity, the heartwarming friendship they form celebrates a common humanity that transcends the bounds of race, religion, and social class. The author creates a richly designed medieval world, filled with imperious knights, farting dragons, foreboding forests, and soulless fiends, in which nothing is as it seems, including the tellers of the tales. As the story grows darker and more intricate, the dubious cast of narrators lends greater complexity to the sequence of events, forcing readers to question everything that they believe regarding each character’s exploits. Gidwitz’s lighthearted touch nonetheless provides for insightful commentary on the dangers of narrow-mindedness and zealotry that will resonate with modern readers.
A masterpiece of storytelling that is addictive and engrossing. (Fantasy. 11 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-525-42616-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Series fans may enjoy this patched-together prelude.
Twin wizards duel, fret, switch roles, and fall for the same guy in this prequel to the popular series.
Continuing on the theme that it isn’t as easy to distinguish good from evil as it might seem, Chainani goes back to a time when the titular school was run by a pair of immortal adolescents. School Masters Rhian and Rafal have been told that loving one another is the only way to maintain the balance between Good and Evil at the school, but a long run of folk and fairy tales written out by the mysterious pen called the Storian—in which Good triumphs—has led to a fraternal rift. The assignment of decided scapegrace Aladdin to, astonishingly, the School for Good widens the antagonism (could the Storian have made a mistake?). But though Aladdin is the main point-of-view character for major stretches in the early going, no sooner does he hook up with dazzling schoolmate Princess Kyma than the author shoves him deep into the supporting cast to make room for a jealousy-fueled break and some bad behavior that comes when first Rafal then Rhian lock gazes and lips with pirate trainee James Hook (latest of a long line of villains defeated by a certain other ageless teen). Most of the cast reads as White. Lush but rare illustrations underscore dramatic incidents.
Series fans may enjoy this patched-together prelude. (Fantasy. 11-14)Pub Date: May 31, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-316152-8
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
Sharp-edged verse and strong narrative construction frame a teen’s realizations about the world.
In this verse novel, Felix’s quest to save a perceived damsel in distress has dangerous but enlightening results.
Felix Landon Yarrow, whose initials resulted in the unfortunate nickname Fly, feels a deep connection to Don Quixote and fancies himself a knight in his own way, complete with steed (he uses a wheelchair due to “profound” cerebral palsy), sidekick (Levi, his aide), damsel in need of rescue (Daria, his crush), and villain (school bully–turned–drug dealer Carter). Often treated as though he’s not there or is incapable of understanding, Felix intends to use his powers of invisibility to prove his bravery when Carter begins to show interest in Daria. Bitingly sarcastic and darkly witty Felix is a deeply realized character from the beginning. Other characters are rounded out as Felix comes to understand them more deeply. Lyrical free verse lends itself well to the story, deftly conveying both action and Felix’s emotions and the space he perceives himself as occupying. Characters are mature and independent, and themes of being misunderstood, underestimated, and trapped by others’ preconceptions will resonate with many readers. Most characters, including Felix, are cued White; Daria is brown-skinned.
Sharp-edged verse and strong narrative construction frame a teen’s realizations about the world. (Fiction. 11-16)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0583-2
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
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