Melodrama and meandering pacing overshadow a relatable cast of characters.
In this prequel set in the world of the popular Netflix series, teenage superheroes’ first ordinary night out turns into another Umbrella Academy mission to save the world.
A group of adopted siblings, trained to use their superpowers to fight crime, have been going on missions ever since they were preteens. After rescuing earthquake victims—and dispensing justice to the oil execs whose illegal fracking probably caused the disaster—the teens decide to sneak out and finally have some “normal” fun at a college party. Even non-superpowered sibling Viktor is invited to go along, since he’s the only one with practice being a regular person. For everyone else: “No powers tonight.” That promise goes out the window, however, when they realize they’re partying with a threat to both the college students and the Earth’s rotation. If they don’t step up and work together as a team for their first solo mission, everyone in the world could be in danger. While the premise is exciting, this story serves more as a character introduction and vehicle for repetitive teen angst than a well-paced adventure. There’s almost no action until the halfway point, and even then, it’s short lived. A publisher’s note indicates the respectful care taken to collaborate with actor Elliot Page and the show’s creators in the portrayal of Viktor in this story set prior to his transition. Main characters are diverse in race, gender, and sexuality.
Melodrama and meandering pacing overshadow a relatable cast of characters. (content warning) (Science fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: June 18, 2024
ISBN: 9781419766275
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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