A suitably swashbuckling sequel.
The sequel to The Inventor’s Secret (2014) finds plucky Resistance warrior Charlotte leading her small but trusty band of youthful rebels through the thickets and swamps of the New York Wildlands in a desperate bid to reach French-held rebel territory near a fictional New Orleans.
The British won what amounted to a civil war in this alternate history, and they now rule the provinces with an iron hand. The revolutionaries have to negotiate a host of conflicting and complex forces including Native American potentates, rapacious outlaws, and the titular conjurer, the powerful Nicodemus. Charlotte risks her life to protect her young charges, in particular the mysterious, invincible boy Grave, from threats from both sides. Her powerful mother and brother want to clone Grave to create an invincible army, while the two brothers Jack and Coe keep making amorous advances that she must fend off. A deus ex machina emerges in the person of glamorous pirate and captain of the Perseus, Frenchman LaChance, whose exotic ship/aircraft combo comes in handy in setting the stage for another sequel….This is classic steampunk, in which any unevenness in plot detail or characterization can be overlooked in favor of exotic and picturesque locales, lots of interesting machinery, and the adrenaline rush of following the adventures of an honest and fearless heroine.
A suitably swashbuckling sequel. (Steampunk. 12 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-3991-6424-8
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2015
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A book that seamlessly brings readers along on a journey of impact and empowerment.
A manifesto for budding feminists.
At the core of this engaging novel are besties Chelsea, who is Irish- and Italian-American and into fashion and beauty, and Jasmine, who is African-American, loves the theater, and pushes back against bias around size (“I don’t need your fake compliments, your pity. I know I’m beautiful. Inside and out”). They and their sidekicks, half-Japanese/half-Lebanese Nadine and Puerto Rican Isaac, grow into first-class activists—simultaneously educating their peers and readers. The year gets off to a rocky start at their progressive, social justice–oriented New York City high school: Along with the usual angst many students experience, Jasmine’s father is terminally ill with cancer, and after things go badly in both their clubs, Jasmine and Chelsea form a women’s rights club which becomes the catalyst for their growth as they explore gender inequality and opportunities for change. This is an inspiring look at two strong-willed teens growing into even stronger young women ready to use their voices and take on the world, imploring budding feminists everywhere to “join the revolution.” The book offers a poetic balance of dialogue among the main characters, their peers, and the adults in their lives. The exquisite pacing, which intersperses everyday teen conflicts with weightier issues, demonstrates how teens long to be heard and taken seriously.
A book that seamlessly brings readers along on a journey of impact and empowerment. (resources for young activists, endnotes) (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0008-3
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2019
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