This engrossing installment moves a series about a gay teen in a promising, mature direction.
This fourth volume of a YA series chronicles a sweet, queer teen coming-of-age in Boston.
As Roamer’s story begins, his narrator and protagonist, RV, finds himself starting a summer that already feels different and slightly off from previous ones. It seems as if all the people in the high school student’s life are facing major problems that affect their moods. (Even Joe from Joe’s Pizza does not seem his usual cheery self.) Following the football accident at the end of Why Can’t Relationships Be Like Pizza? (2021), RV’s best friend—and crush—Bobby is struggling to recover from the physical and cognitive effects of his head injury with such tenacity that he is actually scaring the protagonist. At the same time, both RV’s friend Mark and his mentor and confidant, Mr. Aniso, are also preoccupied by upsetting events in their families. It feels as if there’s not much fun to be had as RV begins a summer job at the multiplex. But the new gig introduces him to the gregarious and flirtatious Italian American Matteo. RV soon embarks on his first “official” dates with a boy and realizes he has to figure out what that means for his other friendships, his family, and his future—all while trying to learn to drive. Some of the more adult themes, like homophobia, sex, and identity, which were largely on the periphery in the previous volumes, have started to directly affect RV, making for a much more engaging narrative. (Bobby’s difficulty coping with his new disabilities is the most complex and realistic subplot yet.) Roamer’s teenagers still come off as too formal and polite with one another to be believable at times. But just like its main character, the series has shown real progress and moved toward a more serious look at the lives of today’s queer young people.
This engrossing installment moves a series about a gay teen in a promising, mature direction.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64890-346-5
Page Count: 247
Publisher: NineStar Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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