Pleasant enough, but Silvie’s constant protestations against her leadership and heroism won’t get much argument.
A runaway noblewoman takes up robbery, aided by a band of merry rogues, in this gender-flipped Robin Hood retelling.
Lady Silviana flees to the forest, mostly to escape her brutal brother, John, and his incestuous desires. Along with a servant, a boy named Bird who is her lifelong friend and love interest, she offers refuge to John’s victims, starting with the raped and pregnant Little Jane. To her astonishment, Silvie soon finds these outlaws are looking to her to command an uprising against feudal injustice. Pseudo-British, vaguely medieval Esting is an intriguing world—nobles are either dark-complexioned or extremely pale, and they rule over a population that is somewhere in the middle in terms of coloring; most occupations are open to men and women alike; and birth control, abortion, and bisexuality are openly accepted—yet patriarchal authority essentially remains unchallenged. Themes of freedom and feminism are heavily emphasized, while traditional swashbuckling is downplayed in favor of Silvie’s romantic angst and dawning social consciousness. Colorful side characters are vividly drawn, if occasionally wincingly exoticized (especially the princess Ghazia), and are frankly more compelling than diffident Silvie or blandly perfect Bird. Nonetheless, the inspiring ethos, brisk pace, and genuinely thrilling climax all hold attention even if the disappointing epilogue suggests that systemic oppression can be corrected by punishing one egregious villain.
Pleasant enough, but Silvie’s constant protestations against her leadership and heroism won’t get much argument. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-88819-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
