Deft pacing and engaging characters make this an intriguing exploration of life, death, and all the choices in between.
Kramer makes an impressive debut with a twisted tale of a teenager who wakes up to find himself in an elite academy of grim reapers.
Seventeen-year-old Shawn Turner doesn’t remember dying. But when he suddenly finds himself at Wayward Academy for training on how to become a reaper of souls, he’s forced to admit that he is, in fact, deceased: “This time Shawn didn’t need the grip of the gate to stop the blood flow in his body, because not only did Shawn not know where he was; he had no heartbeat.” As he struggles to adjust to his new role and surroundings, he makes fast friends with Quintin “Q” Prodit, Maple Collins, and Jay Musters. Wayward Academy teachers instruct the group on how to properly collect souls. Once given a name and approximate time of death, they must retrieve the glowing orb above the dead body to make sure the deceased moves on to the “next phase”—otherwise, they will turn into a ghost. But when Shawn is confronted with collecting a living person (called a “grounder”) named Cirie who can see him in the mortal world, the newbie reaper questions whether he can actually save his charge instead of ferrying him to his final resting place. But Shawn and his new friends must decide whether they’re willing to pit themselves against the other reapers to take a stand and save a soul. Kramer’s keen eye for detail makes this novel a thoroughly enjoyable, albeit occasionally gruesome, tour through the underworld. Whether it’s descriptions of ghostly horses (“In contrast to the horse’s dark coat were bones visible on the side of its face and yellowing with decay. Where the right eye should have been was an empty socket that had skin flaking off like a bad case of dandruff”) or depictions of suicide, heavy themes often mix with lighter moments. All of that makes for an action-packed yet thoughtful novel that both young adults and adults can enjoy. A cliffhanger ending brings hope for a sequel.
Deft pacing and engaging characters make this an intriguing exploration of life, death, and all the choices in between.Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2022
ISBN: 9798218079185
Page Count: 328
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 well-thought-out magical world that provocatively centers Black experiences.
Black diaspora magic manifests in a boy on the worst day of his life—but later, things only get more complicated.
When Malik Baron was 7, his mother vanished in the explosive moment his powers manifested while he defended them from mysterious cloaked figures. Ten years (and many foster homes later), the short-tempered Malik isn’t much better at controlling his powers, but he’s ready to leave Helena, Alabama, and start over with Taye, his foster brother. Reuniting with Mama Aya, the maternal grandmother in New Orleans he never knew, wasn’t part of the plan, but fate draws Malik to her—and into a secret world of magic. He discovers Caiman University—a sort of magical historically Black college—which may be where he’ll find answers to what happened to his mother. Narrator Malik, who uses colorful language, is fully aware of the Black Harry Potter subtext of his story, and he’s thoughtfully focused on protecting Taye, proving his mother is still alive, and surviving in a world that has never made things easy, even before supernatural threats emerged. The extensive worldbuilding incorporates West African, Caribbean, and Black American history and cultures to explain a magical reality hidden from view and relevant to the Black diaspora and Malik’s family history. When Malik bumps into an old friend and potential love interest on campus, everything is in place for him to grow into his powers, uncover the truth, and face new heartbreak.
A well-thought-out magical world that provocatively centers Black experiences. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9780593711927
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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