Charming, kinetic, and colorful in more ways than one.
Two young adults forge a profound connection amid an intergalactic war.
Lu is a curious young explorer who belongs to a scientific commune that prioritizes research and knowledge while staying neutral in the conflict brewing around them. While exploring some wreckage, Lu stumbles upon Fassen, a young member of the resistance who has lost their parents in a shuttle crash. Lu helps Fassen return to the Fireback Brigade—the “biggest resistance force the Ever-Blossoming Empire’s ever seen”—but the two keep in touch, communicating secretly and becoming fast friends. As the story progresses, they both grow into their respective roles—Fassen’s bravery and desire for combat get them switched from a medical path to a soldier’s, and Lu continues to research mysteries of the universe with Field, their mobile AI unit. All is well until Fassen discovers the exalted Fireback Brigade may not be as perfect as it seems. Delliquanti’s art entrances, combining dynamic scenes with bold, surprising color schemes to create a spellbinding interstellar universe. Characters frequently upend gender norms, such as Sgt. Bda Gr Sertig, who uses she/her pronouns and sports a thick beard and unibrow. Lu is fat and has dark skin; Fassen is brown-skinned, and the rest of the cast includes a variety of genders, skin tones, and body shapes.
Charming, kinetic, and colorful in more ways than one. (concept art, author's note) (Graphic science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-12414-7
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
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
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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