This taut, entertaining tale mingles astonishing powers with ordinary adolescence.
A superpowered teenager joins others with similar abilities in fighting a covert agency that’s hunting them in this debut novel.
Rion Grean starts his senior year in Missouri—the sixth school in four years. He keeps others at a distance and lives a quiet life with his freelance researcher mother, Diana. The high school student has practiced telekinesis for as long as he can remember, lifting objects whenever he’s alone. He says nothing about this ability, even to Diana, who has her own secrets; she won’t give Rion details about his father. It’s hardly surprising when they have to move again. But what is shocking are the unmarked SUVs that chase Diana and Rion. After the two must separate, Rion luckily finds “Clairvoyants”—others with superpowers. Some are “Kinetics,” like Rion; others sport abilities such as telepathy. But all are on the run from the Psionic Research and Intervention Institute, or Psyriin, an agency with a largely unknown agenda. When Rion learns Psyriin likely has Diana captive, he aims to track down the agency’s impossible-to-find prison. He’ll just have to hone his skill and rely on his new allies. This series opener’s diverse cast comprises varying races, powers, and personalities. While race is never an issue, the Clairvoyants clash over direction; several form a less-trustworthy group, the Predators. Rion is a superb protagonist; he’s considerate but understandably frustrated with Diana’s secrets, and he’s a convincing, unseasoned superhero. For example, he learns as he goes along, picking up new abilities and questioning his decisions. Moore’s concise prose fuels the narrative with tight scenes of action as well as Rion’s training. Still, the best moments are in the beginning, when typically outcast Rion makes his first best friend with the other new kid at school. The ending answers some questions but leaves much up in the air for the sequel.
This taut, entertaining tale mingles astonishing powers with ordinary adolescence.Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-95-240438-2
Page Count: 438
Publisher: Cayelle Publishing/Surge Teen
Review Posted Online: May 6, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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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