The little green men have conquered the world in ten seconds, preserving as slaves those people receptive to telepathic communication. Four teens meet in the slave quarters and realize that their telepathic talents are growing. One begins to dream-walk, which leads him and his friends to attempt an escape from the compound near Austin, Texas, looking for a rebel force further west. Lord Vertenomous’s communiqués and journal entries supplement Jesse’s first-person narration and help to provide a full picture of both sides of the story—a technique that produces effective worldbuilding. Plot is primary here: It’s carefully constructed for maximum suspense and the major literary characteristic in this certifiable page-turner. Character development plays second fiddle, with only enough information provided to support readers’ suspension of disbelief. The climax is exciting and guaranteed to please readers, while the resolution is loose enough to suggest possible sequels. Buy this for readers of Ann Halam’s Siberia (2005) and J.B. Stephens’s Big Empty series, boys and girls alike, although the male narration may have more appeal for the guys. (Science fiction. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4384-3
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An interesting premise, but the execution leaves much to be desired.
In the sequel to Scavenge the Stars (2020), Amaya “Silverfish” Chandra and Cayo Mercado flee their hometown of Moray for Baleine, a port city in the Rain Empire, for completely different reasons.
When Amaya’s mysterious benefactor, Boon, gives her chests of gold—which she later discovers contain counterfeit money that causes the deadly epidemic ash fever—and asks her to spread it far and wide disguised as Countess Yamaa, she does so without questioning him because she is blinded by an overwhelming need to avenge her dead parents. However, Amaya feels betrayed by Boon and is determined to find him, discover the truth about her father, and make him admit to his crimes. Cayo, meanwhile, is a recovering gambler who has lost everything but his sister, Soria. Desperate to find a cure for Soria’s ash fever, he takes her to a hospital in Baleine. Amaya’s and Cayo’s feelings toward each other have been complicated ever since Amaya tricked Cayo into believing she was a countess, but they need to work together to stay ahead of the corruption in their world. While the design of this sequel is grand, the worldbuilding feels flimsy and the plot, overly complicated while the characters lack conviction and sufficient motivation. The cast is diverse in ethnicity and sexuality.
An interesting premise, but the execution leaves much to be desired. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5533-4
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Readers who enjoyed the first book will find everything amped up here, including the violence and drama.
Cursed, heartbroken, and still trying to save her country.
In this sequel to the Asian-inspired fantasy Spin the Dawn (2019), readers are reintroduced to Maia, now more hardened yet emotionally torn. Though she has discovered great powers and successfully created dresses with elements from the sun, moon, and stars, the country of A’landi is in more turmoil than ever. As she fights alongside an emperor she is quickly coming to despise, Maia also battles a curse that is slowly transforming her into a monster with no memory of her past, love, or family. Her powers, both demonic and magical tailoring skills, however, may help her face the demon controlling the other side of the war. The pacing is a bit uneven, and it is recommended to read the previous book to be able to follow along with the events. The beginning jumps from crisis to crisis without much breathing room but later takes more time for character development, including that of two other strong females. The strength of this story lies in Maia’s internal struggles and the ways the author weaves in lessons learned through various Asian myths and legends.
Readers who enjoyed the first book will find everything amped up here, including the violence and drama. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-525-64702-7
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
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