Even the most devoted fans may find themselves frustrated to the point of giving up by the end. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
A convoluted Christian fantasy offers up sadistic theology in place of comprehensible narrative.
While Koren the Starlighter wrestles with whether serving the evil dragon Taushin is worth the greater good, Elyssa masters the healing gifts that come with her Diviner powers. Meanwhile, Jason's friends keep fighting to free the slaves, and the former dragon rulers visit Darksphere to raise a human army. From the opening paragraph, readers are thrown into the middle of several over-cluttered storylines—dozens of characters from two different worlds, human and dragon and ghost and otherwise, each with back story and agenda and secrets—from constantly shifting viewpoints, all of which sound pretty much the same. Most of these plots eventually cohere, somewhat, but the tale does not so much conclude as simply stop mid-action. Although the language can be elegant and the imagery exquisite, such craft is mostly lavished upon detailed, sensuous descriptions of physical and mental tortures. Since this suffering is explicitly deemed essential to "freedom," and characters keep being resurrected from near- and actual death (although fatality seems no hindrance to continued activity), it is hard to distinguish or even take seriously the deeds and experiences of individuals presented as either "good" or "evil."
Even the most devoted fans may find themselves frustrated to the point of giving up by the end. (Fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-310-71838-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Zondervan
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
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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