An enticing, fast-paced series opener.
This fantasy adventure based on a popular webcomic introduces a mythical world of gods and monsters overlaid on the historical backdrop of the Triple Alliance in the final days of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.
The book opens on a forbidden ritual performed under cover of darkness, as orbs of light rise and summon a Child of Darkness against the backdrop of the first days of colonial expansion in Mesoamerica and reign of the Triple Alliance between Tenochtitlan, Tetzcoco, and Tlacopan. Meanwhile, Itzcacalotl, an ambitious, 17-year-old would-be Mexica warrior, wanders from his group into the jungle where a murder of crows brings magical transformation. Elsewhere, 15-year-old Donaji prepares to leave her Zapotec home on a quest to find her long-lost father with help from a quechquemitl, a poncholike garment, imbued with the spirit of a god. A wrong turn puts Donaji in Itzcacalotl’s way, and they are able to join forces on the quest to find Donaji’s father, though the path is fraught with supernatural dangers. But how the dark creature from the ritual ties into their journey remains shrouded. Alert readers will know that Spanish invaders lie on the horizon, leaving them eager for the next installment. Graphic novel fans will appreciate how the colorful, manga-inspired illustrations dramatically bring the Mesoamerican setting to life, and history buffs will enjoy the footnote factoids sprinkled throughout.
An enticing, fast-paced series opener. (map, name glossary, places, historical context, deities, author’s note, additional sketches) (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781684059591
Page Count: 320
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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