This action-heavy story’s execution is marred by an artless lack of strategy in the narrative techniques.
The terrifying aliens from Sanctuary (2018) are tracking the stolen ship full of teenage superpowered former prisoners, forcing the teens to turn themselves in to their corporate overlords to protect humanity.
After Kenzie translates alien transmissions and learns that the aggressive colonizers are actively looking for the missing (stolen) ship via a signal it sends out, they decide to surrender to a corporate rival of Omnistellar in exchange for the destruction of the ship. Kenzie, who is white; Chinese twins Cage (the sexy love interest) and Rune (the best friend); and company are quickly double-crossed and must try to avoid capture by a variety of dangerous parties while the alien threat closes in. Frequent bursts of (often repetitive) expository infodumps unrelated to the physicality of the settings are unwieldy and unpruned, distancing readers from the world instead of enhancing immersion. The storyline’s logic induces some real head-scratching moments, punctuated by chase scene upon chase scene, possibly to distract readers from scrutinizing the motivations and general intelligence of the characters, especially the antagonists. These chases also allow glimpses into the lives and backgrounds of the secondary characters—Russian Alexei, Irish Mia, Jasper Many Chiefs (who has dark hair in a ponytail and high cheekbones), and Egyptian hijabi Imani. An unsatisfying climax sets up the next book.
This action-heavy story’s execution is marred by an artless lack of strategy in the narrative techniques. (Science fiction. 12-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0536-3
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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