For those readers waiting for the sequel to Marie Lu's The Rose Society (2015), a well-realized page-turner in the same vein
A 16-year-old con artist is tested by the political and supernatural drama she can't avoid.
The new maid in Mrs. Och's house isn't truly Ella, the shy country miss; she is Julia, raised by thieves, daughter of a witch, a scoundrel on the outskirts of Fraynish society. Julia's magical ability to become unnoticeable and nearly invisible makes her perfect for this gig. It's not the easy spying job she expects, however. Ella's not the only person in the house who isn't what she seems, and the secrets and magic attract unwanted attention from the authorities. In Julia's world, a rough analogue of a low-technology, magical Europe, witches are those who can shape reality by writing down what they wish to occur, and they are outlawed (shades of a noncomic reimagining of Diana Wynne Jones' 1982 classic, Witch Week). Witches are killed at the Cleansings, the public drownings like the one in which Julia watched her mother die nine years ago. Frayne's post-revolutionary politics and violence aren't Julia's concern right now, though it seems clear that sequels to this trilogy opener will entangle her further. Olive-skinned Julia's a wonderful, fully realized heroine with moral dilemmas aplenty; here’s hoping later volumes will give the supporting cast as much depth.
For those readers waiting for the sequel to Marie Lu's The Rose Society (2015), a well-realized page-turner in the same vein . (Fantasy. 12-15)Pub Date: June 7, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-553-52484-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
In Nina's world, children have GPS trackers until they turn 18, and surveillance satellites monitor for subversive talk. Tight control stands between young women and a threatening sexuality; at 16, teenage girls get tattooed with their age and become fair game. Fifteen-year-old Nina, unlike her friends, dreads becoming “sex-teen.” Her life is too confusing without extra complications: Her mother's just died, and Nina's half sister Dee might be legally claimed by her father to be a servant—or worse. How does the cute boy who might be a member of the resistance fit into Nina's life? And had Nina's mother been part of the resistance herself? Nina doesn't want to get involved, but she needs to protect Dee. A large suspension of disbelief is required for the dysfunctional gender politics. (How did the situation get so broken? How do teenage boys and girls manage to be friends when they're only weeks or months away from effectively legal rape?) Otherwise, a fun little thriller for the abstinence romantics. (Science fiction. 12-14)
Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-14-241771-3
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Speak/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2010
Teens who have outgrown Percy Jackson and moved into the paranormal-romance phase won't mind the amateurish prose; they'll...
What if Bella Swan were a demigod?
Helen is the loveliest girl on Nantucket, but until the sexy Delos family comes to the island, she's always tried to stay under the radar. It's not just her looks that attract attention; Helen knows her strength, speed and hearing all approach superpower levels. But she can't stay hidden in the presence of the Delos cousins, Jason, Hector, Cassandra, Ariadne and the sexiest one, Lucas—yes, Lucas. (Some complicated handwaving explains why he is named Lucas instead of—as was intended—Paris.) Readers trained on trendy Greek mythological fantasy won't be surprised to learn both Helen and the newcomers are demigods. In their blonde beauty (really!), they look exactly like their quasi-mythological ancestors and are cursed by the Furies and the gods to replay ancient dramas across history. Lucas and Helen are both drawn together and forced apart by fate and desire. The cousins, meanwhile, help Helen develop her powerful demigod abilities while tutoring her on the massive forces arrayed against her. Though weirdly inconsistent perspective, startling shifts of voice and scenes that feel like they've been copied almost directly from Twilight break the flow, the drama's epic scale complements the love story's pacing. A refreshingly strong heroine carries readers into the setup for book two.
Teens who have outgrown Percy Jackson and moved into the paranormal-romance phase won't mind the amateurish prose; they'll be caught up in the we-must-we-can't sexual tension. (Paranormal romance. 13-15)Pub Date: June 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-201199-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
