After their previous adventure in the past (The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming, 2005), Anand and Nisha are thrust into the future in this satisfying trilogy closer. A malevolent force has stolen the sacred conch, and bereft of its protection, Anand’s Himalayan valley home has vanished into magical purgatory. Racing off in hope of rescue, Anand and Nisha find themselves imprisoned in a dismal dystopia. The residents of Coal live in brutal poverty and need masks to breathe their city’s fetid air. Only Coal’s scientists live in luxury, fed and served by enslaved, mute prisoners. Their instinct tells them to distrust the cold scientist Dr. S. and put their faith in the city’s outlawed magicians-in-hiding. Nothing in Coal is straightforward, however: Dr. S.’s harshly rational exterior hides the frightened little girl she once was. The teenagers must race against time to rescue the conch in a world where science is at war with magic and distrust rules the day. By reminding the many villains of the joys of love and fellowship, they just might succeed. Enjoyably sappy. (Fantasy. 9-12)
Pub Date: April 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59643-153-9
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2009
As an agent for the Supernatural Immigration Task Force, it is Frank Gallows’s job to catch ghosts on Earth and send them back to the afterlife. However, during one particularly tricky deportation, he accidentally zaps a young—living—boy. Garth Hale suddenly finds himself surrounded by mummies and goblins in a crumbling, ghastly city, with a skeleton horse and his long-departed grandfather as his only friends. Gallows comes crashing into the afterlife, as well, on a daring rescue mission. As this bumbling team tries to find a way home, they end up face to face with the evil ruler of Ghostopolis, who doesn’t look too kindly upon mortals in his city. With a cast of characters that is sometimes one too many, in a world that includes seven kingdoms of infinite zombies, this ghost-filled graphic novel could easily overwhelm, but TenNapel reins it in by deftly illustrating each essential moment and emotion. Creepy details, quick quips and a wry, deadpan (pun absolutely intended) humor are sure to delight. (Graphic fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-21027-0
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
Life in the seaside village has been hard for Adrianne and her family, even before the arrival of the mermaid. Since Papa’s death, they’ve been living with horrible Auntie Minnah, the village boys ignore Adrianne in favor of wealthier and prettier girls and the villagers despise the whole family. Adrianne gets the opportunity for her dream job, but as soon as things start looking up, the Windwaithe Mermaid comes, summoning Adrianne and terrifying the superstitious villagers. Now Adrianne needs to make a choice between a magical life of undersea romance and the poverty and degradation she knows on land. It ought to be an easy choice, but perhaps not. Lucky, lucky Adrianne. Her magical adventure will bring out her true potential—as a girl who is “quite attractive” and whose outer beauty is now visible both to herself and to the handsome boys of the island. Readers obsessed with paranormal romance could do worse, but they probably won’t remember this for very long. (Fantasy. 10-12)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-09734-5
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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