An action-packed, wild ride with unexpected twists and turns and characters readers care about—call it a dystopia with heart
Centuries after the Omniwar left much of the planet uninhabitable, Maximum Racing, the pre-eminent extreme sport, delivers vicarious thrills on reality TV; winning a race with a homebuilt car earns two teens in a remote, hardscrabble town a chance to race against professionals and star in the world’s deadliest competition.
Cassica and Shiara move to Anchor City, where a space elevator rises to Olympus. There, Celestials (rich and famous celebrities) live in luxury, their lives broadcast and obsessively followed below. Racers in teams of two (a driver and tech) hurtle across terrain scarred by ancient, orbital weapons and occupied by mutated creatures and damaged humans. Deadly nanobot particles hide in dust. Designated Wreckers follow the racers, their role to hunt and take out competitors. Though underfunded and unsponsored, Cassica and Shiara (both depicted as light-skinned on the cover) make a strong team. Cassica, a charismatic, fiercely competitive risk-taker, drives. Thoughtful Shiara, with mechanical skills and engineering know-how, is tech. They set their sights on competing in the Widowmaker, a three-day race, fatal for many but whose winners become Celestials. Exposure to new Omniwar horrors and the discovery that all is not as it seems in the glitzy city test their friendship to the breaking point. Though Wooding does not stint on the action, empathetic characterization and an emotional throughline help Cassica and Shiara bring their world to life for readers.
An action-packed, wild ride with unexpected twists and turns and characters readers care about—call it a dystopia with heart . (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-545-94494-6
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2016
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
A powerful duology closer that explores gender, power, and community in a unique world infused with Aztec mythology.
This thrilling sequel to The Sunbearer Trials (2022) follows Teo and Xio, two semidioses (or demigods) and former friends, as they fight on opposite sides during a war and an apocalypse.
Following the theft of the Sol Stone by the formerly exiled and now unleashed Obsidian gods and their monstrous Celestials, the inhabitants of Reino del Sol are plunged into a dark and uncertain future. Flanked by his best friend and crush, Teo embarks on an odyssey to resurrect Sol and save the world, while Xio wrestles with their role in the Obsidians’ revenge. Teo learns that the power structures and histories he learned from the ruling dioses (including his mother, Quetzal) may hide injustices and inequities that he doesn’t want to restore. Meanwhile, Xio begins to question whether the quest for justice for which they were conscripted to fight might instead be a subterfuge that’s intended to enact an oppressive new world. While action-packed with both battles and romance, the story also deftly delves into themes of systemic violence, generational trauma, and abuse of power. Teo and Xio are complex characters who offer strong representation of and for trans and nonbinary teens, respectively. The central messages of self-discovery, social justice, and building communities of care in a hostile world will resonate with readers who are facing challenges themselves.
A powerful duology closer that explores gender, power, and community in a unique world infused with Aztec mythology. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822086
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
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