Revenge served cold.
Someone is breaking the small-town silence in this teen noir.
Jefferson-Lorne, Colorado, is a small town, and its girls are labeled: slut (Claude Vanderly), airhead (Avery Cross), and cutthroat academic (Gwen Sayer). As all grapple with their reputations, their complicated romantic relationships, and the dark rumors that plague the high school, cheerleader Emma Baines goes missing after making a bold accusation. When police investigate Emma’s disappearance (and apparent death), the three girls come under suspicion even as they secretly seek justice. Not only do they navigate the petty scandals of high school and parental power struggles, the girls also tackle bigger issues like body image, substance abuse, sexuality, and consent. Bartlett, author of The Winter Duke (2020), continues her exploration of queer and feminist issues but grounds it in an all-too-real modern world with real monsters. Clearly attempting to avoid revealing the core crime too early, the novel begins with slow pacing, relentless shifts in narrators, and a minefield of misdirection and distractions before barreling toward a well-calculated and high-stakes climax. The young women’s rage and regret are palpable, and their reactions to trauma and drama are realistic even if their solutions are improbably elaborate. The main cast reads as White; they vary in their living situations, income levels, and sexuality, and there is ethnic diversity in the supporting cast. A solid addition to the traumatized teen mystery genre.
Revenge served cold. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-294310-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.
The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.
On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
PERSPECTIVES
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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