Gripping, grim, and entertaining despite feeling a bit formulaic.
A teen seeks to destroy the monsters that hold her city captive.
Fifteen years ago, a dense fog descended on Manhattan, and anyone caught in it disappeared, never to return. The Vanishing also spawned Deathlings, horrific, twisted monsters that kill at nightfall and crave sugary foods and human flesh. Chinese American Rei has been training to win the Tournament, the competition that is the path to joining the ruling Syndicate; that way, she can finally work to purge the city of the Deathlings that brutally slaughtered her parents. But in the televised Tournament, in which Rei begins to discover dark secrets, she cannot trust anyone—not even Kieran, the attractive ex-boyfriend who’s pitted against her as one of the elite student competitors engaging in life-threatening tasks. While Rei’s desolate New York City evokes disturbing reminders of the pandemic lockdown experience, details about the rise of the governing Syndicate feel too thinly fleshed out. Discussions of inequity in a setting where being unhoused brings a risk of falling prey to Deathlings add a realistic layer to the glamorized Tournament. Similarly, the population’s shared losses and traumas give an extra dimension to supporting cast members who are otherwise underdeveloped due to the fast pacing and packed plot. The renewed romance between Rei and newly buff Kieran seesaws between insta-lust and heartwarming flashbacks, entertaining banter, and rebuilt trust.
Gripping, grim, and entertaining despite feeling a bit formulaic. (Dystopian fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9780593621462
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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