Muted opulence forms the backdrop to this slightly disjointed space drama.
A teenage girl desperately tries to take control of her life even when choices seem to be ripped from her grasp.
Viktoria Hale and her family struggle to get by on the poverty-stricken planet Philomenus. Even with Vika’s mysterious benefactor helping to provide some favors, money is always tight. Then one day, young solicitor Archer Sheratan appears at her family’s flat and informs them that her benefactor is the recently deceased Rigel Chapin, a multibillionaire tycoon from neighboring planet Ploutos. Vika was named as a key figure in his will: Provided Chapin’s estranged son, Leo, agrees to marry her, he will inherit his father’s fortune. Although the ship carrying Leo to meet her explodes, killing him, Vika is whisked into the rich, glamorous society of Ploutos, where she continues to enjoy the company of Archer and tries her best to avoid a suspicious, bespectacled young man who is employed by her hosts. Vika is determined to do whatever it takes to ensure financial security for herself and her family, no matter the personal stakes. With a futuristic space setting that is underutilized in the story, this narrative relies heavily on descriptions of refined luxuries that lend a Victorian air. There is a fair amount of intrigue to keep readers invested, but too many tangents fail to coalesce into a rounded whole. Main characters seem to be White; secondary characters have a range of skin tones.
Muted opulence forms the backdrop to this slightly disjointed space drama. (Science fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-78376-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy.
A war between gods plays havoc with mortals and their everyday lives.
In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world.
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-85743-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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