A thrilling underwater adventure for fans of dystopian drama.
A teenage girl races to uncover a conspiracy in a submerged ark that harbors the remnants of humanity in Moshage’s YA thriller.
The ark, named November’s Dawn, is 1,000 meters long and walks along the floor of the ocean on “over two hundred legs”; the world above is “just raging waves and endless storms.” Josie Owens, born and raised on the ark, has been educated only by its ruling faction, the Order of Scientific Discovery. On her 16th birthday, Josie finds her life transformed by a “holomessage” from her late father, a respected engineer. He reveals a startling secret: The ark was always intended to rise again and return to the surface of the Earth, “but there are some who would never let this happen because it threatens their power.” In addition to the message, Josie is left with a necklace with a mysterious meaning she must uncover. The stakes escalate when Felix, her father’s loyal engineer friend, is fatally shot by a Commandant soon after sharing the message. Thrust into a quest, Josie seeks to unravel the secrets of the Order of Scientific Discovery. Her adventure, with a setting reminiscent of the class-divided, train-bound society in the film Snowpiercer, takes her through the various levels of the ark. She soon discovers a shadowy resistance group and is recruited to their cause. Broadening the scope, Moshage intercuts Josie’s adventure with the activities of the villain, the First Vicar of the Order, who’s determined to thwart Josie’s efforts. This narrative back-and-forth maintains suspense during some occasional lulls devoted to worldbuilding details, including an extended sequence set at a fictional “fetterball” sports match. Though the story beats may feel familiar to readers of the genre, the novel’s unusual setting, well-drawn central character, and carefully structured twists make it a worthwhile addition to the teen dystopian shelf.
A thrilling underwater adventure for fans of dystopian drama.Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781951445645
Page Count: 326
Publisher: Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing, LLC
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love.
The lives of two Los Angeles girls inhabiting different universes intersect, proving that love knows no bounds.
Brenda Nguyen has a 19-step plan to save the world. Kat Woo is haunted by her legacy as the chosen one, a role she has no interest in. Brenda, working on an environmental science college scholarship application, stumbles into Sammy’s Coffee and Pick-Me-Ups, which Kat’s family owns. As the girls get to know each other, Brenda at last finds someone who’ll listen to her detailed plans, while Kat discovers she has something to look forward to. The girls, who alternate narrating the story, must defy the odds as their worlds begin to collide. As well as being a love story, this is an exploration of familial expectations: Kat is trying to outrun them, while Brenda is driven to fulfill hers. The girls, who are of Chinese and Vietnamese descent, respectively, complement each other: Brenda learns to live in the present, and Kat begins to look to the future. While there are pixie swarms and mana surges, the action takes a back seat to characterization. Lee’s fully developed parallel worlds are alike in many ways, although in Kat’s, you can buy teleportation spells at Target. The cast is rounded out by solid portrayals of the girls’ friends and family, who are important to the plot.
A charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love. (author’s note, recommended reading) (Fantasy romance. 14-18)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781250778024
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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