Impressive worldbuilding and character development drive this often-absorbing fantasy tale.
A capable teen living on the streets gets a shot at a new life in Fraedrich’s steampunk YA fantasy novel and series launch.
Lenore has been on her own for over a year after her parents’ mysterious arrests. She survives with her stripe-tailed cat by stealing what she can from the rich citizens of Springhaven, a city-state. Not long after Lenore fails to rob one particular couple, their lives intersect again by chance. Sir Gwenael “Neal” and Philomena “Mina” Allen take her in and give her a new name, Lenore Blackbird, as the policing Enforcers actively hunt the petty criminal. Lenore, who wants to earn her keep, becomes Neal’s apprentice at a local museum where they study machines and tech from the “Old World.” But belonging to a wealthy family has unforeseen complications, starting with her societal “debut” and meetings with prospective suitors. There’s potential romance with one gentleman caller and, perhaps, Rook, a lanky stranger with a complex connection to her father. Meanwhile, her parents may be under threat in prison, and someone attempts to kill Lenore. Fraedrich builds a solid foundation in this opening installment, establishing everything from Springhaven’s districts and continent of Invarnis to remnants of Old World buildings. Lenore finds herself entangled in enthralling subplots, including working on an unearthed machine that she’s sure will fly, being seemingly torn between romantic interests, and enduring sexual discrimination at the museum. Rook likewise stands out as he faces a horrible dilemma and harbors a startling secret. Other narrative elements, however, barely register. Camilla, the Allens’ niece whom they’ve cared for since her mother’s wrongful imprisonment and who debuts as well, is too similar to Lenore. Similarly, an old-fashioned blood-sucking “Vampyre,” despite a violent intro (“Lenore screamed again and clawed at the head next to her own. It didn’t even faze her attacker”), adds very little to the story. But sequels are set to follow, and this first volume establishes plenty of avenues to explore and ushers in a fresh menace before the conclusion.
Impressive worldbuilding and character development drive this often-absorbing fantasy tale.Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2016
ISBN: 9780692909232
Page Count: 434
Publisher: Goat Song Publishing
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring.
When Death-Cast doesn’t call, fate intertwines the lives of two boys, both haunted by their pasts and with futures they can’t escape.
In this third installment of the series that opened with 2017’s They Both Die at the End, Paz Dario waits every night for Death-Cast to call—as it should have for his father nearly 10 years ago, when Paz shot him to save his mother’s life. But the call never comes. Death-Cast killed Paz’s dreams of an acting career: No one will hire him now because the world sees him as a villain. When Paz tries (not for the first time) to put an end to his suffering, an unexpected encounter with Alano Rosa, the heir of Death-Cast, stops him. Both in a place of desperation, Alano and Paz sign a contract to live for Begin Days instead of waiting for their End Days. As suspenseful and emotionally wrenching as the previous titles in the series, this new installment explores heavy themes of abuse, mental health, self-harm, and suicide. Paz grapples with a recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Silvera surrounds Alano and Paz with a web of complex relationships. Although the protagonists fall fast for one another and form a deep connection over Alano’s desire to support Paz, Silvera emphasizes the importance of professional help. Both Alano and Paz have Puerto Rican heritage. The cliffhanger ending promises more to come.
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring. (content warning, resources) (Speculative fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780063240858
Page Count: 720
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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
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