A mixed bag of exciting horror and romance elements let down by subpar writing and character development.
This spin on the 18th-century Gothic classic The Mysteries of Udolpho centers gay romance amid an eerie, paranormal mystery.
After Emile’s aunt threatened to have him institutionalized for his attraction to men, he ran away and found work as a servant in Count Montoni’s household. He plans to stay in hiding until he turns 18, when he can collect his inheritance. As Emile begins to realize there’s something sinister about the Montoni family, he also deals with his growing attractions to both Bram, a doctor, and Henri, Montoni’s nephew whom Emile had misgivings about at first. Just as Emile’s true identity is revealed, Montoni whisks them all away to his other estate, Udolpho Castle. There, Emile learns the truth behind the mysterious affliction the whole family suffers from and realizes that if he ever wants to find love and happiness, he’ll first have to make it out alive. The spooky atmosphere is alluring, and there are some thrillingly gruesome scenes. Paired with queer romance elements that take some unexpected twists, these aspects may be enough to captivate readers. However, exposition that tells rather than shows sometimes halts the momentum, and the characters’ growth often feels unearned because they aren’t portrayed with enough depth to have complex motivations. Overall, it winds up feeling like a story that had potential but remains unpolished. Emile and Henri are cued White; Bram is Black.
A mixed bag of exciting horror and romance elements let down by subpar writing and character development. (Gothic horror. 13-18)Pub Date: May 30, 2023
ISBN: 9781645679721
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: Feb. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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