An occasionally bizarre, often fascinating paranormal thriller.
In Mishkin’s debut supernatural thriller, two men investigate a medium who may be compelling a powerful god to do his bidding.
Zephyr Wayne’s first task at a company called Odd Jobs partners him with a peculiar, tall man named James Rathbone. Their boss sends them to check on the sickly Helena Lawson, whose close association with a medium, Kenton Dean, may be worsening her condition. Zephyr is an apparent schizophrenic, who’s been conversing with his dead mother, JJ, for years; however, when he and James stop by Dean’s live show, he realizes that JJ isn’t just in his head—he’s actually capable of seeing and talking to ghosts. One spirit in particular appears to be feeding Dean information, which the medium uses to impress people with his skills. But Zephyr and self-proclaimed alchemist James quickly learn that the ghost is actually the Hidden King, a god of death, whom Dean appears to control by using an elixir. The two men look for a way to sever the god/medium connection, as well as save Helena, who turns out to be much more than a tortured, elderly woman. Readers may find Mishkin’s story jarring at first, as it introduces its magic quietly, as simply another plot element. Early on, for example, James is shown attempting a spell and failing for the ninth time; his cat Tango’s newfound ability to talk, he says, was an “accident.” Readers will comfortably settle into the story, however, once James and Zephyr team up; the author unnervingly reveals the full scale of the latter’s power, for example, when Zephyr hears a “low, reedy voice” at Dean’s show. JJ predominantly serves as comic relief, typically hurling insults at James, who can neither see nor hear her. But late in the story, the author effectively reveals something significant about the mother-son relationship, which puts their posthumous bond into question. Mishkin reserves much of the book’s action for the second half, but it’s worth the wait—particularly when the two men traverse Helena’s maze-like house and face lethal traps, angry spirits and a horde of rats. A few elements are unfortunately underused, such as Odd Jobs itself; just a detail or two about other jobs might have made for some very amusing (or eerie) moments.
An occasionally bizarre, often fascinating paranormal thriller.Pub Date: March 4, 2015
ISBN: 978-1506119601
Page Count: -
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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