A compelling but uneven fantasy set in a magical school in the 22nd century.
In this YA fantasy, a teen gets tested and discovers that he’s the rarest form of hybrid.
In the 22nd century, 13-year-old Sebastian “Seb” Parker is finally free of his father’s house and in the Testing Centre to see what talent he possesses. After he endures the grueling, life-threatening test, the results show that Sebastian is not only a Hybrid, an alpha with at least two affinities, but also a Quad-brid, with all four talents. As a Quad-brid, Seb can pick any of the four specialties he wants to be trained in at “the Academy”—Healer, Conjurer, Telek, or, the most feared of them all, Necro. As much as Seb wants to be a Healer, his father’s threats of being forced to “live in the basement, forever,” where he was tortured and starved for months, lead him to choose Necro. Considering how scared the rest of the school is of Necros, it’s little wonder Seb has a difficult time connecting with his fellow students. This would make school hard enough, but unbeknown to Seb, his own teachers are petitioning for his death. A Quad-brid is dangerous, and there is a prophecy about an alpha “born of the Dark” who “will have power like no other” who sounds suspiciously like Seb. Despite all these challenges, Seb makes two friends at school—Michael Corey and Samantha Green. Maybe with some students actually on his side, Seb can survive his first year. In this ambitious series opener, Frances takes readers to a magical school with four distinct houses, weighty prophecies, and a special teen. But important worldbuilding information would have been better served in the narrative rather than in the preface, and some readers may find several comments about a character’s weight off-putting. Seb himself seems too powerful and too good to be true. But readers who overlook these missteps will find a captivating magical world with rich details that will hold their interest.
A compelling but uneven fantasy set in a magical school in the 22nd century.Pub Date: May 27, 2022
ISBN: 979-8417874222
Page Count: 422
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Oct. 22, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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
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