A solid fantasy for teens with an appealing cast.
In this YA dystopian series starter, superpowered teenagers dodge government operatives as they try to locate a fabled safe haven.
Eighteen-year-old Jay and her empathetic younger brother, Sammy,have grown up listening to their father tell stories of Interland, a place where people with powers, known as the Given, can be safe from those that hunt them. Jay has known for a long time that that she has a talent for mind reading, but when a special mark appears on her wrist—a rite of passage for those with special abilities—it reveals her remarkably high power level. People who don’t have powers, however, fear the Given for what they can do and what they might become. After herfather is captured by government-employed superpowered types known as Readers, Jay knows that she’ll be next if she doesn’t go on the run. The problem is that Readers have the ability to locate the Given, wherever they go—except Interland. Using an oddly notated map given to her by a local bookshop owner, and clues in their father’s notebook, Jay and Sammy, along with their friends Stitch and Cassie, manage to escape a powerful Reader and go on a quest to find Interland. Clark presents the first of two novels about teens who are simply trying to find a place to be themselves and be safe from harm. Some people may have a hard time acclimating to this fictional world at first, as some of the fantasy elements, including the history of Readers, aren’t explained in great detail, and the narrative point of view switches frequently among the various characters. Still, the story is fairly streamlined, and it will reward those who persevere. The main players—specifically Jay, Sammy, and Stitch—feel genuine and are easy to root for. Some others, though, feel more like plot conveniences, such as Jay and Sammy’s mother and the aforementioned bookshop owner. Overall, this is an engaging adventure tale that will leave readers looking forward to the second and final installment.
A solid fantasy for teens with an appealing cast.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-83-840100-9
Page Count: 286
Publisher: GCL Books
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2021
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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