An enchanting debut from a promising new author of paranormal YA.
In Craw’s YA fantasy debut, a teenage girl discovers she’s part of a magical race—and she may be key to saving humankind.
Alison McKye didn’t think her ability to plant thoughts in others’ minds was anything special. But when she was 14, a stranger in the park noticed her magical abilities and left her with the ominous warning that her powers could attract the attention of dark forces, and she and her adoptive family might be at risk. Now 17, Alison avoids social connections, dresses inconspicuously and uses her power to deflect those who notice her, hoping to remain invisible from anyone who may wish her or her family harm. But when several newcomers show up at her Las Vegas school, Alison finds her powers are no longer working as they should—and she soon learns that there are others like her. Alison is one of the magical beings who call themselves the dewing. The dewing originated in Atlantis many centuries ago and lived peacefully until a civil war forced them to sink their own island. Now the dewing clans are at war once again, and Alison’s ability—called thoughtmaking—is desperately needed, not only to save the dewing, but to protect all of humankind from enslavement. Can she master her ability in time to rescue those she loves? Craw’s prose is crisp and accessible, and though the plot is a touch predictable at times, Atlantis serves as an exciting, fresh inspiration for this supernatural fantasy. On top of that, the mechanics of the dewing’s powers are quite intriguing. In general, the novel is tightly constructed, with each detail building to the novel’s roaring climax. Alison is enjoyably relatable as a self-deprecating but kindhearted heroine, and a romantic subplot dovetails nicely with the main action without overwhelming the story. The novel’s conclusion seems to hint at a sequel; the lush mythology Craw has created certainly warrants additional pages.
An enchanting debut from a promising new author of paranormal YA.Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-1622665198
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Wrought with admirable skill—the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly...
In a radical departure from her realistic fiction and comic chronicles of Anastasia, Lowry creates a chilling, tightly controlled future society where all controversy, pain, and choice have been expunged, each childhood year has its privileges and responsibilities, and family members are selected for compatibility.
As Jonas approaches the "Ceremony of Twelve," he wonders what his adult "Assignment" will be. Father, a "Nurturer," cares for "newchildren"; Mother works in the "Department of Justice"; but Jonas's admitted talents suggest no particular calling. In the event, he is named "Receiver," to replace an Elder with a unique function: holding the community's memories—painful, troubling, or prone to lead (like love) to disorder; the Elder ("The Giver") now begins to transfer these memories to Jonas. The process is deeply disturbing; for the first time, Jonas learns about ordinary things like color, the sun, snow, and mountains, as well as love, war, and death: the ceremony known as "release" is revealed to be murder. Horrified, Jonas plots escape to "Elsewhere," a step he believes will return the memories to all the people, but his timing is upset by a decision to release a newchild he has come to love. Ill-equipped, Jonas sets out with the baby on a desperate journey whose enigmatic conclusion resonates with allegory: Jonas may be a Christ figure, but the contrasts here with Christian symbols are also intriguing.
Wrought with admirable skill—the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: April 1, 1993
ISBN: 978-0-395-64566-6
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1993
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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