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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This fresh reworking of a Greek myth will resonate.
An otherworldly Latinx retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth set in the South Bronx.
Pheus visits his father in the Bronx every summer. The Afro-Dominican teen is known for his mesmerizing bachata music, love of history, and smooth way with the ladies. Eury, a young Puerto Rican woman and Hurricane Maria survivor, is staying with her cousin for the summer because of a recent, unspecified traumatic event. Her family doesn’t know that she’s been plagued since childhood by the demonlike Ato. Pheus and Eury bond over music and quickly fall in love. Attacked at a dance club by Sileno, its salacious and satyrlike owner, Eury falls into a coma and is taken to el Inframundo by Ato. Pheus, despite his atheism, follows the advice of his father and a local bruja to journey to find his love in the Underworld. Rivera skillfully captures the sounds and feels of the Bronx—its unique, diverse culture and the creeping gentrification of its neighborhoods. Through an amalgamation of Greek, Roman, and Taíno mythology and religious beliefs, gaslighting, the colonization of Puerto Rico, Afro-Latinidad identity, and female empowerment are woven into the narrative. While the pacing lags in the middle, secondary characters aren’t fully developed, and the couple’s relationship borders on instalove, the rush of a summertime romance feels realistic. Rivera’s complex world is well realized, and the dialogue rings true. All protagonists are Latinx.
This fresh reworking of a Greek myth will resonate. (Fabulism. 14-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0373-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
BOOK TO SCREEN
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