A hefty, entertaining fantasy.
In Boden’s debut middle-grade fantasy novel, a contemporary tween girl is prophesied to save the Nine Realms of Norse mythology.
Seventh grader Cindrheim Vustora Moss doesn’t back down from a fight; when an invisible monster charges her at her Virginia school, she’s lucky that four powerful, sword-wielding girls suddenly show up to help. They’re Predators, warriors from the realm of Vanaheim who were sent to protect Cinder, though they don’t know why. They take her to Iceland, where she’s flabbergasted to meet figures whom she’d always believed to be mythological beings, from the Valkyries to Odin the Allfather. Evidently, an ancient prophecy indicates that Cinder will somehow save the Nine Realms, but she won’t get details about her quest until just before she embarks on it. In the meantime, Cinder trains in combat and braves the harrowing Gauntlet, which includes a pit of assorted creatures (like bloodsucking slugs). It’s grueling work, and the quest is sure to be rife with danger; will Cinder rise to the challenge to see her mission through? Boden’s novel (and prospective series kickoff) boasts a sublime young hero. Cinder certainly has her flaws, like a confidence that occasionally slips into arrogance. At the same time, she is courageous and indefatigable, and she puts others’ well-being above her own. The author blends taut descriptions of Norse gods and mythology with contemporary dialogue that pops. In addition to the deities, the extensive cast ranges from vicious insectlike creatures to the instantly likable half-elf Brandon, who hails from California. All of this is a lot for Cinder to absorb—the story never forgets that she’s a 12-year-old girl. (Tristan, who designed the Gauntlet, may be a haughty jerk, but he’s also the “cutest boy [Cinder has] ever seen.”) This first installment ends with one of Cinder’s goals checked off but plenty of lingering questions.
A hefty, entertaining fantasy.Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781638191605
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Milk & Cookies Press
Review Posted Online: March 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic.
Chainani works an elaborate sea change akin to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked (1995), though he leaves the waters muddied.
Every four years, two children, one regarded as particularly nice and the other particularly nasty, are snatched from the village of Gavaldon by the shadowy School Master to attend the divided titular school. Those who survive to graduate become major or minor characters in fairy tales. When it happens to sweet, Disney princess–like Sophie and her friend Agatha, plain of features, sour of disposition and low of self-esteem, they are both horrified to discover that they’ve been dropped not where they expect but at Evil and at Good respectively. Gradually—too gradually, as the author strings out hundreds of pages of Hogwarts-style pranks, classroom mishaps and competitions both academic and romantic—it becomes clear that the placement wasn’t a mistake at all. Growing into their true natures amid revelations and marked physical changes, the two spark escalating rivalry between the wings of the school. This leads up to a vicious climactic fight that sees Good and Evil repeatedly switching sides. At this point, readers are likely to feel suddenly left behind, as, thanks to summary deus ex machina resolutions, everything turns out swell(ish).
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic. (Fantasy. 11-13)Pub Date: May 14, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-210489-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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BOOK TO SCREEN
A smart sequel that’s filled with surprises and heart.
In this follow-up to The Rhythm of Time (2023), young time-traveling adventurers face their biggest challenge yet, forcing them to question themselves and one another.
Rahim looks forward to starting eighth grade with best friend Kasia even though he anticipates a tough transition after homeschooling. Kasia makes friends as seamlessly as she makes the cool beats that Rahim skillfully raps over. Although Rahim, who’s a target for bullies, feels a bit left behind, the duo still has their music and a rather unusual extracurricular: on-demand time-travel adventures at the behest of their future selves and the mysterious Aevum Organization. Rahim’s parents place a lot of pressure on him and dismiss his hip-hop dreams as impractical. Adult Rahim and Adult Kasia present the pair with a mission to 1978 Honolulu, where temporal anomalies have been detected. They’ll be facing Chrononauts, time travelers who are trying to change the world to suit their own selfish ends. This entry markedly raises the stakes in ways that challenge even Kasia’s genius. Rahim’s intuition and emotional development are thoughtfully plotted as the kids leave their parents in the dark and take big risks. This nuanced story centering on Black middle schoolers explores trust and care, putting friendship to the test even as the Hawaiian setting offers a provocative allegory for being thoughtful about our global (and interdimensional) impact. Final art not seen.
A smart sequel that’s filled with surprises and heart. (Science fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9780374393175
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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