The ultimate YA adventure, with joyous absurdity twisting and turning on every page.
A wacky SF battle for two Earths ensues in Hafeez and Sara Diwan’s YA novel.
“If Christopher T. Bilderblung had not been swallowed by his pet lion Zemelonius, none of this would have happened,” the authors solemnly report. The middle-aged Bilderblung is working in his office as usual one day when his 12,000 pound genetically-modified lion stumbles into the room, heaving and gasping for air (Bilderblung is unaware that his pet lion, which has a puppy-like demeanor, has asthma). Next thing he knows, Bilderblung has been accidentally swallowed by Zemelonius, and he must find a way to escape before it’s too late. He calls his friend Sims and informs him that they are actually living in a copy world—a sort of Xerox reproduction of the real world where real versions of them exist, and Sims must travel there, find the real Bilderblung, and ask him how to free copy Bilderblung from Zemelonius. Young Jonah, fleeing from trouble after a get-rich-quick-scheme goes awry, crosses paths with Sims, who bribes Jonah and his two friends, Sam and Archie, to accompany him to the real world. Little do they know that they are about to embark on a long journey between the two Earths, uncovering a larger, secret planetary web involving the FBI, the Oval Office, and even NASA. Worse, they come face-to-face with the supervillain known only as The Master, who needs a body to live in—a body that happens to belong to Jonah’s grandpa. Can Sims, Jonah, and their friends make it through either world unscathed? Can they save the copy Bilderblung? And, most importantly, can they fly under the evil Master’s radar? Readers will delight in the continuous slew of spunky, singular characters. The authors maintain a playful writing style throughout the novel (“Bilderblung was very busy with all of his projects. Projects that involved helping others. Bilderblung was obsessed with being of service to others. His friends found him boring for this reason”), which makes up for occasional confusion arising from the book’s hyperactive plot. This quirky novel bursts with creativity and fun.
The ultimate YA adventure, with joyous absurdity twisting and turning on every page.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 288
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning.
Two teens train to be society-sanctioned killers in an otherwise immortal world.
On post-mortal Earth, humans live long (if not particularly passionate) lives without fear of disease, aging, or accidents. Operating independently of the governing AI (called the Thunderhead since it evolved from the cloud), scythes rely on 10 commandments, quotas, and their own moral codes to glean the population. After challenging Hon. Scythe Faraday, 16-year-olds Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova reluctantly become his apprentices. Subjected to killcraft training, exposed to numerous executions, and discouraged from becoming allies or lovers, the two find themselves engaged in a fatal competition but equally determined to fight corruption and cruelty. The vivid and often violent action unfolds slowly, anchored in complex worldbuilding and propelled by political machinations and existential musings. Scythes’ journal entries accompany Rowan’s and Citra’s dual and dueling narratives, revealing both personal struggles and societal problems. The futuristic post–2042 MidMerican world is both dystopia and utopia, free of fear, unexpected death, and blatant racism—multiracial main characters discuss their diverse ethnic percentages rather than purity—but also lacking creativity, emotion, and purpose. Elegant and elegiac, brooding but imbued with gallows humor, Shusterman’s dark tale thrusts realistic, likable teens into a surreal situation and raises deep philosophic questions.
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning. (Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7242-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
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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