Thoughtful and engaging science fiction.
The children of the moon colony of Sturnus are said to be the only survivors of unspeakable horrors in Thompson’s YA SF novel.
The orphans of Sturnus were saved from a fate of being forced into slavery by the good people of the planet Janus, the first humans to flee the Earth to start a new life in the stars. The children are given everything they need to survive: a place to live, a school to attend, and lessons to learn, all under the tutelage of the benevolent mother figure of Miss Sweet. The children are directed to be thankful and obedient, and, at the story’s starting point, to be ready to “make an effort” in order to become fully integrated into Janus’ society (“You will begin the next phase of your lessons. You are ready. Some of you will find this difficult, and some of you will fail. That is to be expected. But for those who succeed, the beauty of perfection will be one step closer”). Bear is a 10-year-old boy who shares a special connection with Miss Sweet and who mostly enjoys his life as it is, surrounded by his friends—until he starts remembering: a memory of a mom and dad here, a recollection of a beloved dog there… Miss Sweet would not lie to them, would she? Thompson’s compelling SF tale follows Bear’s harrowing quest to find the truth about what really happened in Sturnus and what is required of the orphans now. Although Bear’s narrative voice skews older than his 10 years, his is still the perspective of a young child, naïve and stubborn, prepared to face off against unimaginable odds when he starts to question authority. The underlying story explores the tyranny of perfection and purity against the backdrop of an Earth colony whose scientific exploration and adaptation to an extreme environment fundamentally altered their history.
Thoughtful and engaging science fiction.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9781612714349
Page Count: 134
Publisher: Zumaya Publications
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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
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