Dark and atmospheric, though the implications of some themes are left tantalizingly underexplored.
None of the young people suspected of being gods have ever escaped from the Guard—until now.
Hero, Joshua, and Kestrel are orphans of the rebellion against the gods—a time when humans rose up and killed the gods and those descended from their bloodline. Afterward, all orphans were rounded up: Because of their unknown parentage, they could be gods as well. Under the watchful eye of the Guard, these orphans must wait until their 18th birthdays, or until their gifts manifest and their blood runs silver, whereupon they will be killed. To protect her friends, who have the blood of gods, Kestrel hatches a plan to break Hero and Joshua out of the orphanage, but in the process she is captured herself. Now fugitives being hunted by the Guard, Hero and Joshua nevertheless embark on a journey north to rescue Kestrel from her imprisonment. Along the way, however, they must contend with the consequences of their own powers and the secretive resistance of fugitive gods who have their own power struggles. Though character development is uneven, the plot progresses to ever darker depths and a chilling conclusion. Few references are made to characters’ appearances, although some are dark skinned; one central character has romantic relationships with both a woman and a man.
Dark and atmospheric, though the implications of some themes are left tantalizingly underexplored. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 9, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-444-79473-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton/Hachette UK
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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