A lively and engaging mystery with a strong emphasis on supernatural elements.
A dangerous presence haunts a magical boarding school.
On her way to her Tokyo high school, Hana frees a crow that’s tangled in netting. Soon afterward, she receives an invitation to attend a super-secret magic academy, the Benten School of Esoterics. Far from her bustling urban existence, the academy is located on a rural island which, according to legend, was one of the first islands of Japan created by the gods Izanagi and Izanami. Hana eagerly begins classes in shape-shifting, veiling, and other subjects, forging a special connection with loquacious Japanese Korean classmate Yoomi, whom she first met on the train to boarding school. Unfortunately, something sinister is at work in Benten’s halls, sucking the life out of the students and possibly even controlling the teachers. Fighting the ethereal evil requires inner strength and a sprinkle of magical self-discovery. The magical boarding school narrative will appeal to fans of this evergreen genre, and debut author Nguyen-Hayama’s interpretation delights in the particulars of Japanese myth, religion, and visual culture. Yōkai populate the island, students study traditional arts like omamori and mizuhiki, and holiday celebrations and quintessentially Japanese images that mark the passing of the seasons appear throughout. Manga fans, in particular, will appreciate the colorful, expressive illustrations.
A lively and engaging mystery with a strong emphasis on supernatural elements. (Graphic fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781419763021
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Abrams Fanfare
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play.
Garber returns to the world of bestseller Caraval (2017), this time with the focus on younger, more daring sister Donatella.
Valenda, capital of the empire, is host to the second of Legend’s magical games in a single year, and while Scarlett doesn’t want to play again, blonde Tella is eager for a chance to prove herself. She is haunted by the memory of her death in the last game and by the cursed Deck of Destiny she used as a child which foretold her loveless future. Garber has changed many of the rules of her expanding world, which now appears to be infused with magic and evil Fates. Despite a weak plot and ultraviolet prose (“He tasted like exquisite nightmares and stolen dreams, like the wings of fallen angels, and bottles of fresh moonlight.”), this is a tour de force of imagination. Themes of love, betrayal, and the price of magic (and desire) swirl like Caraval’s enchantments, and Dante’s sensuous kisses will thrill readers as much as they do Tella. The convoluted machinations of the Prince of Hearts (one of the Fates), Legend, and even the empress serve as the impetus for Tella’s story and set up future volumes which promise to go bigger. With descriptions focusing primarily on clothing, characters’ ethnicities are often indeterminate.
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play. (glossary) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-09531-2
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018
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