Speculative fiction with a “family values" spin.
After surviving a harrowing accident with his beloved Nine, Theron has been Remade and is home to recover and begin his chosen Trade as a Healer. But Nine is gone—she isn’t coming back, and no amount of cage fighting or buzz drinks can fill the emptiness in his life.
Though he’s favored by Eridian, the Prime Maker running Freedom 1, it’s only because she hopes he can lure “free-breaker” Nine back under her control. If that hope fades, Eri will certainly let Bron, one of the Seekers who enforce her will, tear him apart, and even his fighting skills aren’t going to help against the law. Theron drinks and fights his way through life, though he’s finding some contentment as a Healer in the trauma station. When he saves a man called Catcher, he kicks off a chain of events that makes his little life impossible to sustain. The concept of Family, though alien to Theron, inspires a rebel force that’s going to take Freedom 1 and stop the dark, horrible secrets that lurk under the city. In this sequel to Remake (2014), Todd writes a cinematically drawn, well-paced story set in the South Pacific. A major arc involving richly written Pacific Islanders breaks up the relentless whiteness of Freedom 1, and there are a number of well-rounded disabled characters, including Theron. Given this sensitivity to diversity, the heteronormativity and gender binary roles repeatedly reinforced as “good” versus the gender-fluid “evil” of Freedom 1 and Eridian are sour notes that restrict this book’s audience.
Speculative fiction with a “family values" spin. (Dystopia. 12-18)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62972-104-0
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy.
A war between gods plays havoc with mortals and their everyday lives.
In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world.
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-85743-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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