by Isaac Green ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 22, 2009
Beyond a minefield of cop clichés, adverbs and stilted dialogue lies a compelling thriller.
In Green’s water-soaked debut thriller, an investigation into a dam explosion that killed three people in a small Kentucky town ends up revealing as much about the town as the culprits responsible.
At the forefront of activities is Sheriff Sam Johnson Jr., who is not pleased when his investigation is taken over by the FBI. Though he proves useful to the feds, Johnson is nonetheless pushed to the back burner of the operation, where he teams up with Joseph Hamiz. Originally identified as a suspect due to his knowledge of dam engineering and his foreign nationality, Hamiz ends up playing a vital role in the investigation. Without Hamiz, for example, there would be little hope of navigating the maze of lies leading to more explosions and a charismatic suspect with a hatred for the government and an understanding of the deadly capabilities of water. Initially, the clichéd local-government–versus-federal-government tension is enough to turn readers against both. Predictably, Johnson’s local knowledge proves much more valuable to federal agents than their expensive electronic devices. The idea that dams are targeted as a weapon of mass destruction is intriguing; the novel elucidates the targeting of these structures and the difficulty authorities have in protecting them in spot-on prose that doesn’t include too many dull technicalities. More specificity, however, may have been welcome if it were to replace the overabundance of adverbs clouding the narrative, as in “Travis lazily opened his eyes and then proceeded to sit groggily on the edge of the couch.” The dialogue is just as draining, as characters explain things that are already obvious and as tedious to read as they must be to say; one character scrambles to clean up a room, exclaiming, “You don’t need to holler at me, honey. Oh, shit. This place is not ready. Well, he’ll have to make do with things the way they are.” Sentences such as these slow the pace of what ultimately proves to be an inventive plot and surprising conclusion.
Beyond a minefield of cop clichés, adverbs and stilted dialogue lies a compelling thriller.Pub Date: May 22, 2009
ISBN: 978-1438963921
Page Count: 360
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Marti Dumas illustrated by Stephanie Parcus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11, 2017
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
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A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Paul Langan Ben Alirez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2004
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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