“I am Jonas. I am dead,” opens Anna’s older brother whose body was ravished by AIDS five years ago. Now, in Belgium in 1999, Anna and her family are still haunted by Jonas’s death, as well that of her oldest brother, Michael, who died three years ago, along with his girlfriend, Marta, both of whom were working for UNICEF in Bosnia when their Land Rover struck a mine. They are troubled more by Michael’s death, however, because medical examiners could not identify the bodies with absolute certainty. About to graduate from high school in a few days, Anna receives a letter from Hugo, Michael’s best friend, stating that he has been in contact with Marta and that Michael may be alive. Why write to Anna? Out of everyone who knew both Jonas and Michael, Anna has a future ahead of her. So begin family secrets, meetings with new friends and friends from the past, connections to Serbian nationalists Arkan and Slobodan Milosevic, and Anna’s role in bringing the past and future together. Simoen, in his debut, divides the novel into three distinct parts. The first presents the cast of characters through chapters told from their own points of view, but it’s not until the second part, which presents the problem and focuses solely on Anna, that it takes on the feel of a YA story. The conclusion comes about in a letter to a key player who assisted both Jonas and Michael. The intriguing plot, driven by extremely realistic dialogue and interior monologues, reveals Simoen’s background as a dramatist. Although the original Dutch text was award-winning, this translation into British English will only be appreciated by the most sophisticated teen readers who are familiar with details of recent Balkan history and who can identify with the emotions and life experiences of Anna and the adults around her. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-8027-8808-4
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2002
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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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