A sprawling, heady, explosive (literally and emotionally) conclusion.
Immediately following Dev1at3 (Deviate) (2019), all parties have their final showdowns.
The storyline recaps, character list, and story elements guide at the beginning will come in handy for readers jumping back into the fully realized post-apocalyptic future through a wide, revolving cast of point-of-view characters. First up: a flashy sequence where readers left off, with a nuclear missile heading straight for New Bethlehem (and Cricket) with deviates Diesel and Grimm incoming on a suicide mission to stop it. When the smoke clears, those still standing are torn—do they rescue Lemon from BioMaas, or retrieve Eve (and Ana and Gabriel) from Daedalus? Foils Lemon and Eve suffer through mirrored themes of violations of bodily integrity at the hands of the dueling corporations that wish to weaponize them—and Lemon would rather die than be used. With multiple parties threatening different genocides, stakes are high, but there’s still time for themes (mostly around choice and free will) and relationships. While there are multiple romantic storylines and love is a powerful motivating force all around, the story doesn’t limit itself to just romantic love, instead branching out and giving weight to a variety of deep platonic connections. The ending wrap-up, which follows an extended cacophony of battles, is disappointingly tidy by comparison and slightly rushed. Lemon is White, Grimm is coded Black, and Diesel is Asian.
A sprawling, heady, explosive (literally and emotionally) conclusion. (Science fiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: June 30, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5247-1400-0
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2020
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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