Confusing choices make this spin-off miss the mark.
A fairy navigates magical problems in a chaotic and fantastical Never Land.
The ageless Tinker Bell stars as the protagonist of this prequel to Disney’s Peter Pan. Tink and her friends call themselves the Wanderers: mermaid Blair, shape-shifter Mimic, fairy Ash, Indigenous human Tiger Lily, and 17-year-old human Caiman, a pirate. Odd disturbances on the island connected to Never Land’s magic send Tink off to seek a solution on the Mainland, where she finds Londoners struggling with poverty, pollution, and impending war. At the Greater London Hospital for Boys, she meets James, who works with other orphans, including red-haired Peter. Tink persuades James, Peter, and the other boys to abandon London and accompany her to Never Land. By the time they return, conditions have worsened, and the island is in danger of losing its magic. As an origin story for the Lost Boys, the storyline largely adheres to the original but is marred by some plot holes. Tink’s good intentions are overshadowed by her impulsive selfishness, and her conflicted friendships sometimes feel more toxic than supportive. Tink glosses over the lack of care the rescued Lost Boys receive in Never Land; they’re often left alone. The romance between Tink and James contains emotional moments but lacks depth and cohesion. Most human characters read white.
Confusing choices make this spin-off miss the mark. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781368089777
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Disney/Random House
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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