A surreal, weird, and enthralling brew of fantasy, SF, and other elements.
In this novel, a girl experiences an existential crisis when she has her heart stolen.
A nameless girl tells readers her story—how she was perfectly created by a swan. Then she turns her back on the swan and vows to fight Death: “I will make these groping brass hooks of mine into tentacles. I will open my eyes in both directions into emptiness. I will learn to swim in air and land and void.” Her heart is stolen; the world has either ended or will end; her friends are in peril; and the existence of her very soul is to be decided. She goes to Principal Entropy’s School, which human and slightly otherworldly kids attend. It is one of two schools in Horizon, the other being Bleak Academy. According to legend, God created one school and the devil, the other, but it is unclear which is which or if the story is even true. What is true: Giselle, one of the girl’s best friends, is Death’s sister, and she is taken from school against her will. Along with this distressing event, the protagonist faces other challenges. Her first boyfriend steals her heart, leaving behind the husk of a girl. But her comprehension of what may be wrong with her started with her first kiss in a hallway during an apocalypse. And all of this makes sense in a roundabout way: It simply has to do with the truth of the world. Moran’s compelling novel is a unique, original story. With elements of fantasy, SF, weird fiction, and fairy tales, the book not only defies genre definitions, but also invites readers to enjoy a roller-coaster ride that is frequently disorienting but often funny, invigorating, empowering, and heartbreaking: “To be heartless is to lose your stories.” The tale doesn’t waste time explaining its worldbuilding; facets of it seep into the unreliable narrative subtly but not enough to form a concrete, step-by-step guide for the audience. In this way, readers experience Horizon in the same way as the hero, through the fuzzy line between the metaphorical and the literal, slowly understanding that things are not quite right with this world. This allows for an empathetic, deep connection with the protagonist in what is a heady, fantastical journey.
A surreal, weird, and enthralling brew of fantasy, SF, and other elements. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: July 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-5007-5731-1
Page Count: 431
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
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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