An enchanting tale.
A story of love: for oneself, others, and community.
Preet, the village’s best Shaper, and Valissa, the bravest librarian, live on an island anchored by the tree that provided the seeds that grew into the first Shifter (someone who can change their appearance) and Shaper (a person who can form matter). Just as with the first Shaper and Shifter, who complemented one another, Preet and Valissa’s love makes each stronger. When a child is knocked out by a mysterious mist during a class visit to the library, Preet is assigned to journey deep into the mist to investigate, but Valissa volunteers to go in her place even though she possesses no magic. While she is away, Preet breaks a long-standing tradition and is cast out. She sails to unknown places in search of belonging. Simultaneously, Valissa faces her own insecurities as she seeks the source of the mist. Before they can find their ways back to each other, they must unlearn what they’ve been taught and create alternative paths. This story challenges the concept of traditions and the impact they can have on the communities that uphold them. Zabarsky’s soft, rounded linework and muted pastels make for cozy imagery, with adornments reminiscent of European folk art. The themes of change and acceptance elevate the story. Both women are fat; Preet has white hair and light-brown skin; Valissa has dark-brown skin and hair.
An enchanting tale. (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-12543-4
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
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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