Fans of historical thrillers that invoke the enduring spirit of Jack the Ripper will have fun, and Zdrok leaves things open...
In Zdrok’s debut, a young woman with mysterious powers seeks to unmask a vicious killer terrorizing 19th-century Paris.
Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes about Paris’ unclaimed dead bodies that are on display for public viewing for her column at Le Petit Journal: The more detailed her descriptions, the better. When she sees the body of a young girl who has been brutally slashed, she’s horrified. Placing her hand against the glass barrier, she has a terrifying vision of what seems to be the actual murder. The killer, dubbed “the Dark Artist,” isn’t finished, and the viciousness of the murders grows. Nathalie is intrigued to find out that her Aunt Brigitte, who is in an asylum for acting on her own visions, was a patient of an infamous doctor who offered supernatural powers through blood transfusions. Craving normalcy, Nathalie initially rejects her own powers, but when the Dark Artist slaughters someone very close to her, she resolves to put a stop to his reign of terror. Zdrok explores the universal fascination with death, set among the darker corners of 1887 Paris, and the very idea of the morgue viewings (to which parents brought their children) is chilling. All characters are assumed white. Grisly, plot driven—and very creepy.
Fans of historical thrillers that invoke the enduring spirit of Jack the Ripper will have fun, and Zdrok leaves things open for a sequel. (recommended reading) (Paranormal historical thriller. 15-18)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-7653-9968-7
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Tor Teen
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Teenage girl magic is palpable, urgent, and simply marvelous in this must-have debut.
Since becoming an orphan at 7, it’s mainly been Sideways Pike and her spell book—until a raucous Halloween party blasts her world open.
In the West High social hierarchy, Jing, Daisy, and Yates are the queen bees who rule the roost. When they hire Sideways—offering her $40 in exchange for casting a spell to make their party the best of the season—the result isn’t only memorably spooky, thanks to the unbelievable creep factor à la Sideways, but also a disturbing mystery that bonds all four girls. To Sideways’ utter bewilderment, the triumvirate fiercely claims her, and she’s now a member of the most badass girl clique. Their camaraderie strengthens with each narrow escape as they curse toxic males and witch hunters and build their collective power. Readers will love the spooky pop-culture easter eggs and appreciate a fresh spin on the mean girls theme: Readers won’t despise, but will root for, this cunning, crass, and fiercely caring coven. Bitingly honest, fast-paced dialogue is a solid strength, as is the lyrical language, which is so intimate that readers will viscerally know how magic and emotions feel in Sideways’ body. Jing is cued as Chinese American, Yates is black, and all other characters are presumed white, including Sideways, who is lesbian, and her two adoptive dads.
Teenage girl magic is palpable, urgent, and simply marvelous in this must-have debut. (Paranormal. 15-18)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-64566-000-2
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Erewhon
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Another winding quest with only intermittent bursts of intrigue and action.
Ulla continues the quest to find the identity of her parents; her missing friend, Eliana; and the location of the First City.
After Eliana’s kidnapping, Ulla and Pan set off to Fulaträsk in Louisiana, hopeful they’ll find more information about the cult of the Älvolk and the First City. Ulla learns that the troll she believed to be her mother, Orra Fågel, went missing 20 years ago during a mission to find the Lost Bridge of Dimma—the mythical bridge guarded by the Älvolk. Then Ulla hears rumors of roaming philanderer Indu Mattison, an Älvolk from the First City who may be her father. Indu was last heard railing against Kiruna, which is located in the Arctic area of Sweden. This is their best lead yet; it could lead them to the First City. Pan is summoned back to Merellä, and Ulla returns with him, set on continuing her research. But it isn’t long before Ulla and her friends gain the final clues they need to set off to Sweden, where answers to Ulla’s identity bring more turmoil than relief. With fewer dives into deep lore, Ulla’s journey moves with steady purpose, though the clues she finds line up too easily to feel earned. True danger arrives in the climax, but it’s too little, too late.
Another winding quest with only intermittent bursts of intrigue and action. (glossary) (Fantasy. 16-18)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-20428-8
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2020
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