Brings new meaning to “star-crossed lovers”—read it for the intriguing concepts that play out behind the romance
In Bellin’s (Scavenger of Souls, 2016, etc.) imaginative far-future sci-fi, the people selected to escape Earth wake from their millenniumlong sleep only to find their new home planet uninhabitable. As their resources quickly dwindle, two teenagers are the key to human survival—or extinction.
Cameron Newell, the 17-year-old white boy who narrates, is more love-sick puppy than intergalactic hero. Son of a high-ranking Upperworld official, his privileged life is completely upended when he sees a broadcast of a Lowerworld protest. Cam is immediately captivated by the mesmerizing brown-skinned young woman leading the crowd. Convinced she is the love of his life and desperate to find her, Cam joins the Lowerworld revolutionaries. Unfortunately, the brilliant, corporation-run world the author creates and the fascinating themes inherent to revolution and colonization of a new planet are suppressed by Cam’s self-centered lamentations. For example, through Cam’s eyes, a key political decision is framed as a personal betrayal rather than an attempt to save hundreds of thousands of people. The most interesting aspects of the book, be they plot points or nuanced character development, are revealed through stretches of expository dialogue because Cam is too distracted by his single-minded crush on Sofie to know anything of value.
Brings new meaning to “star-crossed lovers”—read it for the intriguing concepts that play out behind the romance . (Science fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-9165-5
Page Count: 368
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A powerful tale of found family and first love.
After a year away, Ellis returns home to confront her past.
Graduating from high school far from everything familiar was not part of Ellis Truman’s original plans, but she nevertheless ended up spending her senior year with her aunt in California. In Indiana, Ellis practically grew up with the Albrey family and their three tightknit sons, Dixon, Tucker, and Easton. Now, Tucker wants her to return home for matriarch Sandry Albrey’s 50th birthday celebration on the Fourth of July—but Ellis is dreading seeing Easton, as they haven’t talked since she left. Chapters alternate between past and present, and much of the story unravels slowly: How did she come to live with the Albreys? What caused Ellis to then end up in San Diego? What happened in her relationship with Easton? Patient readers will find the heartfelt tension pays off. With her father in and out of jail and an absent mother, socio-economic differences separating Ellis from the middle-class Albreys don’t go unnoticed, and Ellis’ down-to-earth journey shows how she unpacks her feelings about her relationship with her parents. The slow-build romance is swoonworthy, and young adult fans of Colleen Hoover seeking emotional devastation and unforgettable characters will find much to enjoy here. Characters read as White.
A powerful tale of found family and first love. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-308853-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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