Here’s hoping they’ll be rewarded with more depth and color in the sequels to come.
Following the murder of his brother, Prince Anders, Jared must not only assume the throne as ruler of all Archenfield, but take on the role of investigator into the crime.
As he’s only 16, it is lucky for Jared that he has the Council of The Twelve to guide him in his decisions. Unfortunately, he quickly learns that not all is as it seems in the kingdom. Lust for power, unrequited love and personal vendettas make it difficult for Jared to know whom to trust. So when Asta Peck, the Physician’s niece and apprentice, begins her own inquiry, he is relieved to find that he is not the only one seeking the truth. Their investigation is complicated by the death of the prince’s consort and her unborn child and the attempted murder of the Falconer. It is clear that the killer is ruthless, but his or her motivation and identity remain hidden. While the mystery is suspenseful, a lack of sensory detail keeps the fantastic setting vague, despite ornate, medieval-esque trappings. The over-large cast is often unwieldy, keeping the individual characters undefined and forcing readers to the Archenfield family tree and list of officers at the front. Still, there’s a lot going on, and readers caught up in the plot will probably want to find out what happens next.
Here’s hoping they’ll be rewarded with more depth and color in the sequels to come. (Adventure. 12-16)Pub Date: May 27, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-316-25393-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2014
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful.
January 1945: as Russians advance through East Prussia, four teens’ lives converge in hopes of escape.
Returning to the successful formula of her highly lauded debut, Between Shades of Gray (2011), Sepetys combines research (described in extensive backmatter) with well-crafted fiction to bring to life another little-known story: the sinking (from Soviet torpedoes) of the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff. Told in four alternating voices—Lithuanian nurse Joana, Polish Emilia, Prussian forger Florian, and German soldier Alfred—with often contemporary cadences, this stints on neither history nor fiction. The three sympathetic refugees and their motley companions (especially an orphaned boy and an elderly shoemaker) make it clear that while the Gustloff was a German ship full of German civilians and soldiers during World War II, its sinking was still a tragedy. Only Alfred, stationed on the Gustloff, lacks sympathy; almost a caricature, he is self-delusional, unlikable, a Hitler worshiper. As a vehicle for exposition, however, and a reminder of Germany’s role in the war, he serves an invaluable purpose that almost makes up for the mustache-twirling quality of his petty villainy. The inevitability of the ending (including the loss of several characters) doesn’t change its poignancy, and the short chapters and slowly revealed back stories for each character guarantee the pages keep turning.
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful. (author’s note, research and sources, maps) (Historical fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-16030-1
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
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