This folktale fantasy will not disappoint.
When danger lurks from beyond the grave, supporting characters find themselves in the limelight in this enthralling sequel to Wicked Fox (2019).
Half-human/half-gumiho (Korean fox demon) Miyoung recently lost her mother, Yena. But lately Yena has been haunting her dreams, cryptically speaking of the threat of a powerful enemy and lamenting that she did not adequately prepare her daughter. Meanwhile Miyoung’s reluctant goblin ally, Junu, gets a visitor of his own. Hyuk, who is a reaper, speaks of a mysterious connection between the worlds of the living and the dead—a tear that allows ghosts and malevolent spirits to visit Earth. He hints that the tear is possibly related to Miyoung and the soul bead she lost. Junu is given seven days to fix things and restore balance before the reaper does. The familiar crew—Miyoung, Jihoon, Junu, and Somin—plot to retrieve the soul bead, but this time it is Junu and tough-girl Somin who take the lead. The quickly evolving narrative engages the characters in battles against supernatural beings as well as confrontations with ghosts of their pasts, both literal and figurative. Once again Cho artfully balances Korean-inspired folktales, K-drama motifs, emotionally complex characters, and unpredictable plot twists. Readers should begin with the first installment to fully appreciate this entry.
This folktale fantasy will not disappoint. (glossary, notes) (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-984812-37-7
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning.
Two teens train to be society-sanctioned killers in an otherwise immortal world.
On post-mortal Earth, humans live long (if not particularly passionate) lives without fear of disease, aging, or accidents. Operating independently of the governing AI (called the Thunderhead since it evolved from the cloud), scythes rely on 10 commandments, quotas, and their own moral codes to glean the population. After challenging Hon. Scythe Faraday, 16-year-olds Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova reluctantly become his apprentices. Subjected to killcraft training, exposed to numerous executions, and discouraged from becoming allies or lovers, the two find themselves engaged in a fatal competition but equally determined to fight corruption and cruelty. The vivid and often violent action unfolds slowly, anchored in complex worldbuilding and propelled by political machinations and existential musings. Scythes’ journal entries accompany Rowan’s and Citra’s dual and dueling narratives, revealing both personal struggles and societal problems. The futuristic post–2042 MidMerican world is both dystopia and utopia, free of fear, unexpected death, and blatant racism—multiracial main characters discuss their diverse ethnic percentages rather than purity—but also lacking creativity, emotion, and purpose. Elegant and elegiac, brooding but imbued with gallows humor, Shusterman’s dark tale thrusts realistic, likable teens into a surreal situation and raises deep philosophic questions.
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning. (Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7242-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
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
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