An atmospheric setting and strong spiritualist elements cannot compensate for underdeveloped characters.
In Massachusetts in 1848, three sisters battle a force threatening their town.
Sixteen-year-old Daisy Wolfson and her sisters, fraternal twin Morrigan and 18-year-old Avery, made a mistake: They allowed something sinister to escape during their new moon ritual. Iniitally unaware of the problem’s origin, people in their small town of Redcliffe seek the sisters’ aid with curative spiritualist practices, tarot readings, crystals, herbalism, and elemental channeling. But, slowly and steadily, a Bleakness accentuates the townspeople’s worst instincts, and this animosity is aimed directly at the Wolfsons. The sisters, who can see into the past (Morrigan), the future (Daisy), and into people’s souls in the present (Avery) must work together to heal the afflicted while they still can and find the culprit causing this madness before they’re all overtaken. At the same time, Daisy follows her own spiritual journey, one mirroring the tarot’s major arcana that involves more than one handsome young man. Although the setting and action are well described, the minimally developed characters fail to do more than follow their assigned roles, resulting in an interesting premise that unfolds with little emotion. The thoroughly described spiritualist practices will appeal to readers interested in the occult. The sisters are cued white; their mother was a “French Catholic Acadian orphan,” something the town’s elite find disgraceful. Laude’s charming spot art adorns the text.
An atmospheric setting and strong spiritualist elements cannot compensate for underdeveloped characters. (Supernatural. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781368099431
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
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
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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