An ambitious debut with imperfect execution—here’s hoping the sequel is smoother.
Chinese folklore and fantasy intersect in this adventure.
Faryn and her younger brother, Alex, were lovingly raised by Ye Ye, who’s now seriously ill. Viewed as outcasts by their Jade Society community, the family lives outside of San Francisco’s Chinatown but still are dedicated to worshipping the gods and train to fight demons. During a risky trip into Chinatown to get Ye Ye’s medicine, Faryn subdues a nián monster with the help of a stranger. The stranger later appears at their society’s annual banquet, revealing himself to be Erlang Shen, the god of war. He shares the Jade Emperor’s decree that whoever can complete a quest and arrive at the banquet atop the heavenly mountain on Peng Lai Island will be deemed the Heaven Breaker, the ultimate warrior, inspiring several hopefuls to race for the title. Spurred by Erlang Shen’s hints and sudden attacks by demons, Faryn reluctantly wields Heaven Breaker’s weapon, Fenghuang, and takes off, accompanied by Alex. The two hope they can also find their missing father, lost during his quest to find Peng Lai. Attempts to call in favors earned by their father prove largely futile, however. Zhao seamlessly incorporates Chinese terms and themes into the fast-paced plot. Unfortunately, the book’s humor relies heavily on Asian stereotypes. Still, the story takes intriguing twists with its cultural background, and they keep the pages turning. Faryn and Alex are multiracial: Chinese on Ba’s side and a mix of Mediterranean heritage on their mother’s.
An ambitious debut with imperfect execution—here’s hoping the sequel is smoother. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0200-1
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
Readers will also delight in Charlie’s transformation from hotheaded victim to shrewd leader—and friend.
British author Renner kicks off a new series with smart writing that combines mystery, historical fantasy and a touch of steampunk.
Her mother disappeared five years ago, and her loony father consumes his days with building playing-card towers. As a consequence, 11-year-old Princess Charlotte Augusta Joanna Hortense—aka Charlie—of Quale, an imaginary country in a Victorian-like time, has not been treated as royalty. She has endured near starvation and strict discipline at the hands of the castle caretaker. When she overhears whispers of revolution and finds a lost letter written by her mother, plucky Charlie begins to question her surroundings and dares to hope for her mother’s return. This well-crafted tale focuses on storytelling over a formulaic plot as Charlie wonders whom to trust with her mother’s letter: Mr. Moleglass, the basement-dwelling butler; Alistair Windlass, the young, charismatic prime minister; Tobias, the 12-year-old gardener’s boy with a skill for picking locks; or the revolutionaries she’s joined forces with. Possible double agents and nonstop twists and turns keep readers guessing as Charlie seems to raise more questions than answers concerning her mother’s disappearance and also her likely ties to a secret weapon against a warring, neighboring nation. Atmospheric trains, pneumatic tubes and other burgeoning technology of the time add a fantastical element to the old-fashioned setting.
Readers will also delight in Charlie’s transformation from hotheaded victim to shrewd leader—and friend. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: March 20, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-547-74446-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2012
A thoroughly delicious romp from the author of Ella Enchanted (1997). Before Lodie leaves the island of Lahnt, her mother warns her to beware ogres, dragons and “the whited sepulcher” (a villain who appears virtuous) in the big town of Two Castles; she inevitably meets all three, encountering danger and friendship where least expected. Lodie’s parents send her away to become a weaver, but the girl plans to become a “mansioner” (actor), like her brother Albin. When she cannot secure a free apprenticeship, she finds herself working for the enigmatic dragon Masteress Meenore, a food vendor and amateur detective. Lodie soon employs her imitative and observational mansioning skills—and Meenore’s lessons in “deduction, induction, and common sense”—to investigate thefts and threats at ogre Count Jonty Um’s royalty-crowded castle. When local prejudices and political intrigue throw the court into an uproar, Lodie must solve the many mysteries or face execution. Fairy tales and classic myths are cleverly woven into the story, but the gritty medieval conditions—poverty, hunger, lice and cruel nobles—provide the dramatic tension and realistic motivation for the adventurous and intelligent Lodie. The plot is winningly unpredictable, the characters easy to relate to, the humor subtle and the action well-paced. Newbery Honor–winner Levine has once again breathed new life into old stories. (Fantasy. 9-12)
Pub Date: May 10, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-122965-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
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