An intriguing premise that fails to soar.
Calla struggles with her cursed luck as the Fates turn against her.
In Illustros, a land of witches, Valkyries, sirens, and other fantastical creatures, Calliope Rosewood hides her cursed Siphon magic, having already fled her home numerous times out of fear of discovery. Not only must Calla glamour her mismatched Siphon eyes, one violet and one honey colored, but even when they were in a relationship she kept some distance from Ezra, lest he discover the unlucky Rolls of Fate from Witch’s Dice magically tattooed onto her arm. After a gambling bet goes wrong and Calla rolls another cursed six, making her the Blood Warrior for the Fates, she goes on a quest to the Neverending Forest to find the Witch Eater who can erase her rolls. She’s accompanied by Ezra and his brother, Gideon; Onyx witches Kestrel and Caspian; and her friends, siren Delphine and Rouge witch Hannah. While the exploration of powerful godly Fates and the possibility of self-determination are intriguing, the book gets bogged down in clichés, clunky worldbuilding, and awkward descriptions of fight scenes. Calla’s witty narration and ongoing friendships with Delphine and Hannah are positive and empowering, but they become overwhelmed by complicated relationship drama. Calla’s internal battle between her socially acceptable Rouge magic and suppressed Siphon powers is well depicted, covering the importance of self-acceptance as well as the limitations of binary frameworks. Calla reads White; the remaining cast mostly appears fantasy diverse.
An intriguing premise that fails to soar. (map) (Fantasy. 12-17)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-368-08159-7
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fantastical romp filled with intrigue and suspense.
Amid the approaching coronation of her cruel half brother, Jura, and agitation by pro-democracy rebels called the Dawnbreakers, Princess Teia Carthan of Erisia carves out her own fate.
Following her parents’ death, Teia learned to fight. In addition to being able to wield fire and water, she’s not above resorting to blackmail, bribery, and murder to ensure her survival. Through master thief Enna, she learns that Jura is after the Dawnbreakers’ symbolic figurehead: Kyra Medoh, a young woman said to be able to control fire, a skill believed to be passed down through the royal lineage. When Teia intercepts Kyra after the thief infiltrates the Golden Palace, the princess tells her she wants to join the Dawnbreakers. Teia plans to gain Kyra’s trust, discover the location of the Dawnbreakers’ base, and use this information as leverage with Jura to get out of the betrothal he’s arranged for her to an abusive murderer. As Teia works undercover, her camaraderie with and attraction to Dawnbreaker Tobias grows, and, moved by Kyra’s idealism, she starts to question her own motivations. Debut author Wang’s tightly written narrative deftly unravels surprising twists and intrigues. While several characters in this duology opener appear too eager to spill their deepest secrets, readers will forgive this weakness and anticipate the second volume. Teia’s mother came from the country of Shaylan; her skin tone is darker than most Erisians’. Kyra has coppery skin and black hair.
A fantastical romp filled with intrigue and suspense. (Fantasy. 13-17)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781959411772
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Violetear Books/Bindery
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
Fast-moving and intriguing though inconsistent on multiple fronts.
Kids endure rigorous competition aboard a spaceship.
When Babel Communications invites 10 teens to participate in “the most serious space exploration known to mankind,” Emmett signs on. Surely it’s the jackpot: they’ll each receive $50,000 every month for life, and Emmett’s mother will get a kidney transplant, otherwise impossible for poor people. They head through space toward the planet Eden, where they’ll mine a substance called nyxia, “the new black gold.” En route, the corporation forces them into brutal competition with one another—fighting, running through violent virtual reality racecourses, and manipulating nyxia, which can become almost anything. It even forms language-translating facemasks, allowing Emmett, a black boy from Detroit, to communicate with competitors from other countries. Emmett's initial understanding of his own blackness may throw readers off, but a black protagonist in outer space is welcome. Awkward moments in the smattering of black vernacular are rare. Textual descriptions can be scanty; however, copious action and a reality TV atmosphere (the scoreboard shows regularly) make the pace flow. Emmett’s first-person voice is immediate and innocent: he realizes that Babel’s ruthless and coldblooded but doesn’t apply that to his understanding of what’s really going on. Readers will guess more than he does, though most confirmation waits for the next installment—this ends on a cliffhanger.
Fast-moving and intriguing though inconsistent on multiple fronts. (Science fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-55679-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
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