by Keith Bender ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2014
A respectable first effort, likely to appeal to fans of Greek myth and students of classical antiquity, but one that labors...
Bender’s debut novel is an epic youngadult fantasy that incorporates classical lore, intonations and references into an ode to the lasting greatness of Greek myth.
The not-quite-but-almost-16-year-old Thrace is a high school sophomore, an unknowing son of Ares, God of War, and quite possibly a prophesied savior known as the “Seed of Destruction.” Together with his best friend, Parker, and a helpful oread named Anthia, Thrace is drawn into an epic quest by the machinations of the goddess Aphrodite and the despotic plots of Ares, Slaughterer of Men and self-proclaimed ruler of everything. Thrace’s extended immortal family, however, is not making it easy, as the other sons of Ares—including both those from classical mythology, like Phobos and Deimius, and those of Bender’s own invention, like Cresphontes—take an instant disliking to him. With the other gods of Olympus bound in slumber, it is up to Thrace; his newfound mentor, the centaur Sophos; and Thrace’s friends to escape Ares’ plots, rescue Thrace’s mother from the enchantments of Aphrodite and discover, if they can, just what the prophecy about the Seed of Destruction might mean for them and the world. While the characters are engaging and the plot moves at a swift pace, one of the book’s strongest parts is also its Achilles’ heel: the sheer weight of classical myth and lore that Bender infuses into the story. On one hand, it reads very much like a translated Greek epic poem, but on the other, many of the frequent metaphors are made unwieldy by endless allusions to Greek myth. Thrace’s adventures are also very mythic in nature, and the variations on ancient tales that Bender weaves into Thrace’s tale are just similar enough to their root material to be recognizable without being mere retreads.
A respectable first effort, likely to appeal to fans of Greek myth and students of classical antiquity, but one that labors under the weight of history as much as it draws from it.Pub Date: March 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0615956466
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Cresphontes LLC
Review Posted Online: April 17, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Marti Dumas illustrated by Stephanie Parcus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11, 2017
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
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A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Paul Langan Ben Alirez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2004
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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