A fast-moving, upbeat mystery for readers willing to ignore major plot holes.
Teen reality TV star Charly and her co-star Liam head to the tiny town of Tallulahville, Minn., to make over an unwilling nerd but discover the mission is more complex than they'd realized.
After a dowdy young fan asks for her autograph, Charly becomes inspired to host a makeover show. She and Liam, with whom she has on-screen and off-screen flirtations, pitch the idea to the producers of their regular show, The Extreme Dream Team, and a month later, they're off to improve the appearance of one of the Tallulahville mayor's daughters, Nia. Their mission, however, is covert, as Nia does not wish to be made over, and only in the discussion questions following the text does the book invite readers to consider the ethics of publicly giving a makeover to someone who doesn't want one. Tallulahville is full of compelling mysteries: What happened to make nerdy Nia and her popular twin sister, Mya, so different? Why are the teens at a party acting so strangely? Who is sending Charly cryptic warnings, and what do they mean? Some of the answers, however, are difficult to swallow, and so are some of the book's premises. Why, for instance, are Charly's handlers so absent that she can't get a ride to visit her local contact?
A fast-moving, upbeat mystery for readers willing to ignore major plot holes. (Mystery. 12-16)Pub Date: July 30, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7582-8699-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Dafina/Kensington
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2013
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful.
January 1945: as Russians advance through East Prussia, four teens’ lives converge in hopes of escape.
Returning to the successful formula of her highly lauded debut, Between Shades of Gray (2011), Sepetys combines research (described in extensive backmatter) with well-crafted fiction to bring to life another little-known story: the sinking (from Soviet torpedoes) of the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff. Told in four alternating voices—Lithuanian nurse Joana, Polish Emilia, Prussian forger Florian, and German soldier Alfred—with often contemporary cadences, this stints on neither history nor fiction. The three sympathetic refugees and their motley companions (especially an orphaned boy and an elderly shoemaker) make it clear that while the Gustloff was a German ship full of German civilians and soldiers during World War II, its sinking was still a tragedy. Only Alfred, stationed on the Gustloff, lacks sympathy; almost a caricature, he is self-delusional, unlikable, a Hitler worshiper. As a vehicle for exposition, however, and a reminder of Germany’s role in the war, he serves an invaluable purpose that almost makes up for the mustache-twirling quality of his petty villainy. The inevitability of the ending (including the loss of several characters) doesn’t change its poignancy, and the short chapters and slowly revealed back stories for each character guarantee the pages keep turning.
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful. (author’s note, research and sources, maps) (Historical fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-16030-1
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
PROFILES
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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