A potently addictive blend of romance, fantasy, and science fiction full of unexpected twists.
A mysteriously linked trio will do anything to be chosen for a space mission to escape their frozen planet.
At age 17, Franny Bluecastle’s deathday has arrived. Over 1,000 years ago, scientists discovered how to calculate deathdays, and since then it’s been no mystery when anyone will die. Except Franny doesn’t die on her deathday. Instead, she’s found by Court Icecastle and Mykal Kickfall, two mysterious young men who want to help her. Court and Mykal also avoided their deathdays and, in doing so, became deeply connected: They experience one another’s feelings. Now, Franny is linked to them too. To make matters worse, anyone who learns they’ve outlived their deathdays will try to kill them. The only way out is for all three to be chosen for the Saga 5 Mission, which will take them into space, past anyone’s possible deathday. But it won’t be easy—Mykal and Franny must learn to fit in with the rest of the well-to-do candidates, and Court has an enemy on his trail. Intricate worldbuilding and carefully wrought bonds between the trio make for a heady, immersive ride. The world and its lore unfold seamlessly as they fight their way through it. Readers will ache for the next installment. There is diversity in characters’ skin tones, from pale white to dark brown.
A potently addictive blend of romance, fantasy, and science fiction full of unexpected twists. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-12871-3
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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