A fine-tuned character study spotlighting the emotional and psychological awakening of two unexpected galactic heroes.
Two former soldiers turned freedom fighters track down an unknown adversary in this Star Wars novel.
The First Order may have fallen, but it refuses to fade quietly into the darkness. For Finn and Jannah, the regime’s cruelty extends beyond the battlefield. Before joining the Resistance, both were obedient stormtroopers—until they could no longer ignore how the First Order punished and terrorized the people it claimed to liberate. Finn’s breaking point occurred while he was serving as a bodyguard for Major Gohl, and Jannah defected after an incident on Ansett Island. Now, following the Battle of Exegol, the Resistance has been searching for survivors and refugees. When a ship of frightened children dressed in First Order uniforms arrives at the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss, Finn and Jannah decide to uncover the shuttle’s origins. As they delve deeper into their mission, the pair reopen past traumas. Set after the events of the film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mbalia’s stand-alone YA debut skillfully constructs the backstories of two compelling Black characters who were underutilized in filmmaker George Lucas’ universe. Although casual Star Wars fans may need to brush up on their cinematic lore, the action-filled narrative shines when showing Finn’s and Jannah’s inner conflicts, particularly as they question and reject the First Order’s twisted moral code.
A fine-tuned character study spotlighting the emotional and psychological awakening of two unexpected galactic heroes. (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9781368065610
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Star Wars/Random House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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