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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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