Character growth is at the forefront of this engrossing tale of discovery.
A young woman in hiding is thrust into adventure in Storms’ YA fantasy novel.
Marit is the product of an “Unsanctioned” marriage in the fantasy realm of Aktaria. Her parents keep her hidden during the day, and she works on their farm at night; it’s their way of protecting her from being seized by the Aktarian Guard as an Unsanctioned person. This danger doesn’t stop Marit from slipping out during the day with her best friend, Torin. She pays for this bit of fun when she opens the door only to find the AG there to arrest her. Sold as chattel, Marit is fortunate to be bought by Naomi, who needs a maid for her new household. Naomi will be paired with Greyson Kencharo and feels she must part ways with her current maid (and lover) Mylene. But things don’t work out for the new couple: A bomb is thrown into the back room to which they’d been sent during their joining ceremony. Naomi is badly injured and sends Greyson, Mylene, Marit, and Torin on the run. They join up with Emily, who is Mysticborn, part of a group from whom Marit and Greyson seek to learn more about how their nascent magical powers work. (“Notgifted. Mysticborn. It’s the Aktarians who insist on making what’s natural seem like it’s not,” sniffs Emily.) Storms forces her characters to mature quickly. Marit is the ultimate outsider as a homebound fugitive; her fog-farmer friend Torin isn’t any more tied into what’s happening in the Heart of Aktaria. Mylene’s world begins and ends with Naomi. Naomi and Greyson aren’t party to governmental machinations either, despite being members of the upper class—all will have to learn on the fly if they’re to stay alive. Having the point of view alternate among Marit, Torin, Greyson, and Mylene is an effective storytelling technique as they all offer very distinct perspectives. Storms’ well-paced narrative feels considerably shorter than the 325 pages it fills. Winning characters and a well-constructed backdrop make for a riveting journey to a satisfying resolution.
Character growth is at the forefront of this engrossing tale of discovery.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-7328492-8-0
Page Count: 332
Publisher: Rainestorms Press
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning.
Two teens train to be society-sanctioned killers in an otherwise immortal world.
On post-mortal Earth, humans live long (if not particularly passionate) lives without fear of disease, aging, or accidents. Operating independently of the governing AI (called the Thunderhead since it evolved from the cloud), scythes rely on 10 commandments, quotas, and their own moral codes to glean the population. After challenging Hon. Scythe Faraday, 16-year-olds Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova reluctantly become his apprentices. Subjected to killcraft training, exposed to numerous executions, and discouraged from becoming allies or lovers, the two find themselves engaged in a fatal competition but equally determined to fight corruption and cruelty. The vivid and often violent action unfolds slowly, anchored in complex worldbuilding and propelled by political machinations and existential musings. Scythes’ journal entries accompany Rowan’s and Citra’s dual and dueling narratives, revealing both personal struggles and societal problems. The futuristic post–2042 MidMerican world is both dystopia and utopia, free of fear, unexpected death, and blatant racism—multiracial main characters discuss their diverse ethnic percentages rather than purity—but also lacking creativity, emotion, and purpose. Elegant and elegiac, brooding but imbued with gallows humor, Shusterman’s dark tale thrusts realistic, likable teens into a surreal situation and raises deep philosophic questions.
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning. (Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7242-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
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
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