An impressive debut that highlights the importance of fully embracing one’s true self.
A notorious young woman must learn to fully accept her powers.
Blaze, the last surviving Rain Singer, has spent 17 years locked away. Her birth brought on a devastating storm, and she’s been known ever since as the Storm Weaver. Her twin brother, Flint, is expected to win the throne of Ignitia in the dangerous Choosing Rite. The twins, who have olive skin and curly dark hair, differ in one significant way: Flint’s Flameborn power is strong, while Blaze’s own abilities seem to be gone. So it’s shocking when Blaze’s gifts make a resurgence at her Name Day ball. Chosen by the Gods as an Heir, Blaze must strengthen her gifts by finally letting herself feel her emotions—all while competing in the Choosing Rite for the Aquatori throne. This trilogy opener brings to life a gorgeous world with thoughtfully designed customs and laws. Hamilton Murray demonstrates her narrative prowess through her intentional use of foreshadowing and complex characterization. Fox, the golden-skinned Terrathian Heir known as the Earth Cleaver, is the perfect contrast to Blaze, who’s embarking on a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Together, they prove that labels only have power if you let them, and that self-perception matters more than how others see you. The narrative balances lyricism and drama as the Heirs work through the trials to assume their rightful places.
An impressive debut that highlights the importance of fully embracing one’s true self. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9781250348159
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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
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
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