Perfectly balanced action, reflection, and intrigue; sure to offer wide appeal.
A warrior and a religious scholar seek justice in this fantasy debut set in an Italian-inspired world.
Gia believes she’s found an ally in Ennio, Magna’s head templar. After Gia arranges a meeting between him and Lena, her sister who is a principessa and head templar of Alta, she is stunned to discover she’s just a pawn in Ennio’s plan to take control of Trestatto. Deciding to fight back, Gia instead becomes one of many victims Ennio traps in stone. One thousand years later, people honor Primo Sanct Ennio. At the temple, Milo is fascinated by the statue of an anonymous sanct who sacrificed herself, giving her life to save Trestatto. When he accidentally releases Gia from her imprisonment, they both find themselves questioning their identities and how to right the wrongs of a millennia. Gia and Milo share the third-person narration, giving readers emotional glimpses into inner conflicts over guilt and faith while shining a light on injustice and contemplating truth and the accuracy of historical narratives. Gia self-describes as fat; she endures some negative judgment for her size. Milo identifies as autistic; his methods for moving through the world are described, and the effort it takes him to mask is acknowledged. Well-detailed action sequences, including revenge plots and battles, are sprinkled throughout. A variety of skin tones are present, and queer people are a natural part of this society.
Perfectly balanced action, reflection, and intrigue; sure to offer wide appeal. (content warning) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9781645678885
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
Short and sweet.
When Charlie returns home from in-patient anorexia treatment in a psychiatric ward, he and his older sister, Tori, navigate a difficult Christmas with their family in this Heartstopper novella.
Tori thought her parents might learn to open up after Charlie started treatment, but they—especially Mum—still avoid discussing anything serious. Now that Charlie is home from the hospital, all Tori wants is to spend time with him, but the pressure of the holiday increases family tensions and threatens to drive Charlie away. Set during unexplored moments of Volume 4 of the Heartstopper graphic-novel series, this three-chapter novella zooms in on Christmas Day. Each chapter moves the story forward from a different perspective, shifting from Tori to Charlie to their 7-year-old brother, Oliver. Nick, Charlie’s boyfriend, makes an appearance as a source of comfort, but the conflict focuses on Charlie and his family. As Tori tries to support Charlie, she wrestles with guilt and loneliness. Meanwhile, Charlie and his mum, who both want a normal holiday, keep clashing. Although the story handles heavy themes of mental illness, Oseman balances the fraught emotions with tender moments and a hopeful but honest outlook on recovery that emphasizes the value of therapy. There will be greater emotional impact for those familiar with the original stories, but as a bonus entry, this novella has high appeal for devoted fans. Occasional illustrations add to the charm.
Short and sweet. (resources) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781338885132
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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
© Copyright 2023 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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