A genre-bending debut that highlights the intergenerational echoes of pivotal historical events.
An old diary may be the key to unlocking the secrets of an ominous greenhouse.
When they were both children, Maera’s older brother, Asad, vanished overnight in their grandfather’s greenhouse during a family trip to Karachi. Ten years later, the Pakistani American teen—now a rising senior in high school—discovers her recently deceased grandfather’s diary under her pillow along with the astonishing sudden appearance of his greenhouse in her backyard in Virginia. To Maera’s frustration, her mother does not find the latter remarkable, insisting it’s always been there, and neither does her aunt, who arrives with Maera’s cousin Jimmy to settle the will. Jimmy, who can read Urdu, tries to find answers in the diary, which contains family history they’d never been told. Meanwhile, Maera enlists her friend Sara and neighbor Rob, who was Asad’s best friend, to help investigate. When all four enter the greenhouse, they discover a lush jungle, find a clue to Asad’s whereabouts, and encounter a demon spirit. The novel alternates between past and present, with scenes from Maera’s grandfather’s youth during World War II and the Partition offering clues to the greenhouse’s true nature. While the teenagers’ dialogue feels too young and the present-day storyline moves slowly, the historical elements are emotionally rich and impactful. Though some questions are never fully answered, the grief that permeates the story ultimately resolves into peaceful acceptance.
A genre-bending debut that highlights the intergenerational echoes of pivotal historical events. (author's note, further reading) (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949528-78-7
Page Count: 278
Publisher: Yali Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
A disappointing delivery on a potentially gripping second volume.
Evangeline faces new dangers in her quest for happiness in this follow-up to 2021’s Once Upon a Broken Heart.
As Evangeline Fox seeks a cure for her poisoned husband, Prince Apollo, the enticing and infuriating Fate Jacks reappears, offering to save Apollo if she unlocks the Valory Arch. Remembering the long list of ills brought upon her by the Fate, Evangeline refuses. When the new heir arrives and Apollo wakes with a new curse and glowing red eyes, she is forced to delve into the mysteries of the Valors and find the arch’s four missing magical stones whose powers are luck, truth, mirth, and youth. The inclusion of expanded Valor lore alongside the preexisting blend of fairy-tale and paranormal creatures is intriguing and fits the overarching theme of storytelling as history. The ongoing use of emotions as a scale for displaying and determining one’s humanity, especially by Fates, is equally interesting. Unfortunately, the impact of Evangeline’s often amusing narration and numerous surprising plot twists is diluted by the meandering pacing, convoluted sensory descriptions, and close focus on Evangeline’s fluctuating attraction toward her potential love interests. Despite the positive emphasis on hope and happily-ever-afters, Evangeline’s romantic relationship with Jacks borders on manipulative and toxic. Evangeline reads White; side characters are fantasy diverse.
A disappointing delivery on a potentially gripping second volume. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-26842-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage.
Adrian, the youngest of the Montague siblings, sails into tumultuous waters in search of answers about himself, the sudden death of his mother, and her mysterious, cracked spyglass.
On the summer solstice less than a year ago, Caroline Montague fell off a cliff in Aberdeen into the sea. When the Scottish hostel where she was staying sends a box of her left-behind belongings to London, Adrian—an anxious, White nobleman on the cusp of joining Parliament—discovers one of his mother’s most treasured possessions, an antique spyglass. She acquired it when she was the sole survivor of a shipwreck many years earlier. His mother always carried that spyglass with her, but on the day of her death, she had left it behind in her room. Although he never knew its full significance, Adrian is haunted by new questions and is certain the spyglass will lead him to the truth. Once again, Lee crafts an absorbing adventure with dangerous stakes, dynamic character growth, sharp social and political commentary, and a storm of emotion. Inseparable from his external search for answers about his mother, Adrian seeks a solution for himself, an end to his struggle with mental illness—a journey handled with hopeful, gentle honesty that validates the experiences of both good and bad days. Characters from the first two books play significant secondary roles, and the resolution ties up their loose ends. Humorous antics provide a well-measured balance with the heavier themes.
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage. (Historical fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-291601-3
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
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