A tale that skillfully blends aspects of Greek and Egyptian myths with modern family drama.
New mythologies emerge in Borja’s extravagant YA fantasy sequel, featuring fresh character lore and prophetic dreams.
One year following the disappearance of the Mirror Realm in the series opener, The Last Huntress (2022), 19-year-old Hadley Caldwell, one of four young huntresses chosen by the demigoddess Philautia to guard humanity from demons, receives a strange message from the remaining gods, who’ve been hijacking her dreams: She must find the Portal of Osiris, so that the gods may have new lives in the mortal world. Hadley and the other huntresses—Alice, Olivia, and Soxie—embark on a new journey to retrieve the Portal without using their previous connection to Philautia’s Realm. Also, Hadley receives an unwelcome message from her father: Her estranged brother, Caleb, has been sentenced to jail after years of running the family’s illegal chop shop. This unexpected mix of fantasy, family drama, and friendship comes together almost seamlessly. Borja offers vivid depictions of dusty Arizona and bustling Cairo, where the girls investigate the Egyptian god Osiris and his connection to Hades, the Underworld, and the Mirror Realm. The novel’s dream sequences are a significant highlight, providing character development and narrative cohesion; they include Hadley’s worst memories of her brother and grandfather, as well as delightful and haunting portrayals of well-known Greek deities, including Poseidon in a snorkel and flippers calling forth a sea monster and Hermes as a United Parcel Service delivery man. Additional storylines carry over from the previous novel, including the questionable origins of Alice’s soul and the trials of her relationship with David, a protector of huntresses; however, these aren’t as appealing as Hadley’s relationships with Caleb and her family, or the sisterly bond between the four huntresses.
A tale that skillfully blends aspects of Greek and Egyptian myths with modern family drama.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9781684632602
Page Count: 344
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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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