Entertaining and empowering.
Everyone knows the legendary Tatsuo Nakano, the only girl ever to be accepted by Keisi Academy and the warrior who single-handedly defeated a feudal lord and 100 of his samurai.
Fifteen-year-old Chihiro is determined to follow in Tatsuo’s footsteps and train at Keisi Academy. The opportunity for Chihiro to prove herself arrives when Daimyo Teshima orders her father, a retired samurai, to kill a monstrous yamauba that has been kidnapping children. After some convincing, Chihiro’s parents permit her to take her father’s place on the condition that she hires a rōnin for support. When Chihiro ventures into town, she gets into trouble with ruffians—only to be saved by Tatsuo herself. Chihiro’s awe and delight soon fade when it becomes clear that Tatsuo, who is 19, is a cynic with no interest in helping a sheltered teen fight a monster. Tatsuo is unmoved by Chihiro’s pleas, until she learns that her home village is the one under attack by the yamauba. This is a classic coming-of-age adventure featuring an idealistic rookie and a jaded mentor that examines themes of sexism, honor, and revenge through Chihiro’s quest and flashbacks to Tatsuo’s past. The boldly colored art is clean and unfussy, emphasizing the characters’ expressions. The anachronistic setting combines the appearance and social hierarchy of historical Japan with modern technology, a choice that has a surprising narrative payoff. The characters are depicted with varied skin and hair colors; Chihiro has dark brown skin and glossy black hair.
Entertaining and empowering. (Graphic adventure. 12-18)Pub Date: May 21, 2024
ISBN: 9780358464938
Page Count: 336
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
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
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
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