Intriguing, with bountiful Norse mythological and folklore connections, but marred by problematic elements.
A girl and her canine companion begin to unravel the intertwined mysteries of her visions and a series of local murders in this title translated from the original Danish.
Anna Sakarias’ reputation precedes her as she starts high school, but her new acquaintances don’t seem to be fazed by the stories. Mathias Hedskov and Luna Sekibo are persistent in their attempts to befriend her; when Luna’s mom and dad are revealed to have known Anna’s long-lost parents, Anna’s resistance falters. Aside from recurring visions foretelling a series of grisly murders, Anna has little knowledge of her own history, but she possesses other inexplicable supernatural powers and has a surreal canine companion named Monster. The missing pieces of her identity begin to fall into place now that “something evil” has arrived in Ravensted to fulfill an ancient prophecy. The extreme violence of the murders and the intrigue of the central mystery blend with fascinating symbolism, history, and mythology in a lengthy work that drags at times. Additionally, some dialogue feels unnatural, one villain’s moniker is a colonialist slur, a sexual situation involving a recurring peripheral character raises unresolved questions of consent, and the large cast feels a bit muddled at times. Most characters are white; biracial Luna’s father is described as generically West African.
Intriguing, with bountiful Norse mythological and folklore connections, but marred by problematic elements. (glossary; lists of characters, places, and concepts) (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2023
ISBN: 9781646900268
Page Count: 710
Publisher: Arctis Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
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