A long trail that leads to proper deserts and a satisfying resolution.
Coming at last into her full shamanic powers, 19-year-old Anna Sakarias finds herself playing a pivotal role in events that will either kill the Norse gods or permit them to stage a comeback.
Sølvsten’s trilogy closer, which is translated from Danish, will appeal to readers who don’t mind an unhurried plot so long as they can be immersed in a richly imagined universe. This volume sends the fiery teen on quests for her twin sister, with whom she hopes to head off Ragnarök, and for the golden Gjallarhorn which, if blown, will force the gods to meet their fates. As it turns out, Odin, the wild and mercurial shape-shifter Loki, and others have plans of their own. Set in a modern Midgard (that’s been cut off from the rest of the world) and several adjacent realms along the great tree Yggdrasil, the tale features a mixed cast of ordinary mortals and ghosts of those killed in previous episodes, plus gods, demigods, giants, witches (including a Yoruba family), clairvoyant völvas like Anna, a dinosaur, and a scene-stealing talking head. Happily, considering this crowd, there are lists of people and places at the end. The level of explicit violence is low, and the book contains lighter moments. By the end, there are definite changes at the highest levels and richly deserved rewards for those who brought them about.
A long trail that leads to proper deserts and a satisfying resolution. (translator’s note, map, list of concepts) (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9781646900282
Page Count: 620
Publisher: Arctis Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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