A riotous read.
Tamaki’s (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking up With Me, 2019, etc.) version of Harley operates with a moral compass while still being bubbly and outgoing.
Harley has been sent to live with her grandmother in Gotham City. She discovers her grandmother has died, but apartment manager Mama, a white, gay man who also manages the local drag queen bar, lets her stay. Harley finds her place among a colorful “mutiny of queens” and makes a new best friend, Ivy Du-Barry. Ivy, who is biracial (Chinese and black), carries the bulk of the load when it comes to educating Harley, who is white, about intersectionality, representation in media, and the gentrification of their neighborhood. Harley’s happiness doesn’t last—Mama receives news of an impending eviction and crosses paths with the Joker. Through flashbacks, shaded in orange, readers get a deeper understanding of what motivates her to fight for what she loves. Pugh (Supergirl, Vol. 3: Girl of No Tomorrow, 2018, etc.) uses a mostly gray and black color palette with background bursts of scarlet. When characters are truly in their element, their signature colors are used: a red and black scheme for Harley, shades of green for Ivy, and the Joker’s signature purple. The fast-paced plot enhanced by Harley's trademark style of speech examines the impact of gentrification, and Harley’s character development follows a redemptive arc that will have readers rooting for her and her colorful family.
A riotous read. (Graphic novel. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-4012-8329-2
Page Count: 128
Publisher: DC Ink
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
An often engaging adventure-series installment but not the best entry point for new readers.
In Dunker’s third YA fantasy novel in a series, two old friends team up to create a network of spies.
Nineteen-year-old Zren Janin has settled in Manumina, a Conrosan settlement, but he won’t experience peace now that Vikland is at war with Kerek. Now, the few inhabitants of Manumina are worried about raiders, soldiers stealing their food or livestock to feed the army, and spies that might share their secrets. To try and help them fly under the nearby warring parties’ radar, Zren sends a message to Ngahuru asking for advice on how to change their appearance to blend in better and on how he might keep his friends safe. She comes to Manumina herself, along with the young people she’s taken under her wing—her “Wrens.” Ngahuru has a plan: Each of Zren’s people will teach her Wrens a different skill, and then they’ll be sent out into the world to gather intelligence that will lead to the downfall of the King. Zren and Ngahuru work together on their “Academy of Treason” with an aim to exact revenge—and maybe bring about some well-deserved peace at last. This third installment of the Tales of Zren Janin series isn’t ideal as a stand-alone; it’s recommended that the books be read in order. Still, the author does a fair job of catching new readers up on what’s happened in Zren’s life, even supplying a helpful cast of characters. But with so many unfamiliar terms, including job titles and weapon names, readers may easily get confused; at one point, for example, Ngahuru, one of the main characters, introduces herself as “Tiju Tia of Kerek City,” and she then switches between the two names throughout a good portion of the story. That said, even brand-new readers will fall for Zren, who often doubts himself and his abilities but tries his hardest to be whatever his friends need him to be. Although this fantasy tale is written for young adults, it’s sure to appeal to adult readers as well.
An often engaging adventure-series installment but not the best entry point for new readers.Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 9798985053647
Page Count: 470
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Feb. 14, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Fast-paced action and a rich setting boost the beginning of a promising paranormal saga.
In this thriller, a teenager in Hong Kong must find and protect a supernatural artifact from warring factions after his sister’s death.
Rachel Reynolds is dead, and her teenage brother, Jack, has all but been denied by his rich, domineering father, Addison, a chance to mourn her. Jack returns to the Beacon Hill boarding school in Hong Kong under a vengeful pall after his bodyguard informs him that his sister was murdered. Jack and his loyal schoolmates have sworn to discover exactly what happened to Rachel. But through their investigation, Jack uncovers much about his sister he did not know relating to the Cherub, a religious group that worships the god Elyon (“Even when I was tired of listening, she never stopped talking about Elyon. She encouraged me to discover for myself what she had found”). With her gone, Jack must take her place and travel to another realm to track down powerful artifacts that could destroy the world. Jack is opposed by his father and the Merikh, criminals with ties to China who control illicit activities in the Golden Triangle. The Cherub’s leaders’ past failures leave Jack struggling with trust issues and the question of whether his faith in Elyon is strong enough to help him protect Eden’s Star and his Beacon Hill friends. Williams’ series opener moves briskly, with short, quick chapters and lots of action. A showdown with a fire-throwing villain and a double-decker bus particularly stands out but is far from the only excitement in the tale. Beacon Hill and the surrounding streets of Kowloon come alive in the novel. While some world traveling is a key facet of the genre, every chapter away from the school is disappointing because of how well established Beacon Hill and Jack’s classmates are. Hong Kong’s history and present-day protests deliver a nice touchstone in a story that deals mainly in fantasy. Visions of a destructive future and the haven Beacon Hill will provide haunt the protagonist: clever foreshadowing for his next adventures. But in looking toward the sequel, the volume neglects to offer enough closure to allow the tale to stand on its own.
Fast-paced action and a rich setting boost the beginning of a promising paranormal saga.Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781496462657
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Wander
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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