Engrossing and dramatic.
The residents of an intentional community in the 1990s struggle with new and changing relationships.
Part rock stage, part sanctuary, Evol House belongs to the band The Disappointments and teens who have nowhere else to go. Allison fled her abusive father with the help of her outsider boyfriend, Samir, and they now sleep in the attic. While Allison thrives on the residents’ chaotic behavior and her newfound freedom, Sam sees Evol House as a negative influence. Their opposing views are intriguing: Allison enjoys the adventure and experiences everything on offer, while Sam hides in video games, distrusting the shoplifting and other risky behavior. Sam and Allison’s relationship is realistically depicted, including the gradual shift in his love from protective to controlling. Tina, another resident, struggles to stay motivated when a chance at a new life and romance appears. Her view of Evol House as a found family sworn to defeat apathy and help those in need is impactful, contrasting with their bleaker reality. After numerous run-ins with local teen Ryan lead to Evol House residents cyberbullying him on a BBS, tensions culminate in a dramatic showdown. The minimal but emotive drawing style combined with realistic and humorous dialogue creates an immersive atmosphere. The discussions of morals, familial and relationship ties, and finding meaning in life, along with glimpses of the cast members’ backstories, are equally strong. Most characters appear White; Sam’s mother is cued as Iranian, and Tina is Native American (no tribal affiliation is given).
Engrossing and dramatic. (Graphic novel. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306497-3
Page Count: 304
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
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
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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