An interesting premise, likable characters, and high adventure carry this novel, but it is difficult to see it becoming a...
Crown Prince Alfie has unwittingly unleashed an evil god that must be recaptured before it destroys the kingdom of Castallan.
Unable to come to terms with the death of his older brother, Prince Alfie has traveled the world, searching and failing to find magic that will bring Dez back. Back home, uncertain of his fitness to be the new crown prince and still trying to find the elusive magic, he meets Finn, a thief with a rough background, a sassy tongue, and the ability to change her facial features to resemble others’. When his cousin is poisoned, Alfie—an inexperienced bruxo—improbably releases a god that has been bound for centuries by the combined magic of the finest bruxos. Will the cousin be saved? Will the kingdom? Unless he is recaptured, the god of darkness, Sombra, will cast darkness over the world and bring about Nocturna. Debut author Motayne has created two likable and well-fleshed-out characters in Alfie and Finn but has failed to do the same for the world upon which the novel rests. Tequila, sangria, flan, and the peso are but crumbs standing in for worldbuilding. Other characters in the novel are as sketchily described as their world.
An interesting premise, likable characters, and high adventure carry this novel, but it is difficult to see it becoming a trilogy without a backbone to hold it up. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-284273-2
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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