Ambitious but a miss.
In this 1920s-era retelling of Much Ado About Nothing, young Benedick Scott has decided once and for all to leave Stony Creek Academy, defying his father, to pursue his dream to be a writer.
While making one last climb out of his dorm room window, he is discovered and then joined by his aristocratic, British classmate, Claude, who decides to latch on to Benedick’s adventure. Then there’s Beatrice, who’s kicked out of a home for wayward girls and picked up by her cousin, Hero, who drives her to her uncle Leo’s estate on Long Island. Beatrice quickly learns that Uncle Leo’s mansion doubles as the Hey Nonny Nonny speak-easy by night, run by Hero and her merry band of teens. Also living at Hey Nonny Nonny is Maggie, the black singer whose voice draws the upper-crust crowd the speak-easy needs to stay in business. (The other principals are white.) Naturally, romance blossoms between Beatrice and Benedick, with the help of a few friends. This 400-plus–page retelling will likely disappoint readers who haven’t encountered the original. As a stand-alone plot, it loses steam over its length, and placing teenage characters in the very adult positions of running a speak-easy and acquiring illegal booze stretches credulity. The characters feel out of place and never fully come to life in this 1920s time period.
Ambitious but a miss. (Historical fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-256092-6
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.
The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.
On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
PERSPECTIVES
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage.
Adrian, the youngest of the Montague siblings, sails into tumultuous waters in search of answers about himself, the sudden death of his mother, and her mysterious, cracked spyglass.
On the summer solstice less than a year ago, Caroline Montague fell off a cliff in Aberdeen into the sea. When the Scottish hostel where she was staying sends a box of her left-behind belongings to London, Adrian—an anxious, White nobleman on the cusp of joining Parliament—discovers one of his mother’s most treasured possessions, an antique spyglass. She acquired it when she was the sole survivor of a shipwreck many years earlier. His mother always carried that spyglass with her, but on the day of her death, she had left it behind in her room. Although he never knew its full significance, Adrian is haunted by new questions and is certain the spyglass will lead him to the truth. Once again, Lee crafts an absorbing adventure with dangerous stakes, dynamic character growth, sharp social and political commentary, and a storm of emotion. Inseparable from his external search for answers about his mother, Adrian seeks a solution for himself, an end to his struggle with mental illness—a journey handled with hopeful, gentle honesty that validates the experiences of both good and bad days. Characters from the first two books play significant secondary roles, and the resolution ties up their loose ends. Humorous antics provide a well-measured balance with the heavier themes.
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage. (Historical fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-291601-3
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
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