A riveting sequel that promises more to come.
This follow-up to Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves (2022) changes the focus to a different character—and a different planet.
Remy Castell is a genopath, genetically engineered by the powerful Nova organization to be the perfect spy and to follow orders, but a mission two years before put her on the path to meeting a girl who became a friend and helped her cut ties with Nova. When that mission went awry, her newfound friend, Alora, disappeared, and the only person who knows her whereabouts is Kiran, the fellow genopath and ex–squad mate who betrayed Remy. After tracking Kiran to the planet Maraas, Remy and her companions, Sena and the wolf Iska, find a world changed for the worse and a dangerous rebellion brewing. Then Kiran makes an offer: help with the revolution and he will tell her where Alora is. Remy finds it hard to believe that this self-serving, agenda-driven boy will not betray her again. Top-notch worldbuilding that delves into the complex dynamic between different factions, an interesting jungle setting, and fast-paced action sequences form the foundation upon which Remy’s strong character development occurs in this story about agency and self-determination, friendship and keeping promises. The previous book’s protagonists, Sena and Iska, play secondary but important roles. Main characters are assumed White; some secondary characters have brown skin.
A riveting sequel that promises more to come. (Science fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-78512-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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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