Richly atmospheric but unevenly executed.
Three friends are devastated when they receive letters of rejection from Sibylline College of Magical Arts, the Ivy League equivalent “for the magically inclined”; little do they know that danger lurks behind its hallowed stone walls.
Desperate to understand their own powerful forms of magic, Raven Chen, Atticus Garcia, and Dorian Winthrop leave New York City for Vermont, taking staff jobs at the college in hopes of slipping into lectures and accessing lesson plans. Ensconced in strategic positions around campus, they quickly discover that the school isn’t the idyllic institution of learning they’d imagined it to be. Its history is filled with dark secrets, and when someone turns up murdered, the administration seems to know more than they’re letting on. To expose the truth, the trio must push their magical abilities (and their tangled feelings for one another) further than ever before, even if it means shattering the glittering facade of the country’s most elite magical college. This duology opener, with its shadowy library, cobblestone streets, and bookshop cafe where the characters eat cinnamon rolls, captures cozy dark academia at its best. However, too much time is spent rehashing the trio’s romantic feelings for each other, diluting the central mystery. An unexpectedly explicit sex scene toward the end feels jarringly out of place relative to the rest of the book, making the intended audience unclear. Names and physical descriptions cue ethnic diversity among the cast members. Dorian presents white.
Richly atmospheric but unevenly executed. (Fantasy. 17-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9798217002610
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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