Crisp writing and irresistibly complex characters make this twisty futuristic novel a must-read.
In Stewart’s YA SF novel, a teenage hacker falsely accused of murder races to prove her innocence—even if it means dismantling reality as she knows it.
Seventeen-year-old Valé Consequence is known as “the Bountess” on the dark web, where she helps make ends meet by accepting various hacker jobs while trying to prove that the world itself is simply a computer simulation. But after she accepts a high-paying job from a user named “DeathDealer” that results in the murder of pop star Odie Sykes—and Valé herself is blamed—she realizes she has made a grave mistake. Alongside her best friend, Charlie, Valé goes on the run to establish her innocence by finding evidence to prove once and for all that reality itself is fake: “If we’re just code, then our code exists somewhere…I find the simulation. Access it. I reboot Odie. I bring him back to existence, and all this goes away.” But DeathDealer (whose real identity is soon uncovered) has his own agenda and will stop at nothing to prevent Valé from discovering the hidden truth about the world and herself. As secrets are revealed and the dead seemingly return to life, anything seems possible—if only Valé believes. Stewart has crafted a riveting SF thriller that embraces the best qualities of YA fiction: The characters learn to be true to themselves while navigating (and, more importantly, questioning) the world around them. Realistic dialogue helps endear the spunky Valé to readers as she finds herself facing outlandish situations (such as an encounter with a toy that may or may not be a sex doll and can only communicate via song lyrics) and moral crises with very real consequences. The novel delicately tackles such wide-ranging themes as drug use, single parenthood, and the very real human costs that come with technological advances. The result is a dazzling, adrenaline-pumping thriller with plenty of heart.
Crisp writing and irresistibly complex characters make this twisty futuristic novel a must-read.Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2026
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: today
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
