A rollicking beginning to what will no doubt be an entertaining YA saga.
A fantasy adventure debut aimed at young readers about a 15-year-old boy who discovers that he’s much more than just his school’s loner “freak.”
Cael Collins’ life isn’t like that of most teenagers. Instead of having free time to hang with friends, Cael has to take care of his three younger brothers, mainly because his foster mother, Ida, isn’t responsible enough to care for children, let alone herself. But other aspects differentiate him from kids his age: For some inexplicable reason, he can see in the dark, run incredibly fast, and has almost supernatural healing abilities. When monstrous black dogs destroy his home, Cael is saved when a mysterious woman pulls him through a magical rift into another dimension. Cael soon realizes that he is the only person who can protect the Veil, a magical barrier that has enabled the Fae to conceal themselves from humans for thousands of years. If the deteriorating Veil falls, countless lives on both sides will be lost. With an emotionally fragile boy named Brendon as his guide on a seemingly impossible quest, the two set out to save both Fae and human realms. The novel’s fantasy world is wholly believable; creatures from many mythologies are featured—barghests, gnomes, dryads, kelpies, sprites, selkies, etc. And the author keeps his foot on the narrative gas, as the action and adventure are relentless throughout. A line from the novel describes this story fittingly: “It’s not the destination that matters in life; it’s the journey.” But while young reader themes are explored with compassion and insight—including finding one’s place in the world, how to handle bullying, and the power of family—Brendon and his melodramatic outbursts get old quickly. That minor criticism notwithstanding, young readers should enjoy the first installment of this action-packed series, particularly the ending’s bombshell plot revelations.
A rollicking beginning to what will no doubt be an entertaining YA saga.Pub Date: March 14, 2022
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Manuscript
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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
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