An ambitious, socially conscious fantasy that needs more showing and less telling.
When the school bully is murdered, Violet Choudhury is tasked with finding her killer.
As one of the few kids of color in her small Illinois town, Violet works hard to blend in. She’s an expert at flying under the radar, joining the right clubs, maintaining the right grades, and staying on powerful mean girl Naomi Talbert’s good side. But despite pretending to be ordinary, Violet has a secret life: She’s a descendant of the Aiedeo, Assamese warrior queens. For years, the ghosts of her ancestors trained her in their ancient, supernatural techniques by putting her through a series of deadly tests of strength and will. In seventh grade, after almost dying, Violet refused to continue with her lessons. But when Naomi is murdered the Aiedeo tell Violet that it’s up to her to find the culprit, a ravenous demon. Violet wants to refuse, but if she doesn’t find Naomi’s killer, the Aiedeo will kill her so her powers can’t be taken over and used against them. Das (Storm Sisters: The Frozen Seas, 2017, etc.) deftly weaves an intricate and believable set of parallel worlds, expertly using Violet’s relationship with the Aiedeo and her own powers to explore tough issues of racism, misogyny, and sexual assault. Unfortunately, the prose is often heavy-handed and preachy, and the characters lack much development until the final quarter of the book.
An ambitious, socially conscious fantasy that needs more showing and less telling. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 24, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-358-12889-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Versify/HMH
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
Summery fun and games with feeling.
A summer trip helps break 18-year-old Meredith Fox out of a haze of mourning.
Her cousin’s wedding means a return to Martha’s Vineyard, a well-loved destination but one filled with bittersweet memories. It’s been a year and a half since the sudden loss of Meredith’s sister, Claire, and the grief remains strong. Meredith, though, resolves to take this time to celebrate family and bridge the rifts resulting from ghosting friends. She didn’t plan on a meet-cute/embarrassing encounter with the groom’s stepbrother, Wit. Nor did she expect a wedding-week game of Assassin, a water-gun–fueled family tradition. What starts off as a pact of sharing strategic information with Wit grows into something more as the flirting and feelings develop. Only one person can win, though, and any alliance has an expiration date. To win and honor Claire, who was a master of the game, Meredith must keep her eye on the prize. Taking place over the course of a week, the narrative is tight with well-paced reveals that disrupt predictability and keep the plot moving. Early details are picked back up, and many elements come satisfyingly full circle. The short time frame also heightens the tension of this summer romance: What will happen when they leave the bubble of the Vineyard? The mix of budding romance, competitive hijinks, a close-knit circle, as well as dealing with loss make for a satisfying read. The main cast is White.
Summery fun and games with feeling. (family tree) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-72821-029-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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