A slow-burning adventure with social themes.
A 15-year-old girl and her small village experience sudden change when a mysterious door appears.
The village of Oddgoat was always a bit strange, but it was a simple place with a tightknit community. That is until the residents discover that a door to Dungeon—a place of magic and never-ending change—has opened in one of their coldhouses, creating friction in the community regarding their options. Before they can decide anything, two Delvers explode from the underground realm, narrowly escaping one of Dungeon’s terrifying magical beasts. The Delvers share stories of magical escapades and the riches available to those who succeed. Soon the village sees an increase in visitors, all interested in access to Dungeon. While this initially seems like a boon for the villagers, they quickly realize how these newcomers have changed the land they’ve known for generations. Merit, a determined, impulsive teen girl, risks everything for a chance at the wealth the Delvers possess, a move that could end up costing her more than she planned. The colors are primarily darker earth tones, giving more weight to the heavy linework that fits the overall mood of the characters watching their home being overrun. Readers who enjoy moderate worldbuilding and who can push through the initial disorientation may find this an intriguing story exploring themes of gentrification. Most Oddgoat residents are Black; Delvers are of varying human ethnicities as well as fantasy species.
A slow-burning adventure with social themes. (map) (Graphic fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-50672-452-2
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Dark Horse
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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
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
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