by Nikki Richard ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 24, 2019
Readers will be drawn into this fascinating world but may get snagged on the rough edges.
As the son of a cleric, 15-year-old Samuel, who was born out of wedlock, is destined for life in the clergy; the appearance of a demon child in his village violently upends his world.
Samuel and his father are outcasts in a world of convoluted laws and corrupt politicians. When the mayor asks Samuel to supervise a demon named Zei, Samuel is eager to break free from his proscribed path despite the mayor’s nefarious intentions. Zei has the appearance of a delicate little girl but has reptilian eyes and superhuman strength. For unexplained reasons, she is mute, illiterate, and missing part of an arm. In an unnecessarily lurid reveal, Samuel also discovers that she lacks genitalia. An undercurrent throughout the novel is Samuel’s attempt to disentangle his desire to care for Zei from the sexual attraction and friendship he feels for his peers. By the end of the book Samuel seems to understand his emotions, but readers may not feel equally enlightened. In her debut, Richard has created an original dystopia populated with enigmatic characters. However, the plot is ponderous and feels more like a prologue than the first in a series. Those native to the whitelands are, aptly, white; Samuel’s deceased mother’s bronze skin marked her as coming from the redlands.
Readers will be drawn into this fascinating world but may get snagged on the rough edges. (Dystopian. 15-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-948671-41-5
Page Count: 358
Publisher: Month9Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
by Lynette Noni ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 13, 2021
Readable but not remarkable, yet another grimdark political fantasy.
Prison life gets even more punishing in this fantasy series opener.
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is 10 years into a life sentence at “death prison” Zalindov. She’s succeeded her late father as the titular prison healer, dosing patients with herbs and possessing extensive, modern medical knowledge of bacteria, viruses, and immune systems. Aside from cheerful innocent/MacGuffin Tipp, Kiva befriends few fellow prisoners and even fewer guards, most of whom are harshly abusive. While Naari, a new female guard, and Jaren, a handsome new prisoner, chip away at her frozen facade, Kiva volunteers to undertake an epic Trial by Ordeal on behalf of the Rebel Queen, the newest political prisoner. Under pressure to save her friends, the Rebel Queen, and herself—and losing hope of rescue or release—Kiva faces four elemental magic Trials sans innate talent. In between grueling, gruesome spectacles, Kiva also acts as an epidemiologist, tracking down an illness plaguing the prisoners. The claustrophobic setting—evoking the horrors of a Siberian gulag or Nazi concentration camp—exudes dread and brutality; levity and lightness are minimal. A predictable romance ensues, and generic fantasy clichés abound—royals and rebels, lost heirs, vague magic—hastily concluded with a trite plot twist and setup for a sequel. Most main characters read as White; there is a diversity of skin tones in this fantasy world.
Readable but not remarkable, yet another grimdark political fantasy. (map) (Fantasy. 15-adult)Pub Date: April 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-358-43455-9
Page Count: 416
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
Share your opinion of this book
More by Lynette Noni
BOOK REVIEW
by Lynette Noni
by Samuel Miller ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2020
Only marginally intriguing.
In a remote part of Utah, in a “temple of excellence,” the best of the best are recruited to nurture their talents.
Redemption Preparatory is a cross between the Vatican and a top-secret research facility: The school is rooted in Christian ideology (but very few students are Christian), Mass is compulsory, cameras capture everything, and “maintenance” workers carry Tasers. When talented poet Emma disappears, three students, distrusting of the school administration, launch their own investigation. Brilliant chemist Neesha believes Emma has run away to avoid taking the heat for the duo’s illegal drug enterprise. Her boyfriend, an athlete called Aiden, naturally wants to find her. Evan, a chess prodigy who relies on patterns and has difficulty processing social signals, believes he knows Emma better than anyone. While the school is an insidious character on its own and the big reveal is slightly psychologically disturbing, Evan’s positioning as a tragic hero with an uncertain fate—which is connected to his stalking of Emma (even before her disappearance)—is far more unsettling. The ’90s setting provides the backdrop for tongue-in-cheek technological references but doesn’t do anything for the plot. Student testimonials and voice-to-text transcripts punctuate the three-way third-person narration that alternates among Neesha, Evan, and Aiden. Emma, Aiden, and Evan are assumed to be white; Neesha is Indian. Students are from all over the world, including Asia and the Middle East.
Only marginally intriguing. (Mystery. 15-18)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-266203-3
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Share your opinion of this book
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.