An ambitious return to a future of promise, danger, and self-discovery that fans of the first volume will enjoy.
With a stronger grasp of their immense power, awakened Nubian teens navigate the inequities of the future as well as threats from the past in this sequel centering Black characters co-authored by actor Epps and author and editor Haynes.
Empath, telepath, and budding telekinetic Uzochi, 16, is revered for his role as a Nubian catalyst, someone expected to amplify and guide the re-emerging abilities of his people in late-21st-century New York City. But even without powers, he sees how much his friends and family rely on him and how much fear his community feels as targets of the wealthy and prejudiced denizens of the Up High. In fact, as Lencho, his powerful, energy-absorbing cousin, makes a home in the ritzy, floating Manhattan neighborhood as a reward for betraying the Nubians living below, it becomes clear that class conflict plus family dysfunction make for an explosive combination in the buildup to another big battle. After a rescue mission to the Up High goes awry for Uzochi and friends, a shocking discovery coincides with Lencho’s being overtaken by an ancient evil that benefits as much from his ambitions and insecurities as from his tremendous powers. The narration alternates between multiple perspectives, reinforcing how this generation of Nubian youth remains burdened by the mistakes of their ancestors and ultimately must forge their own paths forward, for better or worse.
An ambitious return to a future of promise, danger, and self-discovery that fans of the first volume will enjoy. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780593428689
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
Truly fantastic.
This dark fantasy duology opener has a magic school, a death, and five students who find themselves stranded in the wilderness.
Ren Monroe is a promising student wizard at Balmerick, a private school in the city of Kathor. Along with her best friend, Timmons, Ren is one of the few welfare students attending on a scholarship, and despite being one of the most accomplished people at the school, finding a placement in one of the top houses is proving difficult and is a hurdle in the way of the secret mission Ren has set out to accomplish. When a portal spell goes awry and Ren, Timmons, and four other students from different walks of life are thrown together into the Dires, an uncharted land where the last dragons lived, one of them ends up dead and the rest need to learn to work together to make their way back home before they succumb to the harsh environment or the terrifying revenant following them. This may well be the chance Ren was looking for to prove her worth. Placing elements of a locked-room mystery and an original magic system within the familiar trappings of a school for magic, this is a no-holds-barred tale of revenge, atonement, and the pursuit of justice set in a world diverse in skin color and social classes. Ren is a protagonist for the ages: equal parts smart, calculating, and ruthless, forming a lethal package as an avenging angel.
Truly fantastic. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66591-868-8
Page Count: 368
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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