A psychological portrait of a family torn apart by grief and mental illness that is, at times, overly dramatic.
Seventeen-year-old Konrad “Rad” Schoe’s mentally ill father is dead, and he doesn’t know how to feel about it.
When Rad’s twin brother, Key, claims he might be responsible for the fact that their father’s body is lying dead at the bottom of a ravine, Rad doesn’t know whether to believe him. Key has always been calm and loving while Rad is haunted by intense emotions that often manifest in fits of rage, much like their father’s. As Rad tries to understand what happened—and to protect his brother from the police—he tells the story of how their family fell apart, including his father’s first mental breakdown and his mother’s sudden death. Throughout, Rad struggles to keep his hold on reality—and to fight his fear that he may suffer from the same mental illness that runs in his family. Rad’s erratic voice, which includes truncated sentences and quick changes in perspective, is darkly poetic but often reads much older than his age. Furthermore, the unresolved plot points make the novel feel more like literary fiction than young adult. The island metaphor that runs throughout sometimes feels forced, as do the romantic relationships. Rad and his family are white and working class, Key is queer, and two secondary characters are implied biracial (Korean/white).
A psychological portrait of a family torn apart by grief and mental illness that is, at times, overly dramatic. (Fiction. 16-adult)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77306-192-4
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
Eerie and compelling. Fast track it to the top of the TBR pile.
Not all demons are bad. Are they?
Set during an oppressively hot, humid summer in the deep American South, the narrative opens one month after the local reverend delivers 16-year-old Clare from evil. The thing no one understands is that She wasn’t evil. She was Clare’s best friend, her Only, and they were going to be together forever. Without Her, Clare feels unbearably alone, like there is a “long dark hallway” inside her. The discovery of a cryptic note in Her handwriting sets Clare on the path to getting Her back. The note contains three mysterious items: “Be nice to him / June 20 / Remember the stories.” As Clare develops feelings for the sheltered teenage son of the preacher who exorcised Her, she discovers something sinister simmering just under the surface of her small town. Something ancient, powerful, and vile, leading to the reclusive One Wish Man. Will he help Clare—and at what price? How far is she willing to go to get Her back? Evocative language will grab readers by the throat and forge an unforgiving connection to Clare’s despair and desperation. The gorgeous black-and-white artwork centered on mysterious symbols has a palpable mysticism about it. No mention of diversity implies a white default.
Eerie and compelling. Fast track it to the top of the TBR pile. (Horror. 13-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3127-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
Intense.
A sheltered New England teen exploited for her gift decides she wants to live a normal life—and in the process discovers the consequences.
Eighteen-year-old Portuguese-American Marlena is known as Marlena the Saint because of her unique ability to heal people through her touch. Her controlling mother determines what behaviors and clothing will maintain her holy reputation, but Marlena’s desire to know the world grows stronger than her fear of disappointing her mother, especially once she finds out that she is charging money for the healings. With help from a few allies, including her gay friend Helen, Marlena sets out to experience the forbidden: partying, wearing a bikini, having a cellphone. She falls in love and, through physical intimacy, learns comfort with the body she was taught to associate with shame. But her joy comes to a halt when she discovers that someone she loves is sick. Marlena tries to do penance so that the angry, punishing God she was taught to believe in will restore her gift. Marlena’s straightforward present-tense narration is disorienting at first but becomes hypnotic after a few chapters. Some readers will enjoy exploring large questions about God, faith, and the meaning of life alongside the confused, questioning protagonist. Some may bristle at the mixture of the profane and the sacred. Whether empathizing with her or annoyed with her overdone rebellion, readers will be left reflecting.
Intense. (Fiction. 16-18)Pub Date: Oct. 9, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-266211-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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