A supervillain origin story that’s an engaging, refreshing page-turner once it gets going.
The infamous Harley Quinn gets a feminist spin.
By day, Harleen Quinzel is trapped: in an abusive household, in poverty, in a patriarchal system that makes the lives of women, especially in STEM, painfully difficult. Only her work in a neurobiology lab and the dream of a college education she can’t pay for sustain her. By night, Harley goes after sexist men, seeking justice with the help of the Reckoning, a found family of girls, who give voices to those who need them. But the gang’s heists heighten in intensity, and the bonds between them strain beneath the weight of secrets as they uncover threads of a grotesque conspiracy the perpetrators would kill to keep hidden. Will justice prevail? Or will everything the young women have worked so hard to build crumble to dust? The story starts off somewhat unsteadily; the unremitting misogyny—accurate though it might be to the experiences of many women—comes across as fatalistic. In addition, characters initially present more as types than fully fleshed-out individuals, making it difficult to feel for them. The strength and warmth of the girls’ relationships (platonic and otherwise) are high points, however, once their personalities are revealed in more depth. As the plot becomes increasingly intricate, the story picks itself up, racing headlong toward twists and turns that will leave readers breathless with anticipation for whatever comes next.
A supervillain origin story that’s an engaging, refreshing page-turner once it gets going. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 26, 2022
ISBN: 9780593429860
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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.
