Absolutely captivating.
With an unflinching voice, Cath navigates the lonely road of her freshman year at college, untethered from her gregarious twin sister’s orbit and unsure whether her wild popularity as an author of fan fiction makes her more—or less—of a “real” writer.
The novel’s brilliance comes from Rowell’s reimagining of a coming-of-age story’s stock characters (the reclusive writer, the tough-talking friend, the sweet potential boyfriend) as dynamic and temperamental individuals—which adroitly parallels Cath’s own fan-fiction writing process. Rowell challenges readers to love characters who are loyal, vulnerable and funny—but also realistically flawed. Cath’s gruff exterior protects her easily wounded and quite self-conscious heart, but her anger is sometimes unreasonable. Roommate Reagan is a fiercely loyal friend but an unfaithful girlfriend; Cath’s crush, Levi, has a receding hairline rather than the artificial movie-star perfection bestowed upon the brows of so many romantic heroes. The nuanced characters help the novel avoid didacticism as it explores the creative process and the concept of creative “ownership.” Though Cath’s Harry Potter–esque fan fiction (excerpts of which are deftly woven into the novel) has a devoted following of more than 35,000 readers, a professor deems the stories plagiarism and stealing because, “These characters, this whole world belongs to someone else.” Cath’s struggles to assess this conclusion’s validity give readers much to consider.
Absolutely captivating. (Fiction 14 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-250-03095-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: June 25, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2013
Remarkably compelling.
Haunted by the specter of violence, two Bribri American brothers contend with their hang-ups and each other as their senior year of high school concludes.
Two weeks have passed since the incident in the Minnesotan woods when Indigenous Costa Rican brothers Jay and Max brutally beat up Luca, the school’s star soccer player, in defense of their cousin Nicole. The brothers are now social pariahs among their peers, enduring counseling sessions to get their lives back on track. At home, daily life remains the same under their father’s brutal hand, leading them to take shifts to ensure that their mother isn’t left unprotected. A rift soon festers between the brothers, who are only 11 months apart in age. Book-smart Jay rebuilds his friendship with Nicole, keeps a cautious eye on Luca, and tries to hold himself together for his mom, all to the detriment of his homework. Meanwhile, Max remains dedicated to securing a spot at his dream art school and embarking on a secret relationship with classmate Melody, consciously trying to avoid Jay’s dragging him down or problems at home from stunting the rest of his life. In this striking, assured debut exhibiting a measured pace and delicate writing, Tison (Bribri) probes the ties of adolescent brotherhood and ways the effects of violence can stall self-directed growth. The author peels apart each brother’s bruised psyche by ingeniously rotating among Jay’s tense vignettes, Max’s wistful verses, and Bribri cultural elements to underscore their anguished journey to reconciliation.
Remarkably compelling. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-374-38949-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
A clear-eyed exploration about exposing hidden injustice that falls short in characterization.
Four high schoolers in small-town Colorado grapple with secrets and corruption.
Theo Robinson is a kindhearted student reporter, Kelsey Fink is a popular perfectionist, Payton Davis is a troubled loner, and Eden Randall was an artistic outcast. In their first-person points of view, which move forward and backward in time, they share their experiences connected to the fire that burned down their school and killed Eden. When the teens’ worlds collide, they create a plan to inform the world of the secret traumas they and their classmates have endured. After the fire, Theo, who’s trans and was one of Eden’s best friends, begins investigating alongside Payton. Payton and Eden were in love, and they’d wanted to leave their abusive home lives for a fresh start, a dream cut short by Eden’s death. Meanwhile, the students’ unity splinters as they hide information and disagree about what to disclose. Nijkamp’s latest is a topical assessment of the ways power and prestige can enable and cover up violence. Unfortunately, the narrators’ voices blend together, and the dialogue lacks personality, with characters speaking in cliches and indulging in exposition. Complexity and specificity are often sacrificed in favor of messaging. The twists and turns keep the story moving at a solid pace, but the mystery feels undercooked. Main characters read white, and there’s racial diversity in the supporting cast.
A clear-eyed exploration about exposing hidden injustice that falls short in characterization. (content note) (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: July 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781728291208
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
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