An unforgettable coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of mythical creatures and faraway lands.
In Strong’s YA fantasy novel, the first in a series, a teen with dreams of riding dragons defies a powerful ruling Council.
In the fantastical realm of Juro, 15-year-old Astria Sannfjaer wants nothing more than to be a Rider like her father, Jorie, who disappeared (along with his dragon) five years ago. But the people of her home valley of Invernell abide by the Council, and the Council insists that Astria can’t be a Rider until Jorie trains her. A Rider partners with a single dragon, and Astria has seemingly found one; Zephyr is smaller than other dragons, and he can’t fly, but he’s fixated on the teenager. At the Vederlofte, a ceremony in which youths go before the Council to declare their chosen craft, Astria chooses Rider, which the Council continues to disapprove. The real reason they deny her may be her uncanny ability to understand dragons, including their “honks”; the Council believes Astria’s the Speaker, recalling a Speaker/Rider who long ago turned dragons against humans and “used them to enslave the world.” Astria, who stays loyal to Zephyr, is effectively on her own—her mother, Skye, and Jorie’s friend Efrin can’t sway the Council, despite Skye being one of the 12 Council members. Outside of Invernell, Astria mingles with the Northmen, “foreign” neighbors whom her people are prone to dismiss. But the Army of the North would make a great ally against the Quarajii, a conquering barbarian horde that may be “the Darkness” that many fear is imminent.
Strong’s story shares some similarities with the How to Train Your Dragon book and movie series as it centers around the plucky Astria. She defies others’ expectations throughout the novel as the Council tries to mold her future (even suggesting she’ll win their favor if she gets engaged to a local boy). Her longing to be a Rider is about forging her own path, a desire for freedom that she doesn’t yet necessarily know she wants or needs. Astria is a strong person who consistently proves herself, from finding a way to help Zephyr fly to staving off hunger while out in the wild (Zephyr, like all dragons, hunts for himself and won’t share his catch). The supporting cast shines just as brightly: Various Council members stand out for their stubborn antagonism, while quite a few Invernell citizens (eventually) show that they’re on Astria’s side. The resilient young hero discovers a worthy romantic interest and interacts with several other dragons, namely the mostly reliable dragon Vandrare (who’s “wild” because he’s not partnered with a Rider). The author’s prose is both concise and colorful: “The nearby cornfields were bare, and the clans busied themselves with the wheat harvest. Along the valley rim, elm trees glowed yellow between live oaks, and scattered within the village, maple trees blazed red.” In this opening installment of Strong’s series, ample surprises and character developments unfold, leaving any number of directions for the next entry to take.
An unforgettable coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of mythical creatures and faraway lands.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9780986359934
Page Count: 359
Publisher: Impulse Fiction
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty.
In this retelling of a classic, a drama student’s obsession with beauty leads her down a dark—and possibly deadly—path.
Eighteen-year-old Penny Paxton is beginning her first year at Dorian Drama Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she hopes to follow in her starlet mother’s footsteps—and earn the love that her mother has never seemed to offer. At Dorian, Penny is mentored by Royal Shakespeare Company legend Orlagh Camran, who makes her the compelling offer of a portrait by the Masked Painter, a mysterious artist with the ability to gift his subjects everlasting youth and beauty. But shortly after Penny’s portrait is complete, several of the Masked Painter’s subjects are found murdered. Fearing that she’s made a terrible mistake and may become the next victim, Penny, who’s gay, begins to investigate the murders with the help of an unlikely ally. As she attempts to uncover the truth surrounding the Masked Painter and the murders, she’s forced to reckon with her own toxic obsession with beauty. This chilling, atmospheric novel, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, is entertaining and full of twists, though some of the reveals feel contrived and some questions are left unanswered. The plot unravels at a leisurely pace but eventually builds to an action-packed (if somewhat convoluted) conclusion. Most characters are cued white.
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty. (content note, author’s note, bonus scene) (Fantasy thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9781250346797
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
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