A tight, gripping tale with a few flaws and an authentic Supreme Court setting.
A female justice scheduled to review a landmark case is threatened with blackmail.
In Chicago, a civil jury awards $100 million in compensatory and punitive damages after a smoker dies of cancer. The damages are to be borne equally by the company, Icarus Tobacco, and its executives. It’s a seminal case in that liability has been conferred not only upon the organization, but also upon its principals, which could make employment in the industry a crime. In D.C., the U.S. Supreme Court convenes and agrees to “grant cert”—i.e., judicial review—of the case Icarus v. Burke, which, in the words of one justice, sets a “dangerous and pernicious precedent.” The nine justices are of various ages and persuasions, including a Hispanic chief justice and the court’s first African-American female justice, Aurora Sims. President Cray, assisted by his henchmen, does his unethical best to ensure a pro-tobacco resolution. The greatest pressure is on 39-year-old Aurora, whose personal history yields some compromising photos that make her an ideal target for blackmail. But Icarus’ benefactors may be flying too close to the sun. The story is crisp and well-written, and the legal analysis of the case, along with the motivations and proclivities of the justices, has a ring of truth. Aurora, whose quiet beauty and gentility mask the steel beneath her skin, isn’t going down without a fight. Pacing is even, as the author touches on each of the justices, as well as the actions of an opportunistic intern. There’s plenty of material to mine, including sexual harassment, an extramarital affair, emotional and mental instability and betrayal. On the downside, the character of scheming President Cray approaches caricature; the surname of a minor character changes from page to page; and at times, closing quotes are omitted in the dialogue. Still, the story is strong, particularly its theme that a woman’s indiscretion carries much more weight than her male counterpart’s.
A tight, gripping tale with a few flaws and an authentic Supreme Court setting.Pub Date: May 2, 2012
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 325
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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