Chokshi channels National Treasure vibes in her intriguing follow-up to The Gilded Wolves (2019).
Haunted by the death of his brother, Séverin determinedly searches for the artifact he is certain will absolve him of both his sins and his humanity—The Divine Lyrics, a book which is rumored to contain the secret to rebuilding the Tower of Babel, thus promising godhood and erasing pain, suffering, and guilt. Séverin hardens his heart and conceals his true intentions, both to guard himself and to ensure he accomplishes his mission for the friends whom he longs to protect. Séverin’s cruel front most hurts Laila, his mistress-for-show, and she, in turn, hides her deepest secret from him. Séverin, Laila, and the rest of their team—Zofia, Enrique, and Hypnos, patriarch of House Nyx—travel to a wintry Russia, where they are later joined by some unexpected cohorts, to explore the Sleeping Palace for The Divine Lyrics. This is a more cohesive and well-executed fantastical endeavor than its predecessor, allowing complex characterization to flourish—although the art of Forging, except for Laila’s ability to read objects with her hands, still seems vague. Themes, including visibility, grief, and sacrifice, permeate the story, driving it to breathtaking highs and heartbreaking lows. As before, the characters are richly diverse in ethnicity and sexual orientation; Zofia exhibits signs of being on the autism spectrum.
Lavish and thrilling—a reward for readers who have awaited its release. (Historical fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-14457-7
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
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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. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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Rachel, a 16-year-old trauma survivor, is initiated into her private school’s secret society for horror fans.
A year after surviving a violent attack, high school junior Rachel Chavez becomes the new girl at Manchester Prep on Manhattan’s affluent Upper East Side. The middle-class daughter of a faculty member, Rachel feels invisible except for her one new friend, harmless school gossip Saundra Clairmont. After a school party ends in a ghost story, a séance, and screaming, Rachel—who immersed herself in horror movies as a coping device—notices a prankster amid the chaos. Soon, she is initiated into the Mary Shelley Club, a tightknit group that requires secrecy and rule-following from its members. She joins Freddie Martinez, a film geek on scholarship; hot-tempered, Stephen King–adoring Felicity Chu; charming Thayer Turner, whose political family is compared to the Obamas; and brooding golden boy Bram Wilding. Mostly the teens just watch all sorts of horror films—classics, slasher, zombie, psychological—but membership also involves more sinister activities. Moldavsky’s tightly plotted tale weaves in dark humor, an impressive amount of horror trivia, and insightful references to Frankenstein. Readers will quickly become invested in Rachel’s story even when she’s making difficult-to-witness mistakes. The characters are notably diverse; issues of ethnicity and social class are naturally woven into the story.
An atmospheric page-turner about loving scary movies, longing to belong, and uncovering the many masks people wear. (Horror. 14-18)Pub Date: April 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-23010-2
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
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