A lengthy but compelling tale that’s packed with essential fantasy elements.
Hightower offers a YA fantasy trilogy starter that features powerful magic, intricate lore, an evil empire, and an extraordinary quest.
Thirteen-year-old Minna Hunter lives in the modest town of Fennig with her parents and beloved younger sister, Alyn. Although Minna is exceedingly kind, her relationship with the civilians of Fennig is tense; when she was 8, she gained “spirit sight” and was branded as a witch, and she’s been ostracized and feared by those without magic. Minna communicates with magical “land spirits,” which manifest as flitting orbs of light that only she can perceive. This has been declared a crime punishable by death by the corrupt Empire at the heart of this fantasy land. When Alyn gains the same power, she’s kidnapped by the Inquisitors of the Empire. For the first time in her life, Minna takes decisive action and leaves the safety of Fennig to save her sister. She’s eventually accompanied by powerful allies and humble friends on her quest, during which she encounters death, romance, and powerful magic. However, although her story is the driving force of this tale, it is not the only one that will keep readers turning pages; a flood of characters, helpfully summarized in a list, lead captivating adventures of their own—including farmer Agmar Ericson, resistance member Aron Hunter, religious order leader Deirdre Breasal, and Inquisitor Harold Wolfe, among others who are introduced early on. The players cross paths in a sweeping story that culminates in an exhilarating finale. The cast members, though plentiful, are well rounded and often intriguing, and the relationships and dialogue between them are natural and believable. There’s a great deal of worldbuilding in this opening installment, including maps and helpfully defined terms in fictional languages: “Her father told her they were the lan’and, the land spirits, though, like everyone else, he couldn’t see them.” Hightower moves the story through this thoughtful environment swiftly and concisely, making it easy to grasp, and also provides scenes of action and adventure. Readers will likely be excited to see where the stories take them.
A lengthy but compelling tale that’s packed with essential fantasy elements.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2022
ISBN: 9781685130275
Page Count: 663
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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