Strictly for fans.
Graudin returns to her what-if-Hitler-won alternate 1956, concluding the story begun in Wolf by Wolf (2015).
After Yael’s failed assassination of Hitler (actually a skinshifter wearing his guise), the resistance seems doomed. Fortunately, opponent Luka follows when she flees; less fortunately, Felix, twin brother of the woman Yael has been impersonating, saw Yael’s tattoos (which do not change when she shifts appearance, although everything else, including mass, does) and conveys that clue to the SS-Standartenführer. All three are imprisoned, Felix as a double agent, then escape and fall in with the Soviets. The road trip back to Germania to again attack Hitler makes up the heart of the story, culminating in a showdown and war compressed into a few pages. As in the first book, Graudin’s unconventional syntactical choices (“the wolf-fierce…of her iron voice”; "blitzkrieg" as a verb) and frequently overworked metaphors (“Gossamer feelings…as sticky, fragile, complex, and beautiful as a spider’s web silvered in morning dew”) combine with a tendency to tell rather than show emotions, resulting in a strangely flat affect. Most problematic is the treatment of religion: Yael’s rediscovery of her Judaism is symbolized by eating challah, and the pivotal romance between a Jewish camp survivor and a Nazi poster boy will disturb some readers, no matter how conflicted and ignorant Luka may have been.
Strictly for fans. (Historical fiction/fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-40515-7
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Choppy writing and stereotyped characters combine for a fluffy mess.
A transformation comedy from a debut author who seems to be aiming to become the next Louise Rennison.
Harriet Manners has all the markings of a geek. Loves learning and discovering facts? Check. Can't contain her enthusiasm for what she finds interesting? Check. Mocked by her schoolmates? Check. At least she has best friend Nat to help her face Alexa, the ringleader of the bullies, and escape Toby, Harriet's annoying stalker. In a sequence that sacrifices logic for humor, Harriet and Nat attend a fashion expo, where Nat hopes to be scouted as a model—but it is Harriet that is spotted. Tired of being branded a geek and feeling like she's lost her friendship with Nat, Harriet lets herself be drawn into the world of high-fashion modeling. Gorgeous male model Nick is the only bright side, because becoming a model can’t change who Harriet is underneath. In a clichéd conclusion, Harriet will learn that the only viable choice is to be true to yourself and to be honest with the people who love you just for who you are. The wacky humor and subtle girl-empowerment message of the Brit-chick-lit genre are on full display here, yet it just feels overdone and unoriginal.
Choppy writing and stereotyped characters combine for a fluffy mess. (Chick lit. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-233357-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For princess fans and lovers of fairy tales.
How did Cinderella’s stepmother come to be so wicked?
She may have been self-focused, but at least she wasn’t always so cruel. Lady Tremaine, mother of two spoiled daughters, is a lonely widow hoping for a bit of happiness. Unfortunately, when Sir Richard appears at her friend’s house party, she’s swept off her feet and fails to heed the frantic warnings of her dedicated, elderly lady’s maid. Had she ever bothered to read the book of fairy tales her late husband purchased years before, she might have recognized the perils of assuming the role of stepmother. Entranced by Sir Richard, she agrees to a hasty marriage and a move to the Many Kingdoms, where he reverts to his true, domineering nature and she and her daughters become virtual prisoners in his home. Although the Odd Sisters—clever, manipulative witches—try to intervene on her behalf, it seems her fate is already written; she becomes as cruel and demented as the story described. However, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and her sister, Nanny, have plans to rescue Lady Tremaine’s daughters as they develop much-needed, rehabilitative insights into the family’s dynamics. Mostly told from the Lady’s shallow, self-centered perspective, this is an entertaining retelling of the Disney “Cinderella” story from a different viewpoint, with references to the rest of the series woven throughout. Characters follow a White default.
For princess fans and lovers of fairy tales. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-368-02528-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
