A satisfying finale about learning to trust one’s friends and oneself, even when it feels risky.
If Dr. Henry Jekyll can’t accept his whole self, he may lose the love of Dr. Robert Lanyon, and the Society for Arcane Sciences may close.
The Grand Exhibition is finally over, but running the society has become a mental-health nightmare for Jekyll. Although the society now has several patrons to fund their work, brown-skinned Lanyon fears the stress is killing Jekyll. He insists that they hash out their past relationship and consider what they both want now. Jekyll’s fear of being vulnerable enough to share his whole self with the man he still loves allows Hyde to resurface. Unable to control their transformations, they begin to look like one another, something Hyde uses to cause trouble. Soon Hyde’s old enemies and law-abiding Londoners alike are after him—and the scientists, too. Unless the white-presenting Jekyll and Hyde can work together as one, embrace their full nature, and share themselves with Lanyon and others, neither they nor the society will survive. This trilogy closer features delightful illustrations and emphasizes the importance of being our authentic selves within the embrace of true community. Cotugno addresses struggles with perfectionism and asking for help with care and humor. Readers must be familiar with the earlier volumes to appreciate this entry.
A satisfying finale about learning to trust one’s friends and oneself, even when it feels risky. (short story, creator notes and sketches) (Graphic horror. 15-18)Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780593524527
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
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. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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