A pleasant, if lightweight, diversion.
A debut historical fantasy mines unexpected territory.
Fair-skinned, dark-haired English teen Theosebeia Hope is a scientist and a scholar. At the side of her single mother, who has leaped from patron to patron in late-18th-century France, Thea has learned languages (including Arabic) and alchemy in their single-minded pursuit of the Philosopher’s Stone, the legendary substance said to cure all ills. Talk of revolution recurs, especially from firebrand and love interest Will, but seems more like set dressing than fully realized historical milieu, an impression encouraged by anachronistic references and behavior. The plot careens from France to England, from madness to murder to imprisonment and more madness, as Thea seeks to finish the work her mother began (and work out their complex but almost never on-page relationship) before she too succumbs to the Alchemist’s Curse. The madness and the science are, of course, magical in nature, as the reader knows alchemy to be and as Thea gradually realizes. Despite the original premise and avoidance of many tropes (the romance, in particular, follows an interesting and unexpected course), Cohoe never quite pulls together her ideas or fully develops her intriguing characters, although she seems to be aiming for a discourse on magic, revolution, and science à la Frances Hardinge’s much more effective The Lie Tree (2016).
A pleasant, if lightweight, diversion. (Historical fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-22040-0
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
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
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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