Neatly wraps up the romance, too neatly wraps up the plot.
In the sequel to Of Metal and Wishes (2014), Wen faces an impossible choice—betray her country or let her beloved be slaughtered?
One year has passed since Wen and Melik parted following the destruction of the Gochan One slaughterhouse. Wen and her father now practice medicine at a weapons factory, while Bo, the former Ghost, has built a new lair beneath it. When Bo confirms Wen’s suspicions that the government is sending war machines to crush the Noor rebellion, she is horrified. Melik has joined the rebels, and innocent civilians will suffer if there’s any attack. So Wen runs away to warn the Noor, but nothing goes as she hopes. That includes her eventual reunion with Melik, who seems deeply changed by his experiences as a soldier. Most of the action takes place far from the grim factories that provided the memorably Gothic backdrop of the first novel, but the brutality of industrialized warfare provides more than enough darkness for the story. Also, in removing Wen from that setting, Fine gives her more agency as a protagonist than she had in the previous book. However, given the deep-seated racial tensions between the Itanyai and the Noor, the ending feels overly tidy, and that unfortunately lessens the emotional impact of the climax.
Neatly wraps up the romance, too neatly wraps up the plot. (Steampunk. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8361-3
Page Count: 288
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
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
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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