A solid series entry that takes its characters in exciting new directions.
A team of feisty, superpowered teenagers fights to prevent a global war in this YA SF sequel to Extant (2019).
Newland follows up her solid debut with an even more engaging second installment, which starts with Natalie Morrigan, Tawney Davis, Owen Johnson, and Brant Smith on the run from the cultlike, totalitarian Nautilus organization. They’re currently holed up in a new safe house, a lighthouse called Ancora III, with their dogs, Enzo and Angie. They have no idea what happened to their friend Leo Merrick, and they’ve also lost their beloved mentor, Natalie’s uncle Christopher Reyes. Natalie struggles with her inability to control a unique, newfound time-traveling power known as “tacking,” and she also keeps a secret from her friends—that they’re all adopted—believing they need to hear the truth directly from their parents. However, Nautilus, bent on world domination, is still holding their parents hostage. When her friends insist on attending a large festival in Florida to blow off some steam, Natalie reluctantly agrees. When the event turns out to be a Nautilus recruiting fair, the four hatch a plan to infiltrate its headquarters by posing as new trainees. Meanwhile, Leo finds himself on the other side of the ocean, severely wounded and in the care of three strange sisters who have their own good reasons to hate and fear Nautilus. The narrative alternates between Natalie’s and Leo’s points of view, and the author deftly fills in the relevant background details while jumping right into the current action. Unexpected new angles on familiar characters and intriguing new players, with their own surprising secrets and quirks, add depth to the story. Plenty of action pulls the reader along, moving from the lighthouse to St. Augustine, Florida; Paris; Scotland; Iceland; and the Chesapeake Bay, and from Métro to bicycle to private jet. The plot avoids the open-ended middle-of-a-trilogy trap, providing a satisfyingly complete story arc while also building on the debut and setting up an intriguing premise for a third novel.
A solid series entry that takes its characters in exciting new directions.Pub Date: April 4, 2021
ISBN: 9781733345842
Page Count: 390
Publisher: Hiking Hedgehog Press, LLC
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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