Torn between fairy tale, romance, and almost dystopic rebellion tale, this doesn’t entirely cohere despite the fantastic...
A girl, a shoe, a clock, a prince: familiar elements are here remixed into a very different “Cinderella.”
Pin awakens in the Godmother’s fortress with no memory, only a silver thimble to give her a clue to her past. Resourceful and determined, soon enough she escapes with Shoe, the fortress’ Shoemaker. Captured again, she awakens again as Pen, a stepdaughter in a town where the prince will hold a ball. Meanwhile, Shoe searches for her and finds that she’s caught in the gears of Story, whose agenda the Godmother seeks to complete. Prineas’ take on “Cinderella” is high-concept but imperfectly executed; the pacing and characterization in particular suffer, largely because the heroine (and plot) are literally rewritten a quarter of the way through (with Pin/Pen less immediately likable in her second, lengthier, iteration). Story as the villain, crafting endings regardless of individual desires, makes storybreaker Shoe the rightful hero here, but Pin/Pen and a love triangle with an inevitable ending take center stage instead, while underdeveloped but fascinating characters from other fractured tales join Shoe in the wings (a lesbian iteration of Rapunzel and a huntsman pining for Snow White among them).
Torn between fairy tale, romance, and almost dystopic rebellion tale, this doesn’t entirely cohere despite the fantastic imagination fueling it; still, flaws notwithstanding, this retelling is not without charm. (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-233794-8
Page Count: 464
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
A smart, timely outing.
Two teens connect through a mysterious podcast in this sophomore effort by British author Oseman (Solitaire, 2015).
Frances Janvier is a 17-year-old British-Ethiopian head girl who is so driven to get into Cambridge that she mostly forgoes friendships for schoolwork. Her only self-indulgence is listening to and creating fan art for the podcast Universe City, “a…show about a suit-wearing student detective looking for a way to escape a sci-fi, monster-infested university.” Aled Last is a quiet white boy who identifies as “partly asexual.” When Frances discovers that Aled is the secret creator of Universe City, the two embark on a passionate, platonic relationship based on their joint love of pop culture. Their bond is complicated by Aled’s controlling mother and by Frances’ previous crush on Aled’s twin sister, Carys, who ran away last year and disappeared. When Aled’s identity is accidently leaked to the Universe City fandom, he severs his relationship with Frances, leaving her questioning her Cambridge goals and determined to win back his affection, no matter what the cost. Frances’ narration is keenly intelligent; she takes mordant pleasure in using an Indian friend’s ID to get into a club despite the fact they look nothing alike: “Gotta love white people.” Though the social-media–suffused plot occasionally lags, the main characters’ realistic relationship accurately depicts current issues of gender, race, and class.
A smart, timely outing. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-233571-5
Page Count: 496
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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