A lively, entertaining time-travel tale that nicely blends history, myth, and adventure.
In this YA middle-grade fantasy adventure, two time-traveling twins must help defend Vikings against a fearsome dragon.
In this follow-up to The Order of Time (2020), 12-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward Upston and their mentor, Dr. Alfred Gregorian, must answer serious charges from the secret Order of Time, who are time-traveling guardians of history. By preventing Pharaoh Akhenaten’s assassination, the three defendants broke several important rules. A hearing in London goes well; the twins get the chance to be trained and join the Order someday if they pass the entrance exam. A treacherous element in the Order, however, makes the twins’ time-travel test go badly awry, and they find themselves stranded in medieval Denmark. The Vikings they meet, including Erik the Red, explain that they’re in desperate danger from the dragon Nidhogg and his undead army. The only way to defeat them, a shaman says, is to have the broken blade Lykill reforged by its dwarf makers and to reconnoiter the dragon’s lair to discover his weakness; Anastasia joins the first mission and Edward, the second. As the Vikings will face a fierce series of battles, will the travelers complete their tasks in time? In his second series installment, Southall appealingly offers several intriguing elements in addition to the time travel that drives the action. In particular, the secret society with its clandestine procedures, fancy secret locations, centuries-old members, and nifty relics is great fun, as is the school that Anastasia and Edward hope to attend, which offers such fascinating subjects as Preservation of Powerful Artifacts. The twins’ quests are packed with exciting scenes of journeying, discovering, and battling. It should be noted that there’s a fairly significant plot hole involving the twins’ ability to speak and read Norse, but it won’t detract from readers’ enjoyment of the story.
A lively, entertaining time-travel tale that nicely blends history, myth, and adventure.Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2022
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 311
Publisher: Seaview Press Holdings
Review Posted Online: Jan. 7, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
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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