by Scott Tracey ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 8, 2014
A solid sequel.
The children of a defeated terrorist witch coven called Moonset uncover more of their parents’ legacy in this sequel to Moonset (2013).
A far cry from the previous volume’s responsible, leader-type narrator, Justin, Malcolm hates magic and is uncomfortable with the bond shared by the Moonset children. His distaste for magic and the bond—things generally considered desirable—is palpable in his narration, especially his hyperawareness of sibling dynamics as they strategize and gang up against him and his anti-magic stance. He’s tired of having his destiny entwined with those he considers unstable, and he views the bond as a vulnerability. But despite his avoidance of the magical world, an Abyssal Prince who escaped from hell during the climax of Moonset seeks him out. The nameless Prince—lonely, beautiful and sad—captivates Malcolm despite his understanding of its infernal nature. The Prince requests that Malcolm help find the body of its Abyssal sister, Kore, previously killed by Moonset. The Prince also pushes Malcolm to explore more—and darker—implications of the coven bond, which inadvertently strengthens Malcolm. Should he play to the Prince’s agenda? Although the prose—plagued by awkward phrasing—could be smoother, the story is nicely built, and Malcolm is a sympathetic narrator. Moreover, despite Malcolm’s tendency toward introspection, the plot doesn’t flag.
A solid sequel. (Urban fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 8, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7387-3649-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Flux
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
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by Scott Reintgen ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 28, 2023
Truly fantastic.
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This dark fantasy duology opener has a magic school, a death, and five students who find themselves stranded in the wilderness.
Ren Monroe is a promising student wizard at Balmerick, a private school in the city of Kathor. Along with her best friend, Timmons, Ren is one of the few welfare students attending on a scholarship, and despite being one of the most accomplished people at the school, finding a placement in one of the top houses is proving difficult and is a hurdle in the way of the secret mission Ren has set out to accomplish. When a portal spell goes awry and Ren, Timmons, and four other students from different walks of life are thrown together into the Dires, an uncharted land where the last dragons lived, one of them ends up dead and the rest need to learn to work together to make their way back home before they succumb to the harsh environment or the terrifying revenant following them. This may well be the chance Ren was looking for to prove her worth. Placing elements of a locked-room mystery and an original magic system within the familiar trappings of a school for magic, this is a no-holds-barred tale of revenge, atonement, and the pursuit of justice set in a world diverse in skin color and social classes. Ren is a protagonist for the ages: equal parts smart, calculating, and ruthless, forming a lethal package as an avenging angel.
Truly fantastic. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66591-868-8
Page Count: 368
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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by Stephanie Garber ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 31, 2017
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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