Both mystical and mundane, a typical tale via unusual transportation.
A motley crew takes a dangerous road trip.
Winter—a sentient and sometimes spiteful force first used by the Kerce refugees against the native half-rock, half-flesh Shiv and their god, Begynd, three centuries ago—rules Layce. White-haired, sylver-eyed 17-year-old Sylvi Quine considers Winter a friend, not a foe, talking to the sentient season and relying on the frozen roads to haul goods with her big ice rig, the Sylver Dragon. When her friend Lenore runs away, Sylvi pursues her with a mysterious cargo in tow and three unwanted guests riding along: the smuggler and magician Mars; noble Paradyian warrior-woman Hyla; and friendly Shiv mechanic Kyndel. En route to the rebel camp, Sylvi faces hostile Shiv, reanimated monsters, wrathful Winter, and the omnipresent but dangerous magical kol that taints the air and waters. Dittemore succeeds more at the cinematic science-fiction dystopian elements than the intermittent and somewhat trite fantasy subplot. At times, the Kerce’s oppression of the Shiv reads as an extended rumination on colonialism, though without a conclusive critique or remedy. With Sylvi at the wheel, more concerned with mechanics and money than revolution, this reads as Ice Road Truckers meets generic chosen one coming-of-age. Relentless action sequences propel the tale through plot-heavy patches, but an abrupt cliffhanger ending necessitates a sequel. Some characters read as White; the cast's various skin tones are less of a factor than their magical abilities or mythical origins.
Both mystical and mundane, a typical tale via unusual transportation. (map) (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4023-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning.
Two teens train to be society-sanctioned killers in an otherwise immortal world.
On post-mortal Earth, humans live long (if not particularly passionate) lives without fear of disease, aging, or accidents. Operating independently of the governing AI (called the Thunderhead since it evolved from the cloud), scythes rely on 10 commandments, quotas, and their own moral codes to glean the population. After challenging Hon. Scythe Faraday, 16-year-olds Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova reluctantly become his apprentices. Subjected to killcraft training, exposed to numerous executions, and discouraged from becoming allies or lovers, the two find themselves engaged in a fatal competition but equally determined to fight corruption and cruelty. The vivid and often violent action unfolds slowly, anchored in complex worldbuilding and propelled by political machinations and existential musings. Scythes’ journal entries accompany Rowan’s and Citra’s dual and dueling narratives, revealing both personal struggles and societal problems. The futuristic post–2042 MidMerican world is both dystopia and utopia, free of fear, unexpected death, and blatant racism—multiracial main characters discuss their diverse ethnic percentages rather than purity—but also lacking creativity, emotion, and purpose. Elegant and elegiac, brooding but imbued with gallows humor, Shusterman’s dark tale thrusts realistic, likable teens into a surreal situation and raises deep philosophic questions.
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning. (Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7242-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
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
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