Intriguing if flawed.
Printz Award honoree Cokal (The Kingdom of Little Wounds, 2013, etc.) switches from historical fiction to historical fantasy in this loose reinterpretation of Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.”
The Thirty-Seven Dark Islands, remote and Scandinavian, are prosperous and bustling. Ruled by the (uncannily) long-lived Baroness Thyrla, watched over by Our Lady of the Sea, an ostensibly Christian statue, this is a place where little changes until a mysterious girl comes ashore. Half-seavish Sanna has grown up a marreminde but longs to find her landish mother. She studied magic in order to form legs and search the land, directed by her flok’s ancient witch. Literary writing stuffed with interesting if ancillary historical detail moves through several perspectives. Sanna, despite her strong magic and the narrative’s centering of her quest for her mother, tends toward immense passivity; Thyrla, a wicked witch who has killed her own children to prolong her life, propels most of the plot, such as it is, and more time is spent in characters’ heads than with their actions or interactions. Questions of power, vanity, and faith are raised, if not always resolved, making this a book suitable for deep reading although unlikely to have wide appeal. Other options trawl similar territory more effectively, particularly Elana K. Arnold’s Damsel (2018) and Margo Lanagan’s The Brides of Rollrock Island (2012). All characters are white; the mermaid society is bisexual by default.
Intriguing if flawed. (historical note) (Historical fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0959-4
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
An absorbing trilogy closer featuring high stakes and emotions.
Trapped in a world where monsters have subjugated humans, Joan Chang-Hunt and her friends desperately search for a way to fix the timeline in this third series entry following 2023’s Never a Hero.
When Eleanor reshaped the timeline, Joan managed to protect herself and a few others from being erased from existence. Joan, Ruth, Nick, Aaron, and Jamie emerge into a twisted version of London where, under the reign of Queen Eleanor, humans must give 50 years of their lives to monsters either in service or by shortening their lifespan to power monsters’ time-travelling ability. While chasing rumors of a human resistance group, Joan uncovers a chilling secret: Eleanor’s timeline is rapidly decaying, and once it’s sufficiently weakened, Eleanor will be able to assume control and establish it as the one true timeline. The narrative leans into the series’ overarching theme of fate versus choice by putting the characters in a position to witness versions of themselves in an alternate reality. Joan, who was previously established as having a Chinese human father and English monster mother, is again torn in loyalty and affection as she finds herself drawn to Nick, the hero with whom she shares an unbreakable bond, as well as Aaron, who has chosen to aid and protect her despite his monster family’s influence. A smoldering romance, gripping action sequences, and strategic plot twists will keep pages turning until the end.
An absorbing trilogy closer featuring high stakes and emotions. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2025
ISBN: 9780063024748
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A meticulously crafted magical medical mystery with an emotionally substantive romance.
As in earlier entries, this trilogy closer blends genres as it presents a quest to resolve a strange plague alongside a heartfelt romance and an exploration of shifting allegiances.
With Theo Brood’s father dispatched, Theo and Ren Monroe begin the arduous task of turning the Brood estate into something more egalitarian. Meanwhile, medical student Mercy Whitaker has been sent by her mentor, Dr. Horn, to help victims of a plague that’s sweeping nearby farms. Quick thinking and dogged detective skills lead her right to the source—but not to a full explanation of what’s going on. Concurrently, questions arise after someone from Ren’s past goes missing. Nevelyn Tin’Vori’s careful research, part of her ongoing desire to undermine the Brood dynasty, leads her right to the answers everyone seeks, ones that are directly connected to Mercy’s gruesome discovery. Alliances new and old form and break, as a shadowy group called the Makers threatens to bring down not just the Broods but magic itself. The solidity of the central characters, who continue to grow emotionally through their many varied experiences, brings coherence to the series. Though Ren and Theo, who present white, have grown up over the course of the books, the steadily upbeat pacing and judicious worldbuilding remain ideal for teen readers, preventing any stagnation in this series that ends as interestingly as it started.
A meticulously crafted magical medical mystery with an emotionally substantive romance. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781665930499
Page Count: 544
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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