Electrifying, swiftly moving, and full of life.
A Frankenstein-inspired graphic novel that explores how expectations get in the way of creation.
Grief-stricken and remorseful, scientist Frances “Frankie” Ai attempts to resurrect her younger sister, Maura, several months after she died in an experiment gone awry. After taking apart Maura’s body, stitching her up, and jolting her with a lightning-powered contraption in their home laboratory, Frances awakens a monster. She is surprised to discover that the monster, M, has no memory of her sister’s life before the accident. Though M and Gin Ivanov, Frances’ nonbinary spouse, have their reservations, Frances is determined to keep trying to bring back the sister she remembers. Settling into Maura’s old bedroom, the monster is startled by Maura’s ghost—whom only she is able to see—emerging from a mirror and announcing that M is wearing her body. The ghost agrees to help the monster behave more like Maura in order to stop Frances from taking her apart again. In exchange, Maura’s ghost can continue her research, talk to Frances, and live vicariously through M. Dutton pairs her rich storytelling and expressive characters with bold illustrations that evoke the mid-20th century and are executed in a palette of teal, black, and white. Sewn up with a powerful ending, this debut is a deftly paced, satisfying read. The Ai sisters read as Chinese; Gin appears White.
Electrifying, swiftly moving, and full of life. (Graphic science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-6220-8
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Surely Books/Abrams ComicArts
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring.
When Death-Cast doesn’t call, fate intertwines the lives of two boys, both haunted by their pasts and with futures they can’t escape.
In this third installment of the series that opened with 2017’s They Both Die at the End, Paz Dario waits every night for Death-Cast to call—as it should have for his father nearly 10 years ago, when Paz shot him to save his mother’s life. But the call never comes. Death-Cast killed Paz’s dreams of an acting career: No one will hire him now because the world sees him as a villain. When Paz tries (not for the first time) to put an end to his suffering, an unexpected encounter with Alano Rosa, the heir of Death-Cast, stops him. Both in a place of desperation, Alano and Paz sign a contract to live for Begin Days instead of waiting for their End Days. As suspenseful and emotionally wrenching as the previous titles in the series, this new installment explores heavy themes of abuse, mental health, self-harm, and suicide. Paz grapples with a recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Silvera surrounds Alano and Paz with a web of complex relationships. Although the protagonists fall fast for one another and form a deep connection over Alano’s desire to support Paz, Silvera emphasizes the importance of professional help. Both Alano and Paz have Puerto Rican heritage. The cliffhanger ending promises more to come.
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring. (content warning, resources) (Speculative fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780063240858
Page Count: 720
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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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