A full-bodied YA escapade about an adventurer searching for a cause that adult readers will enjoy as much as teens.
In this YA fantasy series starter, loosely based on Norse mythology, an orphan receives answers to her questions about who she is—but doesn’t like everything she discovers.
Warner tells the story of stable girl Sigrid,who lives in the kingdom of Vanaheim. Sigrid’s constant companion is her speedy horse, Hestur, but she dreams of becoming one of the junior valkyries, who look down on her as she attends to their steeds—which, unlike hers, have wings. Sigrid gets a chance to showcase her abilities when Night Elves and a group of enemy valkyries attack Vanaheim and steal a magical relic called the Eye of Hnitbjorg. Sigrid battles with valkyrie Mariam, which leads to the accidental death of Mariam’s horse, Aesa. During their struggle, Sigrid grabs the Eye and momentarily views her own fate, seeing herself in the hellish underworld of Helheim, leading the valkyries and riding Odin’s eight-legged steed, Sleipnir. To fulfill her destiny, Sigrid frees the captive Mariam and persuades her to lead her to Helheim, whose queen possesses Sleipnir. Along the way, they add an ally: a Night Elf runt named Fisk. Sigrid gets answers about her heritage on her quest and must decide how best to use her newfound information and power to protect her people. Warner, who admits in her author’s note that she found a scarcity of information about some aspects of Viking society, deserves credit for creating an inclusive world, including a budding romantic relationship between Sigrid and Mariam. Sigrid is an admirable protagonist, remaining grounded even as she attempts to improve her station in life; her compatriots Mariam and Fisk also seek better lives and to escape difficult situations. Warner also makes the most of the Norse landscape, colorfully describing each of the various sections that the trio visits. The book feels lengthy at more than 400 pages, but, to be fair, it takes time to travel through nine different realms, and it all results in a colorful adventure.
A full-bodied YA escapade about an adventurer searching for a cause that adult readers will enjoy as much as teens.Pub Date: July 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-1649371485
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
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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