An edgy YA fantasy featuring a strong heroine who must use her wits and inner strength to survive.
In Smith’s debut fantasy novella, the first in a planned trilogy, a teenager is held captive by her father after her mother’s death.
One fateful day, Anna’s grandfather visits her at school to tell her the news that her mother, Rose, has drowned. Anna was very close to her loving mother, and she once had good times with her father, Fred, as well, but now she distrusts him; after he lost his job, he took to drink and became brutish. Three months after her mother’s death, Anna returns to school, where students have been known to bully her; however, she’s always found some comfort in her beloved red jacket, which smells of lavender—her mother’s favorite fragrance. When an explosion suddenly rocks her classroom, the sun becomes dark and haloed, and an image of a red-eyed Dictator, bent on establishing a new world order, appears in the sky. The Dictator is Anna’s own father, and for months afterward, he holds her against her will, sedating her, feeding her stale bread and moldy cheese, and interrogating her. He wants her to reveal “that location,” but she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Perhaps the locale isn’t geographical but a place hidden deep in Anna’s memories; an introductory passage states that Anna “holds a key that could lead to the world’s destruction”—the ability to manifest dreams into reality. This is a well-written, thought-provoking tale about a “chosen one.” It’s ambiguous enough to suggest numerous literal or figurative interpretations, as it addresses harnessing the power of dreams, emotional and/or mental breakdowns, parental abuse as a form of dictatorship, classroom bullying, and war and revolution. The brief text also includes a captivating riddle involving a music box, which Anna must somehow solve. The story ends with unanswered, intriguing questions that will stimulate readers’ curiosity. Overall, this is an absorbing tale told with brevity and economy that ends at a pivotal moment before the next installment.
An edgy YA fantasy featuring a strong heroine who must use her wits and inner strength to survive.Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2014
ISBN: 978-1502416629
Page Count: 66
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy.
A war between gods plays havoc with mortals and their everyday lives.
In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world.
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-85743-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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