A fun page-turner that skillfully explores social inequality.
In a post-apocalyptic world, a teen girl grapples with classism, trust, and the power of stories.
Arca is a spaceship built by a select group of billionaires as the Earth was dying. It’s heading to Eden, the nearest habitable planet, with passengers divided into Citizens, those who hold all the power; Settlers, people under 18 who serve them in exchange for a promise of paradise; and Helpers, the Citizens’ security forces. Shortly before her graduation from the Settlers, 17-year-old Effie discovers an object in the farm soil on Eden that leads her to question the Citizens’ honesty—something that will reshape what Settlers and Helpers think they know about the Citizens and their world. Together with her friends, she must race against the clock as her birthday nears and her future is uncertain to try to uncover the truth and hold the corrupt Citizens accountable. Readers may wish for deeper character development, but this exciting, fast-paced, post-apocalyptic graphic novel tells an engaging story about perseverance and tenacity, friendship and loyalty, truth and lies. The illustrations are reminiscent of vintage comics with their muted color palette and fluid linework. People’s faces are angular and expressive. Characters’ names and physical appearances show an ethnically diverse cast; Effie has tan skin and straight black hair.
A fun page-turner that skillfully explores social inequality. (guide to the Arca, main cast of characters) (Graphic dystopian. 16-adult)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781684059980
Page Count: 176
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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