An uneven coming-of-age tale with an engaging heroine.
In this YA fantasy novel, the first in a planned series, an impulsive, spoiled young princess begins maturing into a wise, responsible ruler.
It’s Princess Melania Abigail Alice Grace’s 13th birthday, which should be a happy occasion, but Maagy (as she’s called) pouts and throws tantrums so much that she’s sent to her room. With Maagy’s mother long dead, King Henry—who loves his daughter and appreciates her good qualities—realizes he must do something to help her grow up and earn her throne someday. He sends her to Whitmore Castle for the summer, where she enjoys exploring the enormous edifice, with its many amenities and mysterious locked doors. At first she’s dismayed by having to perform chores—milking cows, mucking out stables, mending clothes—but soon she’s cheerfully rising early, feeling proud of her new skills. In town for the League of Kingdoms summit, the handsome Prince Rudolpho of Estadore, called Rudy, 17, makes Maagy feel giddy. Luckily, he’s kind, sweet, and likes her flares of temper: “You’re all spit and vinegar. I like people who speak up for themselves.” At the summit, Maagy learns much about geopolitics, diplomacy, negotiation, and queenly duties, and also discovers some interesting features of Whitmore Castle, like an appearing/disappearing toy shop. Finally, she attends school incognito, where she develops leadership. Perhaps the strongest fantasy element in this debut novel by Stringer (Can You Hear Them Crying?, 1994) is how quickly the spoiled princess takes to executing chores, appreciating others, and being ordinary. At times, this seems more like wish fulfillment for parents than for adolescents. Still, Maagy’s curiosity and willingness to learn from mistakes make her an appealing heroine, and the castle remains intriguing. But the plot is imperfectly paced; the novel continues well after the seemingly climactic summit, then ends rather abruptly. Stringer makes some odd choices: why give fantasy names to countries (for example, Franciné, Adriaca) but real ones for languages (Hebrew, Latin, Greek)? The author’s ellipses-heavy style is irritating (“people touching her…showing her affection…or running toward her and laughing…or speaking”), as are the many intrusive asterisks for unfamiliar words (a glossary is included).
An uneven coming-of-age tale with an engaging heroine.Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4808-1119-5
Page Count: 342
Publisher: ArchwayPublishing
Review Posted Online: July 22, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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