When David observes a seagull inexplicably made into two gulls by a machine (labeled "Spee-Dee-Dupe") that he has found on the beach, it occurs to him that this may be a solution to his immediate problem: how to go simultaneously to his grandmother's birthday dinner and on his first date with Angela. Sure enough, the machine creates a duplicate David—who also claims to be the original. Sleator's premise is that the boys will do anything to keep their duality secret (they don't want to spend the rest of their lives as freaks), so they begin to negotiate elaborate plans to take turns at meals, school, and meetings with Angela. Enemies from the start (the duplicate seems to get the best of every bargain, including getting that first date), their enmity becomes more intense even as they cooperate in their increasingly difficult deception; suspense builds as David realizes that the duplicate is not identical to him but, rather, has a mad, vicious side that will dominate as he progresses to a speedy and inevitable end. There is a satisfying amount of action as David wages clandestine and finally overt war in an abandoned building, with Angela finally becoming an ally; and the question of whether David will be driven to kill before he is killed is mildly harrowing. Though Sleator's characters, especially Angela, lack dimension, his plot is developed with a terrifying logic that should keep the pages turning.
Pub Date: April 1, 1988
ISBN: 0141304316
Page Count: 164
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1988
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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