A thoughtful examination of self-doubt and self-worth in a fantasy framework.
In Metro’s YA fantasy novel, a young woman journeys to a parallel world in search of her lost family.
Eighteen-year-old Lilly White still dreams of her parents and brother and of the verdant, magical land in which she lived when she was a small child. For 11 of the past 13 years, Lilly has lived in an orphanage in England, and for the last two she’s worked in a London library, searching for answers and a way back to her childhood home—or at least proof that she hasn’t been imagining it. One night, a gargoyle named Hairito introduces herself to Lilly. Gargoyles are usually ferocious creatures, but gentle Hairito presents Lilly with an invitation to return to Faivendei, an enchanted forest in the Spirit World. Lilly’s passage leads her to meet William C.J. Raven, an intense young man whose raven wings can detach and transform into a bird. Lilly feels at peace in Faivendei, but few people there welcome her arrival, as Lilly seems to be without magical talent; in fact, she’s the last of the vandors, or “soul-healers,” who can help those who have been consumed by darkness. With her power, Lilly could pull humankind back from the brink of self-destruction, but her presence might galvanize the evil forces of Noxohit and bring about Faivendei’s downfall. Metro writes from Lilly’s perspective, mixing languorous prose with unobtrusive dialogue and inner monologue. The story follows a well-trod path; William’s smoldering antipathy clearly marks him as Lilly’s future love interest, for example. What sets the book apart, though, is its embrace of gray areas. Hairito, for instance, is a traditional cutesy witch’s familiar, but her presence also brings out unthinking prejudice in otherwise heroic characters. Noxohit is a force of evil but one that’s enabled by the darker impulses of humanity, which, in turn, complicates Lilly’s goals. Lilly’s abandonment issues are also rarely far from the fore. This all lends a murky quality to the storytelling that feels almost like hesitancy; however, many readers will find this more rewarding than pure escapism.
A thoughtful examination of self-doubt and self-worth in a fantasy framework.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9781739262617
Page Count: 393
Publisher: 1137 Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 14, 2023
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
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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