Action-packed space battles and strong worldbuilding will draw readers in.
A teen thrust into a space war learns to pilot a robot warrior, but secrets threaten destruction.
“Trust the Empress. Move at her will. Act as her hands.” These words keep the Empire of New Joseon strong and unified. Hwa Young, who grew up on a rebel clanner moon in the Moonstorm, must commit this motto to memory and take it to heart. When she was 10, the empire’s lancers (humanoid warrior robots) destroyed her home, leaving her orphaned. The empire took her in, and now, at age 16, Hwa Young is determined to prove her merit by becoming a lancer pilot. She gets her chance two years early, when her boarding school is attacked, and she and her classmates are taken aboard a starship—but something feels wrong. The training is rushed, and the higher ranks seem to be hiding something. When secrets are later revealed, Hwa Young must choose between her rebel roots and conformity to save everyone. This strong series opener features detailed worldbuilding that describes the clanner and empire societies, as well as the intricacies of the starships and lancers. The central conflict offers an interesting commentary on how different societies uphold faith, unity, and power. Many characters present nonbinary, using the pronouns zie/zir. The empire is rooted in Korean culture, with Korean food, traditions, and language woven throughout.
Action-packed space battles and strong worldbuilding will draw readers in. (map, character guide) (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9780593488331
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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