Eighteen heroes, individual yet not alone, beautifully find self-respect and force their school to change.
In a magical school packed with chosen ones, a teacher is murdered.
Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary educates future Sorcerers and prides itself on its diverse student body and outreach initiatives. Or so it claims—though, for the nonlegacy students from previously underrepresented backgrounds, the reality is grim. Professor Dropwort, for example, is a transphobic, racist, sexist, ableist bigot, and nobody particularly minds when he’s brutally murdered. Alas, it’s predictable which demographics the school administrators treat as suspects. In skillfully interwoven chapters, each written by a different author representing a breadth of powerhouse voices, 18 young adults try to protect themselves. From the moment Marieke Nijkamp’s Wren, a nonbinary, disabled necromancer who’s been bullied by Dropwort, finds the body, everything changes. Most of the students believe they are required to fulfill some kind of sacred quest, from Mason Deaver’s Maxwell, a trans boy who’s cursed with an actual prophecy, to Kat Cho’s Jia, a Korean overachiever, who needs to be the hero to feel worthy of her parents’ love. But the students aren’t at odds with one another, although they’re all preoccupied with their own fears. Every teen is the main character of their own corner of the story, each equally responsible for pushing Galileo to live up to its principles. The many individual voices are threaded together well, leading up to a conclusion that is cohesive and actively empowering.
Eighteen heroes, individual yet not alone, beautifully find self-respect and force their school to change. (Fantasy mystery. 12-18)Pub Date: June 6, 2023
ISBN: 9780593427453
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
A suspenseful story that starts off with great promise but fails to deliver.
A teenage girl struggles with the question of whom to trust in the age of social media exposure.
Thanks to Connie’s mom’s family vlog, her life is anything but private. She enjoyed it at first, but now, between the mean comments online and the cruel mockery from peers in real life, Connie feels like she’s in a prison. Her sister, Isla, says it’s worth it for the money, but Connie isn’t sure if that’s really true. Connie’s anger over Mom’s refusal to heed warnings that revealing so much puts them in danger continues to build. When she’s left alone for two weeks while Mom and Isla go on a college road trip, local girls start dying, and a fan reaches out on social media in an unsettling way, leaving Connie worried about her safety. White-presenting Connie’s sense of humor is charming, and her insights will earn readers’ sympathy as the tension builds. As emotions rise, Preston’s poetic language beautifully captures Connie’s feelings about her mom’s obsession with social media and her confusion about who is worthy of her trust. The topics of safety and the uncharted waters of social media are skillfully woven into the plot. However, some inconsistencies weaken the overall story: Apart from Connie, the characters are too lightly developed, and some plot points don’t align with earlier events and motivations, making the ultimate revelation a disappointment.
A suspenseful story that starts off with great promise but fails to deliver. (Thriller. 12-18)Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9798217028009
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
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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