Sure to resonate in today’s volatile climate.
Gotham City was once a progressive, egalitarian metropolis safeguarded by powerful superheroes.
Then came the Silencing, a violent coup targeting any possible resistance. Now, all Gotham cowers beneath the shadow of the autocratic Court of Owls—all except Dinah Lance, whose fury at the oppressive regime is matched only by her desire to sing, although music is forbidden to women. In a narratively predictable but vindictively welcome twist, Dinah, following in the footsteps of her deceased mother (the original Black Canary), discovers that she’s immune to the effects of the Silencing: Her music and voice can become deadly weapons. And to make matters yet more disconcerting, new boy–cum–Court darling Oliver Queen seems just a bit too interested in Dinah—and her burgeoning powers. After a series of increasingly rebellious acts, Dinah quickly becomes Public Enemy No. 1. When her best friend is captured in her stead, Dinah must assume the Canary mantle. The story proceeds at a cinematic clip while still allowing for quieter moments of character development or vivid scenic description. The intermingling of old and new DC heroes is artful; Dinah is a powerful protagonist, vibrating with a youthful rage and energy familiar to readers itching for revolution of any kind. Monir never shies away from her tale’s unfortunately pertinent sociopolitical implications, putting a refreshing spin on the feminist dystopia. Main characters are presumed White; supporting characters are diverse.
Sure to resonate in today’s volatile climate. (Superhero fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Dec. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-17831-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2020
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Crowd-pleasing fun laced with political fire: a winner.
Bestselling author Faizal returns to the universe of We Hunt the Flame (2019) with a stand-alone duology opener.
Orphaned Arthie, brown-skinned with mauve hair, has created a criminal empire out of sheer pluck despite being Ceylani in Ettenia, where laws favor white people. She pulled legendary pistol Calibore from a stone plinth (though the prophecy that doing so would make her the nation’s leader turned out to be a hoax). She’s also built Spindrift, a teahouse-cum-bloodhouse, where she gathers secrets from wealthy humans and vampires, amassing power and security. Now Arthie has her sights set on vengeance—and the Ram, Ettenia’s masked monarch. When she and Jin, her brother-by-choice (who’s cued East Asian), are drawn into a heist, they assemble a diverse crew of immigrants whose roles riff on genre archetypes. The lush prose pulses with feeling as revelations are dropped and the tension ratchets up, keeping the pages turning as the motley gang plans to infiltrate a vampire society, retrieve a stolen ledger, and double-cross one of the Ram’s guards (who might be planning to double-cross them). Their ultimate goal: taking down the colonizing Ettenians and the exploitative East Jeevant Company. It’s all very exciting right up to the action-packed finale, which promises more conspiracy and (hopefully) justice to come. This compelling read offers interesting commentary on our society while feeling entirely real within the context of its own worldbuilding.
Crowd-pleasing fun laced with political fire: a winner. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2024
ISBN: 9780374389406
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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