An appealing fantasy mashup that’s ripe for further development in future volumes.
A college-aged werewolf and his compatriots travel back in time to Camelot, where they go up against Mordred, Morgan le Fay, and a vampire in this fourth installment of a YA fantasy series.
It’s 2018, and Lucy and James are on a beach at night while visiting the Hamptons estate of James’ aunt, known as Mrs. T. “I never thought so much about moonlight until you and I became a couple,” Lucy tells James, a nod to the fact that her boyfriend belongs to the Brotherhood of Wolves, a centuries-old society of werewolves. The Brotherhood has long been influenced by the tales of King Arthur and the Round Table; in fact, James’ late uncle, known as Mr. T, built a round table in the estate’s attic while attempting to create a time-travel portal to that era. He never succeeded, but now Mrs. T, who’s been experiencing ghostly visitations by her late husband, brings Lucy and James to the table, along with Michael, another relative with lycanthropic powers, and Mr. Walker, who’s gone on previous Brotherhood adventures. Thanks to Mr. T’s directions, the table-portal now works, and James, Lucy, Michael, and Mrs. T land back in Camelot just in time to stop Mordred’s attempt to kill the wizard Merlin. Later, while the crew is on a mission to find Lady Guinevere’s lost dog, they stumble onto a plot by Morgan le Fay, aided by the vampire Meleagant, to free the imprisoned Mordred. The tale ends with a major royal ceremony.
Although it’s fast-paced and entertaining, this latest installment in Murray and Fahrie’s YA series clocks in at only 74 pages, and it suffers a bit from its brevity. Anyone who’s first entering the world of the Brotherhood by reading this book may yearn for more backstory, if only to understand how Mr. Walker, who doesn’t have wolfish powers, came to be part of this group. Still, the authors manage to pack an enjoyable mix of elements into this book’s scant page count. Lucy, who serves as the narrator, has a relationship with James that calls the Twilight series to mind; the narrative takes some timeouts for her to relish making love with him. Lucy also offers relatable responses to her situation, including an eagerness to have a firsthand look at Guinevere’s fabled beauty, and at least a momentary desire to return to her “normal life back at college...where I could just relax in my apartment and read a good book and then go to Starbucks and get a Caramel Macchiato.” The crew sometimes exhibits an appealingly goofy Scooby-Doo-like dynamic, as when the apparently older Mr. Walker wields a sword while saying “Don’t worry, Mrs. T, I was captain of my high school fencing team.” The authors ably tee up how Lucy and James might engage in Camelot activities in upcoming books, with the couple meeting Lancelot; the famed knight compares his bond with Guinevere to the couple’s own and notes, “Because you are from the future you know as much about me as I know about myself.”
Pub Date: Dec. 7, 2019
ISBN: 9781672559584
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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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