An absorbing meld of secondary-world and urban fantasy.
In this novel, a teenage girl who lives separate existences in two worlds must cope with startling events in both.
Seventeen-year-old Alora lives in Terra, a realm where men can be Healers or Lifters (telekineticists). Women exhibit neither of these abilities—with the lone exception of Alora, whose Lifting powers are accepted and kept secret by her adoptive circus family. When Alora is forced to reveal herself, accidentally killing a man, she is immediately targeted by a sect of misogynist zealots. The group sees her as the Warden, a prophesied female Lifter who will bring about the destruction of Terra. Alora learns of her birth family and flees to her father, the ruler of a rival sect that recognizes and cherishes women. War is coming, and Alora must fight for her life. Meanwhile, in a different world, 17-year-old Alora and her brother, Jesse, scrape an existence working menial jobs on Earth. They live in Houston under false identities and on the run from social services. They have no one but each other, and their sibling bond remains strong. Jesse alone believes that Alora really does live a second life whenever she’s asleep. But when the man Alora killed on Terra turns up at her job on Earth and dies there, too, even Jesse starts to have doubts. Could Alora’s dual existence be the product of some deep psychosis? Baker writes in the first-person, present tense and crafts engaging stories on both worlds. Alora is a strong, likable character, and her sibling relationship with Jesse is a highlight. Romance also hangs in the air; Alora is drawn to several characters on Earth and Terra. But female empowerment finds a champion, and she remains self-determined and independent, even fighting against the insta-love trope. The author’s worldbuilding is astute and unobtrusive. The fantasy series opener finds its rhythm early and then breezes along, keeping readers enthralled. There is, regrettably, something of an information dump toward the end, and the story lacks the conclusive heft of a stand-alone. But by this point, the novel is already a winner. YA and new-adult readers will take Alora as their own and thrill to the thought of a sequel.
An absorbing meld of secondary-world and urban fantasy.Pub Date: April 15, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949655-50-6
Page Count: 394
Publisher: Purple Puppy Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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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