Intense and richly detailed but not without a few stumbles.
Set against an interstellar backdrop, this gritty science-fiction thriller explores concepts of humanity and mercy.
When the Willis family is convicted of piracy in an intergalactic court, 12-year-old Megan is branded with the mark of a criminal, made to wear a shock collar, and forced to work on an Alliance spaceship under near-constant surveillance. Unexpected events allow Megan to escape, and she finds herself on a planet known for selling human children into slavery in dangerous mines filled with large, venomous bees. Determined to free the kids, she goes on a crusade to take down the slave trade but learns that its roots may be more insidious than she imagined. Faced with more hardship, Megan implores her deity, the Astral Dragon, for guidance. With the help of other young people—Dirk, Crystal, Oliver, and Zoë—Megan must find a way to expose the traitorous adults. But can she stay true to the merciful ways of her dragon god? Davis’ expansive romp is lushly imagined, filled with talking birds, gruff aliens, perilous planets, and many exciting near misses. However, the plotting is overstuffed, leaving certain threads frustratingly less developed; perhaps future installments will resolve this. Davis does not shy away from the horrors associated with slavery, with gritty, dark twists evincing the physical abuse the children must endure. Megan, Oliver, and Crystal are White; Dirk and Zoë are cued as Black.
Intense and richly detailed but not without a few stumbles. (cast of characters) (Science fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: March 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4964-5179-8
Page Count: 440
Publisher: Wander
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play.
Garber returns to the world of bestseller Caraval (2017), this time with the focus on younger, more daring sister Donatella.
Valenda, capital of the empire, is host to the second of Legend’s magical games in a single year, and while Scarlett doesn’t want to play again, blonde Tella is eager for a chance to prove herself. She is haunted by the memory of her death in the last game and by the cursed Deck of Destiny she used as a child which foretold her loveless future. Garber has changed many of the rules of her expanding world, which now appears to be infused with magic and evil Fates. Despite a weak plot and ultraviolet prose (“He tasted like exquisite nightmares and stolen dreams, like the wings of fallen angels, and bottles of fresh moonlight.”), this is a tour de force of imagination. Themes of love, betrayal, and the price of magic (and desire) swirl like Caraval’s enchantments, and Dante’s sensuous kisses will thrill readers as much as they do Tella. The convoluted machinations of the Prince of Hearts (one of the Fates), Legend, and even the empress serve as the impetus for Tella’s story and set up future volumes which promise to go bigger. With descriptions focusing primarily on clothing, characters’ ethnicities are often indeterminate.
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play. (glossary) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-09531-2
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018
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