An action-packed thriller, grounded in a futuristic Taiwan, with a strong dose of romance.
In a polluted future, Zhou and Lingyi must overcome guilt over their friend’s death and stop a corrupt CEO from taking more lives.
In this sequel to Want (2017), Taiwanese Jason Zhou and Lingyi and their international group of street-wise, technology-savvy friends have destroyed Jin Corp’s headquarters in Taipei; Jin, the company’s multibillionaire leader, has returned to China. Their victory came at a high price: One of their group was killed while following Lingyi’s orders and Zhou was captured and unable to save him. Zhou finds solace in his secret relationship with Daiyu, Jin’s daughter, while Lingyi copes with recurring nightmares that even her girlfriend cannot defend against. Nevertheless, when Jany, Lingyi’s old friend in Shanghai, asks for her help, Lingyi responds at once. But when Jin has Jany murdered in order to steal her designs and prototype for a highly advanced air filter, Lingyi and her girlfriend turn to Zhou for help. Reunited, they return to their (occasionally unbelievable) skills in hacking and brawling to attempt to reclaim the air filter and strike another blow against Jin. But the group finds they cannot succeed without the help of Daiyu, someone even Zhou, possibly blinded by love and lust, has to agree is hiding things. While the central villain remains constant, Pon delves into relationships both romantic and platonic to balance the otherwise fast pace.
An action-packed thriller, grounded in a futuristic Taiwan, with a strong dose of romance. (Science fiction. 13-17)Pub Date: March 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1992-6
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Bound to be popular.
A suddenly trendy trope—conflict and romance between members of conquering and enslaved races—enlivened by fantasy elements loosely drawn from Arabic tradition (another trend!).
In an original, well-constructed fantasy world (barring some lazy naming), the Scholars have lived under Martial rule for 500 years, downtrodden and in many cases enslaved. Scholar Laia has spent a lifetime hiding her connection to the Resistance—her parents were its leaders—but when her grandparents are killed and her brother’s captured by Masks, the eerie, silver-faced elite soldiers of the Martial Empire, Laia must go undercover as a slave to the terrifying Commandant of Blackcliff Military Academy, where Martials are trained for battle. Meanwhile, Elias, the Commandant’s not-at-all-beloved son, wants to run away from Blackcliff, until he is named an Aspirant for the throne by the mysterious red-eyed Augurs. Predictably, action, intrigue, bloodshed and some pounding pulses follow; there’s betrayal and a potential love triangle or two as well. Sometimes-lackluster prose and a slight overreliance on certain kinds of sexual violence as a threat only slightly diminish the appeal created by familiar (but not predictable) characters and a truly engaging if not fully fleshed-out fantasy world.
Bound to be popular. (Fantasy. 13 & up)Pub Date: April 28, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-59514-803-2
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2015
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
