A focused and fast-paced entry that moves the storyline along.
Coming of age proves difficult when one’s identity is deeply tied to the past.
Will has accepted the horrible truth: He is not the Reborn Lady of Light but rather the Reborn Dark King. Katherine, a true descendant of the Lady, tried to kill him when she found out, losing her life in the process. Will must keep his identity secret from his remaining companions as they try to maneuver and stay a step ahead of the forces still working to resurrect the Dark King’s power. The group opens a magical gate that takes them to the Umbria region of Italy, but half the party is left behind, including Violet, their strongest fighter, and young Elizabeth, the other descendant of the Lady. Will travels with James, the Reborn betrayer of the Light, who holds a former connection to the Dark King. The two young men grow closer, but how much of their relationship is colored by their past selves? Meanwhile, an ancient champion reawakens in Katherine’s body. The second installment of this series following 2021’s Dark Rise clips along at a much more energetic pace than the earlier entry, especially now that the main characters better understand their circumstances. The author includes a good blend of action, intrigue, and relationship-building moments. Queer relationships and elements of body dysphoria are addressed. Most characters are light-skinned; Violet is white and Indian.
A focused and fast-paced entry that moves the storyline along. (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2023
ISBN: 9780062946171
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
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