Classic good-versus-evil fare.
A long-gone evil power threatens to once again rise and conquer all in its path.
In 1821 London, teenage Will mingles among the crowds on the docks of the Thames. He’s been on the run for months, ever since his mother was killed in their home. Finally, his pursuers catch up with him, and Will is taken in the name of the enigmatic Simon. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Violet wants nothing more than to join Simon’s inner crew. While guarding the hold during an attack on one of Simon’s boats, Violet discovers Will chained below deck. Afterward, the two find themselves under the protection of the Stewards, an ancient order whose sole mission is to prevent the very goal that Simon pursues—and both Will and Violet discover they have deep connections to this fight. What follows is a series of events that are by turns mystical, bewildering, hopeful, and terrifying. Pacat’s writing is atmospheric and full of intriguing, complex characters. However, an overwhelming sense of uncertainty pervades the book, intensified by the rotating points of view as well as the withholding of some characters’ major revelations until very late in the story. These factors leave readers in a state of perpetual unknowing, making it harder to connect with the story. The Stewards hail from all around the world; Will is White, and Violet is biracial, with a White English father and Indian mother.
Classic good-versus-evil fare. (map) (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-294614-0
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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 fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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