A sharp cast and absorbing monsters help this series entry to shine.
A girl finds herself and her friends caught up in a war between monsters and faeries in Rice’s YA urban fantasy novel.
In this final volume of the Allison Lee Chronicles, the titular character is under virtual house arrest. The authorities fear her because she’s a half-skaag, the offspring of a human father and a skaag mother (a skaag is a cross between a supersized alligator and a gargantuan eel). That’s not all that’s making Allison discontent: Her young faery friend Bria is being held at a military base. Her ex-boyfriend, Haji, then blows up his house with magic and gets shipped to that same base. Allison secretly gives an interview to a reporter about the interred children to generate a public outcry, but it backfires when the faeries attack the base to take back Bria. After a power outage hits the West Coast, it’s traced to magic being used near Mauna Kea, Hawaii. War breaks out between the faeries and the skaags. With Bria and Haji still recuperating, Allison, her father the archmagus, her human friend Dalia, and the dragon Dr. Radcliffe must pick a side. They reluctantly ally with the faeries—even if they can’t be trusted—because “If the skaags win, they will end humankind as we know it.” Rice succeeds in making this installment of his YA series accessible to readers old and new, blending in enough backstory from the first two books for new readers to hop on without getting lost amid the ample cast. This approach is essential—a lot happens in this jam-packed opus. Foremost in Rice’s narrative is the theme of Allison and her friends fighting the urge to become monsters, real or figurative. Like many teen girls, Allison also spends much time wrestling with her feelings for her romantic prospects, whether it’s her ex, Haji, or her crush, Jett. The story stagnates somewhat during the repetitive, extended battle scenes, but Rice’s characters sparkle as they bring this adventure to a satisfactory close.
A sharp cast and absorbing monsters help this series entry to shine.Pub Date: June 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781509254675
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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