Readers who liked Volume 1 will be perfectly happy waiting with this sequel for the series climax.
In Oz, the rebellion begun in Dorothy Must Die (2014) continues as its players regroup.
As the story opens, Kansan Amy Gumm and the newly transformed Princess Ozma are taken to the queen of the formerly winged monkeys, leaving the wreckage of the Emerald City behind along with Nox and the rest of the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. There, Amy learns that her friend Pete from the Emerald City still exists within Ozma; with a little magical help from Amy, he can emerge and interact, but most of the time his personality is submerged beneath the addled princess's. But where is Nox? Soon enough, Amy and Ozma/Pete are off to find Polychrome, the daughter of the rainbow, who may be willing to help the Order. But before they go, tough-talking monkey queen Lulu warns Amy that the dark magic she is becoming increasingly adept with could turn her into another Dorothy. And where, oh, where is Nox? With this second full-length novel in her Oz reboot, Paige continues to develop her dystopian vision of the classic tales, offering readers grimly twisted versions of the characters developed in a more innocent time. It's very much a middle volume, taking Amy and readers around the fairyland but returning them inevitably to the Emerald City for another blood-soaked confrontation. Amy's struggle with her alarming capacity for wickedness and her swoony fixation on Nox feel obligatory rather than organic, but when she's not mentally wringing her hands, her snarky voice still entertains.
Readers who liked Volume 1 will be perfectly happy waiting with this sequel for the series climax. (Dystopian fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: March 31, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-228070-1
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2015
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship.
Shortly before the new queen’s coronation, a monster wreaks havoc, forcing a young fairy princess to intervene at her own risk.
In Pixie Hollow, the Never Fairies of Spring, Summer, and Autumn work to create seasons for the humans on the Mainland, while the fairies of Winter remain apart in the Winter Woods. Clarion, a governing-talent fairy who’s soon to take over as queen of Pixie Hollow, often looks wonderingly at the Winter Woods. But crossing the border is against the rules set forth by her mentor, Queen Elvina. When a monster from Winter breaks free and enters Spring, Clarion bristles at Elvina’s dismissal. Determined to be involved, she secretly travels to Winter, meets with Milori, the Warden of the Winter Woods, and learns that the land is nothing like what she’s heard, making her wonder what else the queen has been untruthful about. Together Milori and Clarion work to discover the secrets of Pixie Hollow, which may save them—or lead to death. Set in a magical place of flowers and pixie dust, this story considers the control we have over the roles we’re assigned. Clarion is a beautifully complex character—strong yet insecure, lovable due to her willingness to prioritize relationships over rules. Themes of fear, forbidden love, and good vs. evil are present in this fast-paced, engaging tale. Main characters are cued white.
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781368098458
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© 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.
