Energetic and original, this alternative history, fantasy, and mystery mashup with its pair of smart, resourceful, flawed...
For years, Boston’s glittering demimonde sheltered Corinne and Ada, along with other hemopaths, a uniquely afflicted and gifted pariah class; now, with Prohibition looming, their fragile refuge is threatened.
Despite vastly different backgrounds and after a rocky start, the girls are close friends and partners in crime, roommates at the Cast Iron, a nightclub where hemopaths entertain regs (nonhemopath patrons) with transformative illusions that manipulate what others see and feel. Arts—literary, musical, visual, theatrical—are their instruments. Hemopath abilities vary in kind and strength; like their friend Saint, the girls are exceptionally talented. A life-threatening aversion to iron leaves hemopaths vulnerable. Corinne, her condition unknown to her Boston Brahmin family, finds her brother’s forthcoming marriage into the family whose asylum abducts hemopaths for horrific experimentation despicable. Ada’s African-immigrant family was torn apart by her father’s unjust imprisonment. Her mother knows Ada’s a hemopath but disapproves of her job. As laws governing hemopaths tighten, police surveillance and arrests at the clubs increase. Amid growing threats, romances blossom—Ada’s with a performer at a rival club, Corrine’s with the enigmatic reg hired to protect the Cast Iron before the mobster owner disappears—but the novel’s heart is friendship. In Soria’s quick-paced third-person narrative, threats gather and mysteries deepen, failing or succeeding, but the girls’ mutual loyalty and trust never waver.
Energetic and original, this alternative history, fantasy, and mystery mashup with its pair of smart, resourceful, flawed but engaging heroines never disappoints . (Historical fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2192-2
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
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 lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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