Meaningful magical resistance.
In this fantasy anthology featuring entries by a broad range of trans authors, transgender teens discover strength, truth, and magic in themselves as they fight oppressive societal expectations and define their own destinies.
Tilluster College couldn’t take away Rae’s magic, so instead they threaten to kill everyone Rae loves. Ari thought magic school would solve their problems, but as they struggle with incantations, they still feel like an outcast. Defying the gender-bound traditions enforced by the Council of Elders, Ciano braves siren-infested waters to pursue their dream. Treacherous deals with ancient powers, alluring curses, prowling monsters, and fairy-tale enchantment fill the pages of this timely collection that centers transgender characters figuring out where they belong and choosing themselves. Several stories feature magical regimes enforcing binary traditions that protagonists dismantle not only for themselves, but for their entire communities, whether that means standing up to the director of the Intramural Broomstick Derby summer league or a clan guarding the door between the realms of life and death. Some characters undertake a different battle—unlearning the rules they’ve enforced on themselves. In addition to common themes of self-discovery and belonging, a subtle thread of recurring images ties the stories together. Well-crafted prose and enticing worldbuilding heighten the collection’s appeal. The cast of characters also centers, reflects, and celebrates other types of diverse identities. Although the tones range from soft to suspenseful, every story is resolved with hope.
Meaningful magical resistance. (content warning, author bios) (Fantasy anthology. 14-18)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9780063218796
Page Count: 416
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner.
A young woman pursues a dangerous quest in late-1800s Egypt in this sequel to What the River Knows (2023).
After Inez Olivera was nearly murdered while assisting with her uncle’s archaeological expedition in Egypt, Tío Ricardo is eager to ship her home to safety in Argentina. But Inez burns with the need to stay and make sure that those who committed crimes against her family are held responsible. Unfortunately, the law precludes Inez, as a young unmarried woman, from accessing her inheritance (needed to fund her quest for justice) without her guardian uncle’s permission. Whitford Hayes, a former British soldier and her tío’s aide-de-camp, proposes marriage, which could solve her problems. But can Inez trust the secretive Whit? More danger and intrigue lurk at every turn in this exciting duology closer, which fully addresses the first entry’s jaw-dropping cliffhanger. The well-paced plot encompasses many fresh, new adventures and betrayals in this reimagined historical setting in which ancient magic abounds and not everyone or everything is what it seems. Even more captivating, however, is the complicated, nuanced love story between Whit and Inez. Their chemistry sizzles, but their relationship is achingly layered with both profound loyalty and deep deception. As their journey unearths new enemies and priceless archaeological finds, the duo must try to trust each other enough to survive.
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner. (cast of characters, map, timeline) (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822994
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 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
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