A compulsively readable tale, despite its use of well-worn genre tropes.
In this post-apocalyptic YA series opener, a teen is determined to leave her restrictive underground community for the perilous world above.
The sun has rendered life on Earth’s surface unsuitable for humanity. Sixteen-year-old Eve Hamilton lives in Compound Eleven, a self-sustaining underground city with five levels. Now that she’s finished with school, she must choose a profession. However, as a Lower Mean (someone from the second level), her job options are menial and unfulfilling. Fortunately, she’s an excellent competitive fighter for the Blue Circuit in the Bowl, an arena where rules of honor are seldom followed. One day, Eve squares off against a Preeminate (or “Preme”), a young man from the fifth level where the Compound’s wealthy founders live. As he’s two years older and more experienced, he knocks her out handily—but then he sits by her bed in the nurse’s station, concerned. He reveals that his name is Wren, but Eve doesn’t care about his guilt over injuring her. She only wants to access the Oracle, a viewing station that peeks above ground. Once there, she plans to escape for good, as she wants nothing to do with the society that only allows one child per family—and doomed her infant brother, Jack. Debut author Chisholm remixes elements from other post-apocalyptic YA series, such as Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games books, into a familiar but compelling new premise. The handsome, sympathetic Wren seems too good to be true at times, but he convincingly and pleasantly wins her over. Her narration, meanwhile, is often terse and tough, with lines such as “There is no job I will choose. In six weeks’ time, I will be gone.” The most incredible moments occur with the glassed-in Oracle; Eve’s first sight of a living tree, for example, is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking. Some characters, such as abusive boyfriends and bullies, feel standard for the genre, but effectively show that some aspects of humanity will sadly remain the same in the future. The tight narrative halts just where readers will expect, but the next volume leaves plenty to explore.
A compulsively readable tale, despite its use of well-worn genre tropes.Pub Date: Dec. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68281-501-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Nov. 25, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Frustratingly slow and lacking in magical wonder.
Despite living her happily-ever-after, Evangeline can’t help but strive to recover her lost memories in this trilogy closer.
Evangeline Fox awakens in the strong arms of Prince Apollo, her apparent husband, who swears to protect her from the evil Lord Jacks, who stole her memories. Unfortunately, Evangeline remembers nothing of her long and complex journey in the Magnificent North or her past romances; only the pain in her heart lets her know something is missing. At Wolf Hall, Evangeline seeks ways to unlock her missing memories, including enlisting the help of a mysterious guard named Archer, even as Apollo’s behavior becomes more and more controlling. The pacing and plot feel stagnant at first, with Evangeline remembering things in flashes and moments of brief feelings, but things finally pick up once her memories return. With the point of view rotating among Evangeline, Apollo, and Jacks, there are few narrative surprises, but it’s intriguing to delve into the minds of an antagonist and a Fate. The story’s inclusion of the legendary Valors and the fantastical fairy-tale setting are unfortunately overshadowed by the love triangle’s dramatic tug-of-war romance. Likewise, the book’s various themes—power, hope, stories, and the nature of humanity—are of interest but handled in an unfocused way. The conclusion, at least, is satisfying, and it hints at future tales set in this world. Evangeline, Jacks, and Archer read white; Apollo has dark hair and olive skin.
Frustratingly slow and lacking in magical wonder. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781250851208
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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