A strong start peters out to a patchy, less-than-memorable finish.
The secret origin of the viral plague of memory loss afflicting the world is revealed in this duology closer.
Picking up the action where The Memory Index (2022) left off and driving on with minimal recapping, Vaca sends his multiethnic group of four teenagers back to the secret laboratory in the Tennessee woods for more shared “knifing” into the memories of others, reclamation of repressed memories, fragmentary premonitions of future disasters, and clues that the secretive Memory Ghosts may not be the terrorist front they’re billed to be, not to mention shocking revelations that the massive Memory Frontier corporation, sole source of high-tech recording gadgets that purportedly preserve and restore memories deleted by the Memory Killer, has a nefarious secret agenda. Though an ingenious premise and period references to ’80s-era music add flavor to a plotline expertly boosted by short chapters and multiple narrators, the author not only loses control of his cast—trotting in four new rival memory knifers and a major villain to play scenes and then vanish abruptly—but rather than let the young folk take the lead in saving the world, he goes for multiple timely interventions by grown-ups to rescue them and do most of the heavy lifting to bring the tale to its conveniently tidied-up resolution.
A strong start peters out to a patchy, less-than-memorable finish. (playlist, discussion questions) (Science fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 9780840701152
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
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