An intriguing but slow-moving novel of paranormal mystery.
In Boglisch’s YA novel, a teen tries to figure out why he’s seeing what appear to be ghosts.
The novel is set in a future in which technology has supposedly advanced enough that there are no more fatal illnesses, and crime of all kinds has been eradicated. However, Kieran still gets terrible headaches, and afterward, he sees strange, silent, all-white figures that no one else seems to notice. His parents are aware of this odd ability, but for some reason, they tell him not to go to the hospital or to tell other people about it. Nevertheless, Kieran’s good friends Felix and Mira know about it, and they find it absolutely fascinating. Mira wants nothing more than to be able to see ghosts, as Kieran apparently does. Kieran, however, only wishes that he were normal—even more so now that the headaches are getting worse. Then he learns that the strange white figures are able to grab him—and hurt him. When he and Mira explore an allegedly haunted house trying to find some answers to their questions about the figures, Kieran sees one of them holding knives, and Mira ends up getting cut. Weirdly enough, another figure recently handed him a piece of paper with a single word scrawled on it: “Danger.” Although Mira and Felix keep calling them ghosts, Kieran isn’t so sure. There’s definitely something odd going on, and the people in authority may know more than they’re letting on. Boglisch provides readers with a slow-burning novel that still features some chills and thrills. The gradual reveal of the figures, their purpose, and even the world in which the characters live requires some patience on readers’ part, but there’s enough intrigue and mystery along the way to keep them engaged. The story takes place after an unspecified global pandemic, but the circumstances surrounding it are rather vague, leaving the book with a somewhat sketchy sense of place and time. However, the friends clearly care about one another and about helping Kieran solve the mystery, and their interactions give the novel focus and a sense of forward momentum.
An intriguing but slow-moving novel of paranormal mystery.Pub Date: April 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-62420-612-2
Page Count: 334
Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press
Review Posted Online: June 25, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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