A riveting start to a superhero saga.
A Blue Beetle origin tale that tackles the fraught discourse over immigration at the Mexico-U.S. border.
Once again, the border has been shut down and the National Guard deployed along the Rio Grande. Anti-immigration flyers around town have also escalated tensions in El Paso, Texas. High school student and avid astronomer Jaime Reyes would much rather stargaze—but he learns that an old friend who’s fallen out of touch has inexplicably gotten involved with an online white nationalist movement called the Legion of Patriots. Jaime decides to join his activist friends’ efforts to unearth the hate group’s violent plan of action. Complicating matters, after he finds a mysterious scarab, Jaime has meetings in his dreams with an ambassador of the Reach, a race of aliens claiming to help “destabilized planets.” The scarab, it turns out, grants heroic powers to the Mexican American teen. As the conflict between immigrant rights activists and white nationalists worsens, Jaime must also keep his El Paso community safe from the incoming Reach, whose true intentions aren’t altogether clear. This well-timed superhero outing unpacks thorny topics—online extremism, radical activism, climate change—from an earnest, almost utopian angle, reinforcing a belief in community as a method of resistance from threats both internal and external. This adventure unfortunately wraps up too swiftly. The action-oriented artwork in shades of vibrant blues and burnt oranges leverages panoramic perspectives with aplomb.
A riveting start to a superhero saga. (Graphic fiction. 13-17)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781779522825
Page Count: 208
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Despite the well-meaning warmth, a wearying plod.
Can a 17-year-old with her first girlfriend prevent real-life folks from discovering her online fandoms?
Cass is proudly queer, happily fat, and extremely secretive about being a fan who role-plays on Discord. Back in middle school, she had what she calls a gaming addiction, playing “The Sims” so much her parents had to take the game away. Now, turning to her role-play friends to cope with her fighting parents, she worries that people will judge her for her fannishness and online life. To be fair, her grades are suffering. And sure, maybe she’s missed a college application deadline. Also, her mom has suddenly left Minneapolis and moved to Maine to be with a man she met online. But on the other hand, Cass is finally dating her amazingly cute longtime crush, Taylor. Pansexual Taylor is a gamer, a little bit punk, White like Cass, and so, so great—but she still can’t help comparing her to Rowan, Cass’ online best friend and role-playing ship partner. But Rowan doesn’t want to be a dirty little secret and doesn’t see why Cass can’t be honest about this part of her life. The inevitable train wreck of her lies looms on the horizon for months in an overlong morality play building to the climax that includes tidy resolutions to all the character arcs that are quite heartwarming but, in the case of Cass’ estranged mother, narratively unearned.
Despite the well-meaning warmth, a wearying plod. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-06-324332-3
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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