A straightforward time-travel story that never quite fulfills its potential.
A teen’s school trip takes a literal approach to hands-on learning in this translated title from Germany.
Boston is a short, blond German boy being raised by a struggling single mom; he was named after the hometown of the American father who doesn’t know of his existence. On a class trip to Spain, he’s occupied with seeing the sights and trying to fit in with cooler classmates who mock him. While in search of a birthday present for his mother, Boston touches a magical tile and is transported to the year 1492, just as Queen Isabella has decreed that Jewish residents of Granada must convert to Catholicism or leave—without any of their belongings. Amid this religious persecution, Boston encounters some unlikely friends and must find a way to return home before it’s too late. Boie skillfully interweaves historical facts, creating a novel that gives equal attention to the three religious communities of 15th-century Spain. The language used by Moorish characters, who frequently refer to Christians as pork-eaters, unfortunately feels caricatured at times. However, the individual characters are developed sufficiently to move the largely predictable plot forward. Boston consistently seems to be at the mercy of other characters, always getting rescued from hopeless situations. This ineptitude comes off as slightly unbearable instead of endearing. Still, the novel’s compelling side characters and well-researched historical backdrop are redeeming enough to make it attractive for fans of this genre.
A straightforward time-travel story that never quite fulfills its potential. (author’s note, glossary) (Adventure. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-64690-019-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Arctis Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play.
Garber returns to the world of bestseller Caraval (2017), this time with the focus on younger, more daring sister Donatella.
Valenda, capital of the empire, is host to the second of Legend’s magical games in a single year, and while Scarlett doesn’t want to play again, blonde Tella is eager for a chance to prove herself. She is haunted by the memory of her death in the last game and by the cursed Deck of Destiny she used as a child which foretold her loveless future. Garber has changed many of the rules of her expanding world, which now appears to be infused with magic and evil Fates. Despite a weak plot and ultraviolet prose (“He tasted like exquisite nightmares and stolen dreams, like the wings of fallen angels, and bottles of fresh moonlight.”), this is a tour de force of imagination. Themes of love, betrayal, and the price of magic (and desire) swirl like Caraval’s enchantments, and Dante’s sensuous kisses will thrill readers as much as they do Tella. The convoluted machinations of the Prince of Hearts (one of the Fates), Legend, and even the empress serve as the impetus for Tella’s story and set up future volumes which promise to go bigger. With descriptions focusing primarily on clothing, characters’ ethnicities are often indeterminate.
Dark, seductive, but over-the-top: Characters and book alike will enthrall those who choose to play. (glossary) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-09531-2
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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