Superlative characters and worldbuilding ensure this SF tale will linger for some time.
In Gadeken’s YA debut and prospective series launch, people survive on a strange planet with no recollection of how they got there.
Eighteen-year-old Eff Sharp has no idea how she wound up stranded on an unknown world. She has only “snippets” of memories of Earth and her parents, but this is definitely not Earth; an orange dwarf star paints the sky a marigold hue. After three months of solitude, she’s shocked to see other humans—two men, who take her back to their colony, Nabukko. The colony is inhabited by a few hundred people who, though they remember more than Eff, they don’t know the circumstances that led them to this planet. Eff gradually befriends the colonists, helping to forage for “anything edible” and scavenge for supplies. She finds herself drawn to a couple of guys who open up to her. That’s quite a feat, as most of the Nabukko residents are reluctant to divulge anything about themselves or where they’re from. This lack of candor ultimately leads to a startling revelation and ensuing accusation. Gadeken’s story thrives on mysterious details, from seemingly random pods housing supplies to the colonists’ evasive responses to virtually all of Eff’s questions. While not all of her questions are resolved in this series opener, some answers come to light, and not just in the final act. The enormous cast comprises a bevy of distinct personalities. An understated love triangle serves as an effective backdrop for discussions about survival, the protagonist’s slowly returning memories, and Eff’s vibrant, bizarre dreams and visions. The author masterfully depicts the environment, including the dense Black Forest and Nabukko’s well-constructed buildings (as well as signs of the planet’s unnerving creatures). The prose brims with vivid metaphors—pipes running between tanks in the hydro and aquaponics building resemble a “sea of mechanical jellyfish.” The astonishing ending will leave readers craving a sequel.
Superlative characters and worldbuilding ensure this SF tale will linger for some time.Pub Date: June 2, 2024
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 331
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
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
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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