A deliberately paced but gripping tale that boosts a remarkable SF series.
This YA novel centers on a teenager who struggles with his new life—carrying the world’s evil inside his body.
Paul Salvage’s victory at a government-sanctioned competition means he’s now “the Vessel.” Scientists implant him with “devil particles” extracted from the three billion people on dystopian Earth. These particles are what lead humans to commit evil acts but, scientists theorize, someone “perfectly good” can safely hold them. Yet Paul fears he’s the wrong person for this gig, as he’s done something dreadful that a conk on the head had, for a time, made him forget. Now, he lives in a bedroom inside a lab while his body undergoes tortuous emotional and physical changes. When things start improving, including his newly heightened senses, Paul feels his distrust start to surge. Gaige Devlin, his dead brother’s best friend, may be getting cozy with Paul’s beloved, Jaelyn Bellamy (“What a creep. Honing in on my girlfriend while I’m risking my life to save the world”). In addition, President Stark Cicero, who somehow knows of Paul’s nefarious past deed, is spearheading the formation of a world government, surely with herself at the head. Although Earth has found peace, the evil inside Paul seems to be fighting for control. Oakley’s SF sequel takes a noticeable turn from its predecessor—a suspenseful competition makes way for inner turmoil. It’s a slow burn this time, as much of the action unfolds at a lab, and narrator Paul spends a lot of time in his ever-conflicted head. Still, this absorbing tale follows a protagonist who gets increasingly paranoid while any sympathy readers have for him (especially from the initial agony the devil particles cause) may gradually wane. The story is furthermore a subtle exploration of toxic masculinity, as Paul, who feels like a “caged animal” at the lab, seems intent on dominating others, be it the scientists or Jaelyn. The final act churns out several impressive shocks and ends on a cliffhanger that will leave readers yearning for the series’ third installment.
A deliberately paced but gripping tale that boosts a remarkable SF series.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty.
In this retelling of a classic, a drama student’s obsession with beauty leads her down a dark—and possibly deadly—path.
Eighteen-year-old Penny Paxton is beginning her first year at Dorian Drama Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she hopes to follow in her starlet mother’s footsteps—and earn the love that her mother has never seemed to offer. At Dorian, Penny is mentored by Royal Shakespeare Company legend Orlagh Camran, who makes her the compelling offer of a portrait by the Masked Painter, a mysterious artist with the ability to gift his subjects everlasting youth and beauty. But shortly after Penny’s portrait is complete, several of the Masked Painter’s subjects are found murdered. Fearing that she’s made a terrible mistake and may become the next victim, Penny, who’s gay, begins to investigate the murders with the help of an unlikely ally. As she attempts to uncover the truth surrounding the Masked Painter and the murders, she’s forced to reckon with her own toxic obsession with beauty. This chilling, atmospheric novel, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, is entertaining and full of twists, though some of the reveals feel contrived and some questions are left unanswered. The plot unravels at a leisurely pace but eventually builds to an action-packed (if somewhat convoluted) conclusion. Most characters are cued white.
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty. (content note, author’s note, bonus scene) (Fantasy thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9781250346797
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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