Plenty of action—plus emotional developments worth sticking around for.
Sirscha’s new powers may help her save that which she holds dear but may also turn her into the monster she fears.
Readers are drawn back into this Asian-inspired fantasy world through the second book in the Shamanborn series which starts off a fortnight after the fight with Ronin at Spinner’s End. Sirscha is coming to terms with her soulrender powers, newly awakened by the Soulless; as the name implies, they allow her to grasp and destroy souls. She poses as a soulguide in order to gain access to information and travel safely through politically charged kingdoms looking to exploit her abilities. As the Soulless slowly recovers his strength, Sirscha searches for a way to stop him. In so doing, she discovers the dark history behind the origins of the powers they share. In this part of the journey, the characters question morality, family loyalty, and sacrifice, and, as in the last book, there is no time for romance, though the storyline does expand on her friendships. In fact, the majority of Sirscha’s time is spent fighting and traveling from one place to the next, perhaps in support of worldbuilding. When she is forced to stay put at certain points in the latter half of the novel, characterizations are expanded upon.
Plenty of action—plus emotional developments worth sticking around for. (Fantasy. 13-17)Pub Date: June 15, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64567-210-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A thrilling quest through real and metaphorical mazes, obstacles, and trials.
Five sisters learn they have hidden powers that might help them save their mother from danger.
Mnemosyne is the Goddess of Memory, a Titan who was granted asylum on Mount Olympus by Zeus after the Titan war. But Mnemosyne, who has bronze skin and black hair, eventually fled Olympus, wiping the gods’ memories so she could start her own family in safety. She created five daughters: gifted storyteller and leader Calliope, inquisitive history buff Clio, volatile empath Melpomene, magical dancer Terpsichore, and gifted comedian Thalia. Mnemosyne successfully keeps their existence hidden from the gods until the girls stage a public birthday performance for her. As Mnemosyne hurriedly explains the danger the girls are in, she’s kidnapped by Pain and Panic, two minions of Hades, God of the Underworld. The sisters must now put aside their differences to use their unique strengths and their mother’s special journal to ask the very gods their mother fears for help. A nice exploration of lesser-known female figures from Greek mythology, this tale features a fine balance of self-actualization and connections among the central characters, each of whom has a distinct temperament and narrative. The dramatis personae and pronunciation key will also make it easier for readers to distinguish the different cast members.
A thrilling quest through real and metaphorical mazes, obstacles, and trials. (Fantasy. 13-17)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781368098700
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
Bound to be popular.
A suddenly trendy trope—conflict and romance between members of conquering and enslaved races—enlivened by fantasy elements loosely drawn from Arabic tradition (another trend!).
In an original, well-constructed fantasy world (barring some lazy naming), the Scholars have lived under Martial rule for 500 years, downtrodden and in many cases enslaved. Scholar Laia has spent a lifetime hiding her connection to the Resistance—her parents were its leaders—but when her grandparents are killed and her brother’s captured by Masks, the eerie, silver-faced elite soldiers of the Martial Empire, Laia must go undercover as a slave to the terrifying Commandant of Blackcliff Military Academy, where Martials are trained for battle. Meanwhile, Elias, the Commandant’s not-at-all-beloved son, wants to run away from Blackcliff, until he is named an Aspirant for the throne by the mysterious red-eyed Augurs. Predictably, action, intrigue, bloodshed and some pounding pulses follow; there’s betrayal and a potential love triangle or two as well. Sometimes-lackluster prose and a slight overreliance on certain kinds of sexual violence as a threat only slightly diminish the appeal created by familiar (but not predictable) characters and a truly engaging if not fully fleshed-out fantasy world.
Bound to be popular. (Fantasy. 13 & up)Pub Date: April 28, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-59514-803-2
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2015
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