Enjoyable and rich in themes and execution.
An anti-colonialist tale that’s also a love letter to the natural world.
The story unfolds on a rocky, isolated island where necessity and ingenuity have led to the creation of Kerpathics, messengers who make the dangerous trek between two villages separated by a waterfall. Sable has trained for a decade with her dad to become a Kerpathic, and she knows the island like the back of her hand. She’s counting on Blade, her goat best friend, to help her rescue lost travelers and bring people “news, medicine, and food.” But even though Sable saves a child during her first solo mission, she learns that her work comes with real risks. Meanwhile, on the mainland, people have heard rumors about the island. Naturalist Antone Krill and ship’s captain Smith take advantage of the king’s support for expeditions and set sail in search of the “distant island where they spin gold.” Krill is obsessed with naming a new species and views wildlife behavior through his biased understanding of power dynamics; he clearly wants to hunt and trap unusual species. When the foolish, arrogant men arrive, the villagers are welcoming, and Sable gets roped into being their guide. Still, the forest is a dangerous place, especially for those who don’t respect it. Boucher’s dynamic, original illustration style contains sharp angles that convey energy. The compelling story, illustrated in grayscale art, embraces a message of living harmoniously with all creatures. Characters present white.
Enjoyable and rich in themes and execution. (Graphic adventure. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781772621044
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Emanata
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning.
Two teens train to be society-sanctioned killers in an otherwise immortal world.
On post-mortal Earth, humans live long (if not particularly passionate) lives without fear of disease, aging, or accidents. Operating independently of the governing AI (called the Thunderhead since it evolved from the cloud), scythes rely on 10 commandments, quotas, and their own moral codes to glean the population. After challenging Hon. Scythe Faraday, 16-year-olds Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova reluctantly become his apprentices. Subjected to killcraft training, exposed to numerous executions, and discouraged from becoming allies or lovers, the two find themselves engaged in a fatal competition but equally determined to fight corruption and cruelty. The vivid and often violent action unfolds slowly, anchored in complex worldbuilding and propelled by political machinations and existential musings. Scythes’ journal entries accompany Rowan’s and Citra’s dual and dueling narratives, revealing both personal struggles and societal problems. The futuristic post–2042 MidMerican world is both dystopia and utopia, free of fear, unexpected death, and blatant racism—multiracial main characters discuss their diverse ethnic percentages rather than purity—but also lacking creativity, emotion, and purpose. Elegant and elegiac, brooding but imbued with gallows humor, Shusterman’s dark tale thrusts realistic, likable teens into a surreal situation and raises deep philosophic questions.
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning. (Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7242-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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