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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener.
Teens from different social spheres collaborate, investigating magical mysteries while navigating their shared attraction.
When 18-year-old Wren Hayes doesn’t receive a magical gift from the three Fates—Dawn, Day, and Dusk—she’s shunned by Aurilian high society. Unbeknownst to Wren, 19-year-old Damien, a thief from the Void (a part of the city she’s forbidden to visit) has taken the locket that should have been her gift from the Fates. He’s shocked to discover a photo of himself inside. Using his own Fates’ gift—a mirror with powers of invisibility—Damien infiltrates a party and steals a silver watch from a guest. But his gift isn’t fully functioning, and Wren tackles him, sending them both tumbling into the mud. They tussle and exchange flirty barbs before Damien makes off with his prize, losing Wren’s locket in the process. Unsure why someone from the Void would possess such a gift and determined to uncover why hers was “unjustly kept” from her, Wren tracks down Damien. Seeking answers of his own, he agrees to work with her. Their well-crafted dance of desire and restraint is on point (“She stifled a stunned noise as I placed a menacing kiss—a mere graze of my lips—on the back of her hand”), melding seamlessly with the plot. The story addresses sexism, privilege, and wealth while hurtling the characters into a whirlwind of action and disturbing revelations. Wren presents white, and Damien has tanned skin.
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener. (map) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9798217117215
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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