The last few pages set up the inevitable sequel; if it is as entertaining as this tale, it can’t come soon enough.
Romance takes a back seat to suspense in this sequel to Alienated (2014).
Star-crossed lovers Aelyx and Cara Sweeney are wrenched galaxies apart after the near-catastrophic collapse of the human-L’eihr student-exchange program. He is ordered on a goodwill tour of Earth to repair the interplanetary alliance; she is dispatched to the L’eihr equivalent of high school. Neither mission fares well: Terrorists keep trying to assassinate Aelyx, and Cara learns that prejudice and bullying aren’t unique to humanity. Worse still, they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot threatening both worlds. While retaining the alternating viewpoints and distinctive voices of the first title, the protagonists’ forced separation for nearly the entire story paradoxically gives greater depth and authenticity to their romance. Without the hazy glow of adolescent hormones, each learns to turn a critical eye upon the flaws of their native societies while confronting genuine obstacles to a future together. These complications only underscore the growing sense of menace—from overt threats, hidden betrayals and possibly a third alien species—tensions that propel the narrative to an action-packed climax. If Cara’s final decision, with all its unlikely consequences, strains belief…well, it’s not inconsistent with the characters and cultures present from the first.
The last few pages set up the inevitable sequel; if it is as entertaining as this tale, it can’t come soon enough. (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4231-6949-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2014
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
BOOK REVIEW
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