An engaging coming-of-age tale that quickly takes wing.
In Wright’s debut YA fantasy novel, a teenage girl must decide whether to make a deal with a devil.
Lesley Robinson managed to make it all the way to high school without knowing anything about her absent father or that her mother has been hiding a huge secret. While visiting kindly old neighbor Mrs. McKee, the elderly woman surprisingly reveals that Lesley’s mother is a witch and that she senses “a great change” in the teen’s near future. The girl never imagined that change would also involve finding out that her father is a demon—specifically, her dad is an incubus and a servant of Asmodeus, a powerful demon prince. The surprises continue as Lesley develops horns, batlike wings, and even a tail. When Lesley is no longer able to hide her true nature, she and her mother move to Misty Hollow, a haven for fae creatures like herself. Now she must deal with a new town, a new school, and Asmodeus himself, who shows up to stake a claim on Lesley as his newest servant. When he offers her a chance to learn magic—including a spell that would allow her to appear human again and possibly return to her old life—she strongly considers striking a bargain. In this fantasy novel, Wright offers readers a brisk tale of a young half-demon as she struggles to decide her own fate. The plot moves along with some speed, as when Lesley goes from learning about her ancestry to starting to grow wings in the space of only a few pages. It results in a sense of consistent forward momentum that will likely keep younger readers interested and invested. Wright keeps the action intriguing by introducing a host of other creatures in Lesley’s new school, including such monstrous types as vampires, werewolves, and harpies, among others. Overall, it makes for an offbeat blend of brand-new fae creatures and beloved familiar ones.
An engaging coming-of-age tale that quickly takes wing.Pub Date: Oct. 31, 2022
ISBN: 979-8986709826
Page Count: 222
Publisher: Battle Crow Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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