All things considered, it’s a disappointing denouement.
The third and final installment of the Otherkin series reunites readers with Dez and the other shifters at Morfael’s school for otherkin just six weeks after their bittersweet triumph over Ximon and the Tribunal (Othermoon, 2013).
Despite a passionate new love, Dez can’t seem to shake the feelings of guilt over Siku’s tragic death and Caleb’s disappearance. Torn between her love for two brothers and the desire to know with certainty who she truly is and where she belongs, Dez once again finds herself battling demons from the Othersphere and confronting newfound and sometimes difficult truths about her biological family. Of the three books in the series, this is by far the weakest. Steamy love scenes are few and far between. Intriguing relationships, like the burgeoning lesbian love affair between London and Amaris, are never explored in any sort of meaningful or satisfying manner. And after spending the two previous novels loving to hate the deliciously evil Ximon, readers anxious for one final, climactic confrontation with the leader of the Tribunal will be left disappointed. While fans of the series may be left longing for the novel that could have been, Dez’s quest to belong remains an intriguing plotline, and there are enough action sequences and otherworldly adventures to keep readers from giving out halfway through.
All things considered, it’s a disappointing denouement. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7582-9238-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Kteen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2013
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 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
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