Months after The Inferior (2008) left off, this sequel finds cannibal Stopmouth journeying from the primitive surface where he lives to the high-tech world of the Roof, abandoning his tribe to save them.
When Diggers close in on the Havens Stopmouth protects, he can't wait any longer for Indrani to return with weapons. The tribe's survival depends on Stopmouth's traveling to the Roof's advanced civilization to retrieve weapons and his wife. The reveals about the world of the Roof—both from Stopmouth's perspective and a new Roof-dwelling character's close third-person point of view—answer questions previously raised about the nature of Stopmouth's world while expanding into themes of morality and the nature civilization. The Roof is also endangered—a virus attacking nanotechnology renders society impotent, overcrowded and in crisis. The crisis inflames tensions between Seculars and Religious. The factions' power struggle's lynchpin is the missing Indrani, valued for a secret everyone needs to know—Stopmouth must somehow navigate this strange culture to get to her first. While sometimes disorienting through confusing plot points and lack of anchoring description, the rich characters and themes of moral ambiguity thrive in well-paced prose that encourages readers to overlook flaws. Eventually, the stakes have been raised just about as high as possible, inviting strong-stomached readers to return for the next book to see how the characters go about fixing their worlds. (Science fiction. 13 & up)
Pub Date: March 13, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-385-75149-0
Page Count: 448
Publisher: David Fickling/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
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
Come for the forbidden romance and interpersonal machinations rather than the titular Games.
Bly’s world is filled with vampires, witches, and humans like herself.
Vampires and witches live under an uneasy peace, but for two weeks each year, they play the Revenant Games. During this time, humans can choose a side, try to capture a member of the opposing faction, and claim a reward: The witches will raise someone from the dead, while the vampires will grant you immortality. Bly enters in hopes of winning her sister Elise’s resurrection. During preparations for the Games, however, Emerson, her best friend and crush, receives a death curse from a witch that can only be cured if he attains immortality. The two team up, playing for both sides in an attempt to save both Emerson and Elise. But when they capture a vampire called Kerrigan, and Bly’s feelings for him get complicated, she faces difficult decisions. This book’s real draw is the abundant drama between the players. The Games themselves mostly feel like walks through the woods punctuated by occasional battles, and the explanation for the witches’ and vampires’ incentives to risk their lives is unconvincing, making the overall setup feel contrived. Fans of traditional vampires will enjoy the book’s portrayal of these velvet-wearing creatures, however. The abrupt ending sets things up to be continued in a possible sequel. Bly is cued white; Emerson has dark brown skin, and supporting characters bring diversity in skin color and sexual orientation.
Come for the forbidden romance and interpersonal machinations rather than the titular Games. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781665934411
Page Count: 416
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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