Despite its length, a largely thrilling read.
After discovering her true identity, a young Black woman brought to England by a slave trader must contend with the responsibilities of possessing the power to forge her future.
This sequel to Bones of Ruin (2021) begins in 1884 London with an unsettled Iris trying to gather information regarding her newly discovered identity as a Hiva—an immortal, all-powerful being capable of destroying worlds. The alternating third-person narration brings in wealthy White Adam’s detached and calculating perspective as he attempts to salvage his ruined plans and make Iris into his tool. Readers also meet Fables, a White-passing biracial man in Oklahoma, who follows a different Hiva. The information Iris seeks sets her on a far-reaching journey across Paris, the open seas, the Kingdom of Dahomey, and the site of an ancient civilization. Along the way, she must continually reconcile with her deepest desire to live in peace (with or without her powers) or succumb to what everyone believes is her ultimate purpose. Iris’ plight brings together a diverse range of characters old and new, culminating in a shocking cliffhanger that will have readers looking forward to the trilogy’s conclusion. The straightforward writing examines the intersection of race and gender and how they can affect power as Iris battles influences from every direction. While there are plenty of action-packed scenes and detailed descriptions of deaths, some readers may struggle with the narrative’s repetitive nature.
Despite its length, a largely thrilling read. (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 18, 2023
ISBN: 9781534453593
Page Count: 432
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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