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THE QUEST TO UNITE US

BOOK I OF THE MARCUS SANTANA TIME TRAVEL CHRONICLES

A familiar but engaging and thoughtful time travel tale.

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A modern American teen is pulled back in time to help out Benjamin Franklin in this debut YA novel.

Unlike the rest of his family—his father, his mother, and his brother, Gus, who was killed in the War in Afghanistan—Marcus Santana has no interest in history. He doesn’t even care about Benjamin Franklin even though his family home in Philadelphia abuts Franklin Court, where the famous statesman and inventor used to live. All this changes on his 17th birthday, when the struggling high school student and aspiring actor is accidentally sucked into a strange blue light in his basement. When he’s spat out on the other side, he’s still in a basement, but a strange old man is staring down at him: “His high, pale forehead looms dome-like and alien…his yellow-ish, bloodshot eyes study me….I realize I’m looking at them through the man’s glasses: round, thick lenses with horizontal lines through the middle, set in heavy, gray-metal frames.” The man, of course, is Franklin, and the year is 1787. Not only that, Franklin tells Marcus that he’s visited the statesman before. But those other visits, while in Franklin’s past, appear to still be in Marcus’ future. The portal closes behind him, leaving Marcus trapped in the past with no money, friends, or means of getting home. Franklin forces Marcus to work to earn his keep—a fact that the teen bristles at—but the boy’s knowledge of shorthand makes him the perfect candidate to be the inventor’s “amanuensis.” The next four months are a period of tremendous importance to Franklin, as the most important men in the country have gathered to figure out a way in which the nation should be governed. Marcus will find himself right in the middle of it, and all he can do is hope he won’t screw anything up that will change the face of American history.

In this series opener, de Rham’s prose is lively and humorous, making the most of Marcus’ fish-out-of-water situation: “The mood in Franklin’s garden is festive. The ale, wine, and rum flow. Elise passes amongst the committee members, offering oysters and clams, and drawing more than one appreciative look, which makes me jealous. Franklin has me bring down his glass ’armonica, the musical instrument he invented.” The premise is admittedly a clichéd one, and all the expected beats arrive on time. The requisite Founding Fathers turn up, and a good deal of the book is focused on the composition of the Constitution. For this reason, certain sections of the novel feel predictably didactic—more in the way of 1776 than Hamilton. Still, the author attempts to deal with the less romantic aspects of the time period as well, particularly slavery via the character of Franklin’s Black servant, Elise. Marcus is an endearingly petulant protagonist, and the portrait of Franklin is a surprisingly complex one: He manages to come off as charming, boorish, altruistic, and hypocritical all at once. The volume feels a bit long, in part because there isn’t much suspense regarding either the fate of the Congress or the destinies of the protagonists. That said, the work has more depth than readers will expect, and it will leave them curious as to what other important events Marcus will bear witness to.

A familiar but engaging and thoughtful time travel tale.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Manuscript

Review Posted Online: July 14, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020

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WINGS OF STARLIGHT

A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship.

Shortly before the new queen’s coronation, a monster wreaks havoc, forcing a young fairy princess to intervene at her own risk.

In Pixie Hollow, the Never Fairies of Spring, Summer, and Autumn work to create seasons for the humans on the Mainland, while the fairies of Winter remain apart in the Winter Woods. Clarion, a governing-talent fairy who’s soon to take over as queen of Pixie Hollow, often looks wonderingly at the Winter Woods. But crossing the border is against the rules set forth by her mentor, Queen Elvina. When a monster from Winter breaks free and enters Spring, Clarion bristles at Elvina’s dismissal. Determined to be involved, she secretly travels to Winter, meets with Milori, the Warden of the Winter Woods, and learns that the land is nothing like what she’s heard, making her wonder what else the queen has been untruthful about. Together Milori and Clarion work to discover the secrets of Pixie Hollow, which may save them—or lead to death. Set in a magical place of flowers and pixie dust, this story considers the control we have over the roles we’re assigned. Clarion is a beautifully complex character—strong yet insecure, lovable due to her willingness to prioritize relationships over rules. Themes of fear, forbidden love, and good vs. evil are present in this fast-paced, engaging tale. Main characters are cued white.

A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship. (Fantasy. 12-18)

Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025

ISBN: 9781368098458

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Disney Press

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024

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POWERLESS

From the Powerless Trilogy series , Vol. 1

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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