A gloriously absurd but overlong adventure.
Kosmos’ YA debut sees a schoolgirl rebel against an educational system that oppresses large-handed students.
Fourteen-year-old eighth grader Blaze Union lives on Puddin’ Head Island, a nation that venerates soccer and discriminates against the half of the population—those who have been deemed to have hands that are too large (known as “Bigs”). As a Big, Blaze is barred from leadership positions at school, only allowed to play defense in soccer, and generally treated as a second-class citizen. She rightly finds this unfair, and her ceaseless protesting and rebelliousness have caused her to be expelled from 22 different schools. Blaze’s burning ambition is to become education minister and reform the school system. She gets a chance to change things after she and her friend Chopper launch a punitive raid against inhabitants of Sweetie Island—the Puddin’ Head Islanders’ traditional enemies who, among other things, recently attacked the school with a cookie dough bomb. She and Chopper are judged to have performed a Noble Deed, and Blaze is rewarded by being made an “associate” education minister. She revels in the opportunity to be in charge, but the changes she attempts end in disaster. Eventually, however, she realizes the truth about anti-Big prejudice and the Sweeties conflict. Kosmos employs a conversational style throughout the narrative and portrays Blaze as larger than life but still relatable; the teen is fierce, determined, and angry at the injustice around her, yet also rather self-centered. Chopper does his best to temper her impetuosity, as Blaze’s intentions are good, but her methods more questionable—a point that’s made repeatedly. For the most part, though, a sense of silliness carries the day, and Blaze’s escapades are often delightfully funny. Still, the novel’s nearly 400-page length may prove daunting to some YA readers, especially as the pacing is uniform throughout. Anyone who enjoys wild shenanigans for their own sake, however, will appreciate the extra pages.
A gloriously absurd but overlong adventure.Pub Date: June 7, 2023
ISBN: 979-8988315100
Page Count: 402
Publisher: Wise Wit Press, LLC
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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