A roller coaster of entertainment, emotions, and political machination.
Following the events of Iron Widow (2021), Wu Zetian brings the fight to the heavens in this second entry in a trilogy infused with Chinese lore.
A prologue introduces Qin Zheng, conqueror of the metallic buglike enemies the Hunduns and the powerful Chrysalises and their pilots. But people are succumbing to the rapidly spreading flowerpox that liquifies one’s organs. After Qin Zheng is infected, he asks to be frozen until a cure is found. Over 200 years later, he’s revived by Zetian, a Chrysalis pilot in the heat of an airborne battle who needs his help. They crash, and Zetian awakens to find that Qin Zheng, who’s been cured, has reclaimed the mantle of Emperor of Huaxia, aggressively implementing many social reforms. Qin Zheng and Zetian’s relationship is initially tenuous; she’s declared empress as part of a mutually beneficial arrangement but faces resistance from the people and the emperor’s advisors. However, Qin Zheng’s dismantling of oppressive systems of patriarchy and social stratification eventually win over Zetian, who joins him in his secret mission to take down the gods, who he believes are profiting from the ongoing war. The strong worldbuilding lays a foundation for a story that explores social issues, contains a steamy romance, and delves into Zetian’s internal battles, although, despite the book’s length, readers may wish for fuller development of each theme.
A roller coaster of entertainment, emotions, and political machination. (author’s note, element guide, Chrysalis guide) (Science fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9780735269989
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring.
When Death-Cast doesn’t call, fate intertwines the lives of two boys, both haunted by their pasts and with futures they can’t escape.
In this third installment of the series that opened with 2017’s They Both Die at the End, Paz Dario waits every night for Death-Cast to call—as it should have for his father nearly 10 years ago, when Paz shot him to save his mother’s life. But the call never comes. Death-Cast killed Paz’s dreams of an acting career: No one will hire him now because the world sees him as a villain. When Paz tries (not for the first time) to put an end to his suffering, an unexpected encounter with Alano Rosa, the heir of Death-Cast, stops him. Both in a place of desperation, Alano and Paz sign a contract to live for Begin Days instead of waiting for their End Days. As suspenseful and emotionally wrenching as the previous titles in the series, this new installment explores heavy themes of abuse, mental health, self-harm, and suicide. Paz grapples with a recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Silvera surrounds Alano and Paz with a web of complex relationships. Although the protagonists fall fast for one another and form a deep connection over Alano’s desire to support Paz, Silvera emphasizes the importance of professional help. Both Alano and Paz have Puerto Rican heritage. The cliffhanger ending promises more to come.
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring. (content warning, resources) (Speculative fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780063240858
Page Count: 720
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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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