Readers will find favorite tales of mermaid lore in this collection, brimming with myth and magic.
A seaworthy anthology featuring stories as original as they are enchanting by a range of beloved YA authors.
This inclusive anthology welcomes readers into worlds where mermaids long for acceptance, fall in love, and ignite social change. In Adriana Herrera’s “Sea Wolf in Prince’s Clothing,” a siren living in an archipelago of seven kingdoms where her people are forced to breed is determined to avenge her sister, who died at the hands of an evil prince. Katherine Locke’s “Nor’Easter” tells the story of a Polish immigrant family’s survival during the Great Nor’Easter of 1962, aided by Lem, a mer who feels trapped by a deadname in a “body that feels foreign.” “The Deepwater Vandal,” by Darcie Little Badger, follows Cassia as she enlists the help of a dangerous sea-born criminal and tries to find her father, who was transformed into a leviathan. Julian Winters’ “We’ll Always Have June” is a story of romance and growth in which Cyrus, a merboy with deep brown skin and dark locs, rescues Kai from drowning. These entries are particular standouts, but each one offers a take on mermaids that expands the literature portraying these well-loved cryptids. Themes of self-discovery and bonds with nature recur throughout this anthology that features effortless and extensive queer representation.
Readers will find favorite tales of mermaid lore in this collection, brimming with myth and magic. (contributor biographies) (Anthology. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250823816
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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
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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