A skittering end to an ambitious series.
Feathers fly in this conclusion to the Skybound Saga trilogy.
The war between earth and sky continues as hundreds of ghost eagles terrorize the Six Villages. Pieced-together nets and caves offer some protection, but the Six Villages have become overcrowded. Enemies are trapped in the same metaphorical cage, fighting for food and territory as Uztari society verges on collapse. Though everyone seems to be a pawn or prey in the ghost eagles’ game, twins Kylee and Brysen are at the center of it all. The birds communicate with the siblings through nightmares and visions, eventually leading them to find the giant egg of a black eagle. Brysen wants to protect it. Kylee wants to destroy it. Whoever gets their hands (or talons) on it, will it really bring an end to this war? Following the battle-heavy Red Skies Falling (2019), this final entry effectively ties up many of the loose threads while maintaining a constant wingbeat of danger and intrigue. As in previous books, London’s omniscient third-person narration glides in and out of characters’ heads to keep the intricate plot moving. Readers expecting compelling character arcs may come away disappointed, as the twins start to feel like broken records. The biggest disappointment, however, is the ending. While the revealed fantasy history draws strong emotional parallels to real-life history, the conclusion ultimately nose-dives into mixed messages about justice.
A skittering end to an ambitious series. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-374-30689-2
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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