This companion to the stellar A Thousand Nights shares the trappings but not the spirit.
A blonde, brown-skinned princess, cursed at a birthday party to a certain death and saved by a weak magic that promises sleep instead, all tied to a spindle: you know where this one is going, although this is as much reinterpretation as retelling.
Generations after the Storyteller Queen defeated the demon who controlled a king and killed his many wives (A Thousand Nights, 2015), demons remain imprisoned, but one has spent the time plotting and growing stronger. Kharuf and Qamih, rival kingdoms, are the demon’s pawns, particularly cruel Prince Maram and lovely Princess Zahrah, the Little Rose, cursed to become a vehicle for the demon. Narrated by spinner and fighter Yashaa, who, with the help of three friends, rescues and then eventually falls in love with Zahrah, this retelling is needlessly complicated. It depends too much on familiarity with the companion novel and does little with its Middle Eastern influences; indeed, such flourishes as gold-dust–trailing piskeys and sprites seem Disney-fied, while the demons here are purely evil rather than complex natural forces. The often lovely writing and the surprising and original ending can’t redeem the underdeveloped characters, unsubtle repeat imagery, or bland romance.
This companion to the stellar A Thousand Nights shares the trappings but not the spirit. (Fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4847-2228-2
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
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
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
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