A satisfying duology closer.
Saoirse Sorkova embarks on a perilous journey in this follow-up to Sing Me To Sleep (2023).
One week after the tumultuous events of the first book, Saoirse is a fugitive, brokenhearted over the betrayal by her former best friend, Carrik Solwey. Hayes, the newly crowned king, struggles with self-confidence as he aspires to undo his father’s oppressive legacy, which includes the creation of an impenetrable barrier. Inside, water fae dominate, humans are at the bottom, and sirens like Saoirse are forbidden. Outside, the promise of a more just world beckons Saoirse to imagine a place where she and her much-loved sister, Rain, can live without persecution. With a growing Resistance army threatening to invade Keirdre, Hayes directs Saoirse and Carrik to investigate what lies beyond the barrier. Off they go, their explorations and dangerous encounters with curious new creatures seamlessly expanding on the previously established expert worldbuilding of this fantasy universe centering on Black and brown characters. Returning readers who appreciated Saoirse’s cunning ways and stealthy fighting skills will be pleased: In search of a more mature self-understanding, she wrestles with forgiveness as she hones her killer instincts and her innate ability to manipulate others. Even if the pacing plods at times, given the greater emphasis on political strategy and the relatively little time devoted to the steamy romance that made the earlier volume so alluring, readers will celebrate as Saoirse reaches for the vulnerability and honesty that unconditional love requires.
A satisfying duology closer. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2024
ISBN: 9781547610419
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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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