A strong start to a new adventure series.
A boy is pursued by divine beings after he accidentally receives a murdered god’s powers in this series opener populated with West African characters.
Aboki is often bullied for the “curse markings” on his face, but after the other kids ditch him while playing in the forest, he finds a seed that was thrown into space by celestial god Olorun and landed near his village. The seed turns Aboki into an Orisha, a mortal blessed with divine powers. E’shu, the guardian of the Orisha seed that Aboki found, tries to tell him that the seed is being hunted by Olorun’s killer, but before he can fully explain the situation, they’re attacked, first by a voodoo beast and then by Shango, the Lightning Orisha, both of whom are seeking the seed. Now on the run, Aboki must find a way to prove that he can be trusted with the seed’s power before he, too, is killed. Despite the light character development, the fast pace, dynamic action sequences, and plot twists will keep readers engaged and rooting for Aboki and his traveling companions. Regular readers of adventure manga series like Naruto and My Hero Academia will find the premise familiar, but the use of West African mythology by a Nigerian graphic novelist adds a fresh perspective. Featuring a bold, detailed art style and marvelous character designs, this is a worthy addition to any graphic novel collection.
A strong start to a new adventure series. (Manga. 13-18)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780760390320
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Rockport Publishers
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 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
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
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