A pleasing sequel.
Readers return to the kingdom of Epoca, which Claire and her collaborator, Bryant, began with The Tree of Ecrof (2019).
Eleven-year-old Pretia, the irrepressible princess, accompanied by her now-best-friend, Rovi, reach the end of the ceremonial tour that anoints her as the Child of Hope, the royal offspring of the two dominant ethno-states, the Dreamers and the Realists. Pretia, who has finally divined her grana, or talent granted by the gods, will eventually rule the kingdom. Her particular gift is that she is able to split herself in two, with her shadow displaying impressive athletic prowess and allowing her to win competitions. However, Pretia’s parents, Queen Helena from the Realists and King Airos from the Dreamers, hear rumors that Rovi’s people, the street-urchin caste called the Star Stealers, have been rebelling and fear they will use the upcoming Junior Epic Games to mount a larger political protest. The royal couple forbids the princess from participating in the event in order to protect her and, ultimately, their rule. Rovi, whose own talent led to his recruitment to represent the king’s people at the games, vows to show that he deserves his spot on the team and to represent the Star Stealers' humanity. This sports-centered fantasy homage to ancient Greece entertainingly conveys an earthbound moral: Athletics can elevate individuals as they represent their cultures.
A pleasing sequel. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-949520-18-7
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Wholesome shading to bland, but well-stocked with exotic creatures and locales, plus an agreeable cast headed by a child...
A San Diego preteen learns that she’s an elf, with a place in magic school if she moves to the elves’ hidden realm.
Having felt like an outsider since a knock on the head at age 5 left her able to read minds, Sophie is thrilled when hunky teen stranger Fitz convinces her that she’s not human at all and transports her to the land of Lumenaria, where the ageless elves live. Taken in by a loving couple who run a sanctuary for extinct and mythical animals, Sophie quickly gathers friends and rivals at Foxfire, a distinctly Hogwarts-style school. She also uncovers both clues to her mysterious origins and hints that a rash of strangely hard-to-quench wildfires back on Earth are signs of some dark scheme at work. Though Messenger introduces several characters with inner conflicts and ambiguous agendas, Sophie herself is more simply drawn as a smart, radiant newcomer who unwillingly becomes the center of attention while developing what turn out to be uncommonly powerful magical abilities—reminiscent of the younger Harry Potter, though lacking that streak of mischievousness that rescues Harry from seeming a little too perfect. The author puts her through a kidnapping and several close brushes with death before leaving her poised, amid hints of a higher destiny and still-anonymous enemies, for sequels.
Wholesome shading to bland, but well-stocked with exotic creatures and locales, plus an agreeable cast headed by a child who, while overly fond of screaming, rises to every challenge. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4593-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: July 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2012
A satisfying, winning read.
Nick Hall is a bright eighth-grader who would rather do anything other than pay attention in class.
Instead he daydreams about soccer, a girl he likes, and an upcoming soccer tournament. His linguistics-professor father carefully watches his educational progress, requiring extra reading and word study, much to Nick’s chagrin and protest. Fortunately, his best friend, Coby, shares his passion for soccer—and, sadly, the unwanted attention of twin bullies in their school. Nick senses something is going on with his parents, but their announcement that they are separating is an unexpected blow: “it’s like a bombshell / drops / right in the center / of your heart / and it splatters / all across your life.” The stress leads to counseling, and his life is further complicated by injury and emergency surgery. His soccer dream derailed, Nick turns to the books he has avoided and finds more than he expected. Alexander’s highly anticipated follow-up to Newbery-winning The Crossover is a reflective narrative, with little of the first book’s explosive energy. What the mostly free-verse novel does have is a likable protagonist, great wordplay, solid teen and adult secondary characters, and a clear picture of the challenges young people face when self-identity clashes with parental expectations. The soccer scenes are vivid and will make readers wish for more, but the depiction of Nick as he unlocks his inner reader is smooth and believable.
A satisfying, winning read. (Fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-57098-6
Page Count: 320
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
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