“I am Jonas. I am dead,” opens Anna’s older brother whose body was ravished by AIDS five years ago. Now, in Belgium in 1999, Anna and her family are still haunted by Jonas’s death, as well that of her oldest brother, Michael, who died three years ago, along with his girlfriend, Marta, both of whom were working for UNICEF in Bosnia when their Land Rover struck a mine. They are troubled more by Michael’s death, however, because medical examiners could not identify the bodies with absolute certainty. About to graduate from high school in a few days, Anna receives a letter from Hugo, Michael’s best friend, stating that he has been in contact with Marta and that Michael may be alive. Why write to Anna? Out of everyone who knew both Jonas and Michael, Anna has a future ahead of her. So begin family secrets, meetings with new friends and friends from the past, connections to Serbian nationalists Arkan and Slobodan Milosevic, and Anna’s role in bringing the past and future together. Simoen, in his debut, divides the novel into three distinct parts. The first presents the cast of characters through chapters told from their own points of view, but it’s not until the second part, which presents the problem and focuses solely on Anna, that it takes on the feel of a YA story. The conclusion comes about in a letter to a key player who assisted both Jonas and Michael. The intriguing plot, driven by extremely realistic dialogue and interior monologues, reveals Simoen’s background as a dramatist. Although the original Dutch text was award-winning, this translation into British English will only be appreciated by the most sophisticated teen readers who are familiar with details of recent Balkan history and who can identify with the emotions and life experiences of Anna and the adults around her. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-8027-8808-4
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2002
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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