A compelling, surprising, and entertaining saga that’s literally out of this world.
Chatine, Marcellus, and Alouette learn that their planet, Laterre, and its people are under threat by the very man charged with protecting it.
A radical group called the Red Scar rapidly gains momentum among the Third Estate while the established Vangarde rebels seek information about a mysterious weapon commissioned by Gen. Bonnefaçon. Narrative perspective jumps between the three teen protagonists as they each experience profound moments of growth that ultimately lead them back to one another with the courage and conviction to sabotage the general's evil plot. Alouette learns about the parents who abandoned her and the women who raised her; Marcellus questions the ongoing conflict between his home, Laterre, and nearby planet Albion; Chatine, trapped on the prison moon Bastille, reevaluates her own identity. In the tradition of Star Wars and The Hunger Games, the trio’s heroic efforts are supported and challenged by a motley crew of new friends and foes, who (thankfully) complicate the previous book’s love-triangle dynamic. Subtle descriptors of hair texture and color suggest that several new friends may be people of color; however, skin color is not explicitly described. The expanded cast of complex, predominantly female characters successfully carries elements of both buddy comedy and sociological critique.
A compelling, surprising, and entertaining saga that’s literally out of this world. (map) (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: March 24, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1066-4
Page Count: 688
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner.
A young woman pursues a dangerous quest in late-1800s Egypt in this sequel to What the River Knows (2023).
After Inez Olivera was nearly murdered while assisting with her uncle’s archaeological expedition in Egypt, Tío Ricardo is eager to ship her home to safety in Argentina. But Inez burns with the need to stay and make sure that those who committed crimes against her family are held responsible. Unfortunately, the law precludes Inez, as a young unmarried woman, from accessing her inheritance (needed to fund her quest for justice) without her guardian uncle’s permission. Whitford Hayes, a former British soldier and her tío’s aide-de-camp, proposes marriage, which could solve her problems. But can Inez trust the secretive Whit? More danger and intrigue lurk at every turn in this exciting duology closer, which fully addresses the first entry’s jaw-dropping cliffhanger. The well-paced plot encompasses many fresh, new adventures and betrayals in this reimagined historical setting in which ancient magic abounds and not everyone or everything is what it seems. Even more captivating, however, is the complicated, nuanced love story between Whit and Inez. Their chemistry sizzles, but their relationship is achingly layered with both profound loyalty and deep deception. As their journey unearths new enemies and priceless archaeological finds, the duo must try to trust each other enough to survive.
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner. (cast of characters, map, timeline) (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822994
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2024
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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