An enjoyable sequel in a well-oiled coming-of-age series.
This follow-up to Marquis’ charming bestselling debut continues the saga of young, Black Chicagoans in the early 20th century.
It’s been several weeks since the masquerade ball for Ruby’s father’s political campaign, and she’s eager to solidify her social status as a newlywed and the daughter of Chicago’s first Black mayor. But after Ruby and her parents learn of horrible rumors, their aspirations fall prey to uncertainty and chaos. Meanwhile, Olivia, Ruby’s best friend, focuses on building political power among local Black women, but her parents continue to pressure her to marry. They’re unaware of her star-crossed, long-distance entanglement. “Life can’t be just about work…What about love?” younger sister Helen asks Olivia. To which she replies, “Who said my decision wasn’t for love?” Helen may be open to romance, but she also concocts an ambitious plan to prepare the family’s carriage company for a horseless future. Ultimately, she must collaborate with a young man she finds irritating to pull it off. Domestic-worker-turned-entrepreneur Amy-Rose tries to keep her mind off Davenport business heir apparent John, but new circumstances make that tricky. The Davenport universe, which has history, humor, and heart baked into it, maintains its continuity in this volume, and Marquis will satisfy fans with the characters’ expanding narratives. The breezy and fluid prose supports the love-filled merry-go-round of will-they-won’t-they storylines.
An enjoyable sequel in a well-oiled coming-of-age series. (Historical fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2024
ISBN: 9780593463369
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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