A thoughtful fantasy novel for young adults that spotlights the problem of human trafficking in the United States.
In Staback and Kennedy’s YA fantasy novel, twin sisters navigate their intertwined destinies shaped by an ancestral connection to the ancient goddess Andarta.
The story opens on the Senmarian Fjords in 966 C.E., where the Viking leader Brennhir Torox prepares his army for battle. Kimbel Murphy, a leader of the Senmarian tribes, invokes the Norse goddess Andarta with the aid of his Druid priest, Cathbad. Kimbel, aided by Andarta, beheads Brennhir, and a mystical sword absorbs the goddess—the sword is then guarded by a dragon called Tyrell. The story shifts to present-day Illinois and focuses on twins Clara and Emilia Benning and their friend Gabriel Contreras; when 10-year-old Gabriel is swept up by Leandro Mammon’s human trafficking operation, he is forced to work on the Rosales-Guermo Strawberry Farm in California. While on a family trip to London, the twins discover that their ancestors were the followers of Andarta. The narrative follows the twins through high school and college; Clara pursues nursing while Emilia studies law and activism. Meanwhile, Gabriel endures horrors while working on the farm. Once the twins graduate, they move to Forest Hills, a suburb of Seraphim City in Southern California. The twins temporarily separate, Clara remaining in California while Emilia attends Hereford Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While in Cambridge, Emilia meets Kara (secretly the Norse goddess of love and war), who sets her up with an internship with a judge. Kara accidentally calls Emilia by the name Andarta, which summons the goddess to possess Emilia’s body. Andarta scolds Kara for her inefficiency in awakening the twins to their destinies. After the twins graduate from their respective programs, Emilia sets out to try her first human trafficking case, which she wins. Later, she randomly encounters Gabriel at a produce stand; they undertake a mission to free the people imprisoned by the strawberry farm.
Staback and Kennedy excel in creating rich characters in Emilia and Clara, but the story’s pacing is inconsistent; the first half of the book follows the characters as they navigate high school and college, with only a few short scenes that reference Gabriel’s ongoing plight or any divine interactions with Andarta. At other times (as in the case of Clara and Gabriel’s eventual romance), the story moves too fast. Readers may also be confused by the worldbuilding: It is established that there is a council of gods from various pantheons—however, there’s an unclear distinction between these gods and the god of Abrahamic religions. This disconnect is jarring when Emilia says to Gabriel, “Gabriel is the name of one of God’s most important angels...Gabriel itself is one of the coolest names there is!” Even so, the story boasts a compelling premise and champions justice for victims of human trafficking (the book’s aftermatter includes a detailed breakdown of the issue along with a phone number that forwards callers to a relevant hotline).
A thoughtful fantasy novel for young adults that spotlights the problem of human trafficking in the United States.Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2024
ISBN: 9781958487099
Page Count: 472
Publisher: Page Turner Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 18, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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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