A devastating, essential journey.
Debut author Finch tackles sexual assault, toxic masculinity, and grief with precision and courage.
James “Spence” Spencer lives in a small English town where he plays rugby with best friends Anthony Mansbridge and Gary “Worm” Worley. Anthony’s constant harassment of women and immense wealth situate him as the respected leader of the group. At a party, Anthony sexually assaults artsy classmate Clara Hart, who flees into the night, drunk and on foot, and is hit by a car and killed. The next day, Spence wakes up to find it is the previous morning; he is stuck in a time loop. As Spence begins each morning desperate to control the events of the coming day and save Clara, he also grapples with its being the first anniversary of his mother’s death. The book’s structure is perfectly paced with superb attention to detail as each day unfolds differently. Reliving events also allows Spence to grow in his own awareness of the impact of Anthony’s devastating behavior while giving space and value to Clara’s and other young women’s stories, showcasing Finch’s strong character development. Some dark humor lightens the heavy mood, but the sexism and misogyny are revisited relentlessly, fully implicating this group of boys who have made countless decisions every day to disrespect the girls in their lives. The centering of a male narrator grappling with grief makes this story required reading, shining a light on patriarchal norms all young men deal with. Major characters read White.
A devastating, essential journey. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 13, 2023
ISBN: 9781915071026
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little Island
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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