A prep-school boy blackmailed for shoplifting, a classmate involved in alchemy, and a vampiric magician collecting other people’s powers are embroiled in a test of wills and powers that threatens their very lives. Quando the Magician, like Carmody Braque in Mahy’s The Changeover (1988), wants to suck the life and power out of his victims to enhance his own power, and Roland Fairfield, age 17, is his pawn. Roland, initially only concerned with saving his relationship with his beautiful girlfriend and protecting his reputation as prefect at Crichton Academy, ends up falling in love with Jess Ferret, fighting evil forces, and learning something about friendship, family, and the value of everyday life. Jess lives by herself in a big, mysterious house frozen in time. An alchemist, but not the turn-lead-into-gold kind, Jess urges Roland to learn the alchemists’ intuitive way of apprehending the everyday world—appreciating the ordinary, overlooked pleasures of colors, sounds, books, flowers, ice cream, and the lovely messiness of family life. Jess and Roland have powers not fully tested, and it is in their alliance that they are able to hold off Quando and, like alchemists, make something new out of their lives. The elements of Mahy’s best young-adult novels are here—the supernatural presence, the young protagonists with untested powers, the tribute to love and everyday family life, and rich language—but too much is explained and the resolution is quick after a carefully developed plot. Still, as a tale with likable protagonists, a ghastly villain, and ghostly special effects, it offers a thrilling ride. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: April 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-689-85053-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2003
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
Come for the forbidden romance and interpersonal machinations rather than the titular Games.
Bly’s world is filled with vampires, witches, and humans like herself.
Vampires and witches live under an uneasy peace, but for two weeks each year, they play the Revenant Games. During this time, humans can choose a side, try to capture a member of the opposing faction, and claim a reward: The witches will raise someone from the dead, while the vampires will grant you immortality. Bly enters in hopes of winning her sister Elise’s resurrection. During preparations for the Games, however, Emerson, her best friend and crush, receives a death curse from a witch that can only be cured if he attains immortality. The two team up, playing for both sides in an attempt to save both Emerson and Elise. But when they capture a vampire called Kerrigan, and Bly’s feelings for him get complicated, she faces difficult decisions. This book’s real draw is the abundant drama between the players. The Games themselves mostly feel like walks through the woods punctuated by occasional battles, and the explanation for the witches’ and vampires’ incentives to risk their lives is unconvincing, making the overall setup feel contrived. Fans of traditional vampires will enjoy the book’s portrayal of these velvet-wearing creatures, however. The abrupt ending sets things up to be continued in a possible sequel. Bly is cued white; Emerson has dark brown skin, and supporting characters bring diversity in skin color and sexual orientation.
Come for the forbidden romance and interpersonal machinations rather than the titular Games. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781665934411
Page Count: 416
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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