Readers would be better served by a camp story not stuck in a self-imposed narrative chokehold.
A retelling of Much Ado about Nothing set at a summer camp.
Bee and Hana Leonato’s parents run Camp Dogberry, and this summer the sisters and other returning counselors have come prepared for drama. Everybody seems to have a history with or crush on someone else, and Bee’s and Hana’s will-they-or-won’t-they with counselors Ben and Claudia, respectively, are the subject of the other counselors’ scheming and gossip. Donald and John (guess who they are avatars of!) cause trouble and get in everyone’s way as the group of counselors try to trick the two couples into revealing their feelings for each other. Add to that Ben and Bee’s memories of what may or may not have happened last summer, when Ben declared that he wouldn’t be back next year. Through alternating perspectives, Booth (Saving Hamlet, 2016) constructs a comedy of errors enacted almost exclusively during noncamp events. Campers and traditional camp activities are side stories to the drama of being a counselor with an amount of freedom that stretches credibility. Bee is adopted from Ethiopia, while the other cast members are so vaguely described as to be assumed white. The concept of the novel is pitch-perfect; the execution is muddled, with no distinct character voices and a plot that is followable only if readers know the source material.
Readers would be better served by a camp story not stuck in a self-imposed narrative chokehold. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 15, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4847-5302-6
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
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
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
