Strong storytelling unfolds in a vivid fantasy world.
In this sequel to Abeni’s Song (2023), two teen girls’ paths cross: one who’s bound to the work of a spirit of destruction and one who’s dedicated to protecting a spirit of creation.
Fulan is the 16-year-old adopted daughter of the Witch Priest, who’s amassing a massive, unrelenting army to remake the world. Fulan has the shape of a teardrop on her forehead—her father’s mark, which connects her to his power and his voice. She wants to lead one of his armies, but the Witch Priest instead sends her off, accompanied by a man called the Huntsman, to capture reborn spirit Asha and her guardian, Abeni. Thirteen-year-old Abeni, whom readers met in the series opener, is looking for both the Storm Women who ravaged her village and the elder spirits who can protect Asha, who was her village’s local witch and now, in the form of a little girl, must relearn her powers. Asha and Abeni are accompanied by flutist Songu, a traumatized nonspeaking boy, Zaneeya, a shape-shifting panther girl, and Nyomi, a porcupine spirit. A dramatic encounter with the Gold Weavers forces them to change their plans, and their original quest is made even more complicated by detours and complicated bargains. Clark’s worldbuilding connects readers even more deeply to this mythical African-inspired world. The strong character development combined with the humorous elements will resonate with a broad range of readers.
Strong storytelling unfolds in a vivid fantasy world. (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: April 29, 2025
ISBN: 9781250825858
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Starscape/Tor
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic.
Chainani works an elaborate sea change akin to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked (1995), though he leaves the waters muddied.
Every four years, two children, one regarded as particularly nice and the other particularly nasty, are snatched from the village of Gavaldon by the shadowy School Master to attend the divided titular school. Those who survive to graduate become major or minor characters in fairy tales. When it happens to sweet, Disney princess–like Sophie and her friend Agatha, plain of features, sour of disposition and low of self-esteem, they are both horrified to discover that they’ve been dropped not where they expect but at Evil and at Good respectively. Gradually—too gradually, as the author strings out hundreds of pages of Hogwarts-style pranks, classroom mishaps and competitions both academic and romantic—it becomes clear that the placement wasn’t a mistake at all. Growing into their true natures amid revelations and marked physical changes, the two spark escalating rivalry between the wings of the school. This leads up to a vicious climactic fight that sees Good and Evil repeatedly switching sides. At this point, readers are likely to feel suddenly left behind, as, thanks to summary deus ex machina resolutions, everything turns out swell(ish).
Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic. (Fantasy. 11-13)Pub Date: May 14, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-210489-2
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
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