A gripping, magical tale of sisterhood and strength.
A retelling of the Medusa tale set within a world infused with Indian lore that follows a sexual assault survivor whose powers enable her to seek vengeance.
In this reimagining of the myth of Medusa, with influences from the story of Perseus and serpent deities from Indian folklore, Manisha is a beautiful 16-year-old temple priestess who’s secretly one of the feared naga people who can turn men into stone. Orphaned Pratyush is the last of his kind, an invincible 17-year-old monster slayer in service to a selfish king. He visits the temple time and again, simply to see and talk to Manisha; she’s intrigued by the charismatic boy who’s also a legendary warrior. But before they can be together, Manisha is violently sexually assaulted and, with the help of snake magic and golden serpent companion Noni, survives being kicked into a pit of venomous vipers. She travels the outskirts of the kingdom, searching for the family torn from her in childhood and defending young women in need. Meanwhile, the king sends Pratyush on a mission to bring back the head of the powerful Serpent Queen. The dual-perspective narration goes back and forth in time, heightening the suspense as Manisha’s and Pratyush’s paths inevitably intersect again. This thrilling, well-paced fantasy, with rich worldbuilding and a slow-burn romance, powerfully reclaims Medusa as a symbol of feminist rage.
A gripping, magical tale of sisterhood and strength. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781368092685
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents/Disney
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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