An overly complex, disorganized work with some mixed handling of diversity.
A futuristic vision of an unsustainable Earth.
A diverse group of four protagonists—Mercy Adams, Van Elder, and siblings TJ and Eddie LeRoux—together bring their varied narrative voices and skill sets to this novel’s world of political intrigue. Due to climate change, Earth is now called Scorch. In response to a fertility crisis, scientists created the praenex, humans who have telepathy, precognition, rapid maturation rates, and the ability to talk directly to the Creator via a sensory organ in their foreheads. Large humans called sapiens coexist with the smaller praenex and rely on them for guidance. Over time, Scorch has become divided into two political factions: Terrans believe that the planet can be healed through science, while Pilgrims, who outnumber them, believe that humans should colonize outer space. Major and minor characters regularly introduce themselves along with their pronouns, although they do this inconsistently and at times repetitively. Descriptions of characters’ skin color are also abundant throughout the text, emphasizing the world’s wide-ranging racial and ethnic groups. Some of the language used seems to undermine the goal of inclusivity, however. The novel’s multitude of storylines create a disorienting reading experience that is intensified by the confusing worldbuilding, poorly handled flashbacks, overuse of opaque dialect, the manner of introducing and defining invented terminology, and switches between multiple points of view.
An overly complex, disorganized work with some mixed handling of diversity. (Science fiction. 16-18)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781958051733
Page Count: 388
Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing.
For the second time in her life, Leo must choose between her family and true love.
Nineteen-year-old Princess Leonie Kolburg’s royal family is bankrupt. In order to salvage the fortune they accrued before humans fled the frozen Earth 170 years ago, Leonie’s father is forcing her to participate in the Valg Season, an elaborate set of matchmaking events held to facilitate the marriages of rich and royal teens. Leo grudgingly joins in even though she has other ideas: She’s invented a water filtration system that, if patented, could provide a steady income—that is if Leo’s calculating Aunt Freja, the Captain of the ship hosting the festivities, stops blocking her at every turn. Just as Leo is about to give up hope, her long-lost love, Elliot, suddenly appears onboard three years after Leo’s family forced her to break off their engagement. Donne (Brightly Burning, 2018) returns to space, this time examining the fascinatingly twisted world of the rich and famous. Leo and her peers are nuanced, deeply felt, and diverse in terms of sexuality but not race, which may be a function of the realities of wealth and power. The plot is fast paced although somewhat uneven: Most of the action resolves in the last quarter of the book, which makes the resolutions to drawn-out conflicts feel rushed.
A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing. (Science fiction. 16-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-328-94894-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
A very full mixed bag.
In the sequel to Furyborn (2018), Rielle and Eliana struggle across time with their powers and prophesied destinies.
Giving readers only brief recaps, this book throws them right into complicated storylines in this large, lovingly detailed fantasy world filled with multiple countries, two different time periods, and hostile angels. Newly ordained Rielle contends with villainous Corien’s interest in her, the weakening gate that holds the angels at bay, and distrust from those who don’t believe her to be the Sun Queen. A thousand years in the future, Eliana chafes under her unwanted destiny and finds her fear of losing herself to her powers (like the Blood Queen) warring with her need to save those close to her. The rigid alternation between time-separated storylines initially feels overstuffed, undermining tension, but once more characters get point-of-view chapters and parallels start paying off, the pace picks up. The multiethnic cast (human versus angelic is the only divide with weight) includes characters of many sexual orientations, and their romantic storylines include love triangles, casual dalliances, steady couples, and couples willing to invite in a third. While many of the physically intimate scenes are loving, some are rougher, including ones that cross lines of clear consent and introduce a level of violence that many young readers will not be ready for. The ending brings heartbreaking twists to prime readers for the trilogy’s conclusion.
A very full mixed bag. (map, list of elements) (Fantasy. 17-adult)Pub Date: May 21, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-5665-4
Page Count: 608
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 19, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
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