A justifiable critique of today that falls flat in imagining tomorrow.
In 2098, as Nubian teens awaken to immense supernatural powers, they may become their people’s saving grace—or confirm the prejudices of those who vilify them.
The struggling Nubian Quarter, dubbed the Swamp, which exists in the remnants of lower Manhattan behind a precarious sea wall, houses Black and brown Caribbean refugees displaced by the climate emergencies of the 2080s. More privileged New Yorkers largely live in the Up High, a floating Jetsons-like marvel of future tech, away from the gang violence and rampant drug use. At High School 104, bookish Uzochi tries to ignore the biased, selectively taught history, remaining committed to his academic goals as a path out of the Swamp. When his powers of telepathy emerge, the accompanying responsibility is daunting. His cousin, Lencho, caught up in gang life, develops the ability to drain people’s energy; he turns away from family and community in pursuit of power. Zuberi’s powers allow her to see spirits and people’s futures, but even she is unprepared for the coming threat. As powers once thought lost forever are rediscovered by younger Nubians, evil, manipulative Up High architect Krazen St. John aims to exploit them for his own purposes—and Lencho is particularly vulnerable to his lies and machinations. Throughout, connections between Nubians and the African diaspora are implied but confusingly explained in this near-future account of racial injustice that errs on the side of underexplained fantasy tropes.
A justifiable critique of today that falls flat in imagining tomorrow. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-42864-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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