Cinematic, CGI–ready action—but also a moving exploration of memory and identity.
Can an origin story for Bucky Barnes as he becomes the Winter Soldier be anything but painful?
In this volume, Lee continues exploring Marvel’s misunderstood antagonists. It’s 1954, smack in the middle of Bucky’s journey from hero to villain and back again. Instead of Bucky, there’s only the Winter Soldier, a brainwashed torturer and assassin for the (slightly Cold War–caricatured) Soviet Union. The Soldier—confused by his lack of memory, wishing he knew his own name—is nonetheless an obedient asset and a loyal partner to his handler. As the Winter Soldier performs his mission, in a storyline interspersed with movie-style action scenes, some chapters flash back to 1941: The U.S. hasn’t yet entered the war, and 16-year-old Bucky pesters his snarky, affectionate guardian to let him enlist (roughly following comics canon, not the movie). Teen Bucky’s an incorrigible flirt and smuggler (or entrepreneur!), but he wants to serve his country. Knowledgeable readers and new fans alike will see the forthcoming disaster in young Bucky’s eagerness to fight for people who he’s beginning to realize are morally compromised. He starts up a doomed but profound romance with a girl he meets on his first mission. Meanwhile, in 1954, the Soldier’s resurfacing memories of Captain America reveal an extremely close affection between the two. All characters appear to be White.
Cinematic, CGI–ready action—but also a moving exploration of memory and identity. (Science fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-368-02227-9
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Marvel Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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