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The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

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His Dark Materials is my favorite book series, and I’d been eagerly anticipating the release of The Book of Dust for at least a decade, from its first inception a set of short stories and anecdotes about the world of HDM to its current incarnation as full-length novels. I was thrilled when Pullman made it a trilogy, the first of which, La Belle Sauvage, is set when Lyra is a baby. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, which involves the son of an innkeeper named Malcolm Polstead, around age 11, who gets caught up in the efforts to protect baby Lyra from those who wish her harm. At this point, Lyra is being kept in a priory by a group of nuns, and she hasn’t made it to Jordan College yet. Malcolm occasionally helps to watch her while also becoming acquainted and eventually studying with Hannah Relf (Dame Hannah from the original), who is part of a secret society that is covertly working against the Magisterium.

It’s very cool to see Hannah as a fully-fledged character here, ten years before Lyra meets her and eventually comes under her tutelage. She’s smart and interesting and fills the role that Mary Malone filled in the first trilogy. Other characters from the first books, like Coram van Texel (Farder Coram), make an appearance in this prequel as well. And the first half of the book is really interesting, told from the familiar perspective of a boy on the cusp of puberty getting involved in things way over his head. Then a huge flood hits Oxford, and the entire city is underwater for several days. Malcolm, along with his friend Alice, must rescue Lyra from the priory and keep her safe from all the people who want her for their own ends, eventually (they hope) getting her into the care of her father, Lord Asriel.

This second part of the book, which follows Malcolm and Alice and Lyra in Malcolm’s boat, La Belle Sauvage, is so markedly different from the first half that it almost feels like a different book entirely, and not in a good way. They encounter all sorts of magical creatures that feel out of place in Pullman’s previously well-regulated fantasy world, as if he threw all his carefully constructed rules out the window and just decided to throw everything he could think of back in, making it a mish mash of fantasy tropes that don’t seem to have a point. There are fairies, a city of people who may or may not be dead but are certainly ensorcelled in some way, a monster-type creature that feels like a sort of Old God, and a main villain who just can’t seem to stay dead, popping up unbelievably at various points on the children’s journey to twirl his moustache evilly and (spoiler alert) rape children.

This last part is what really threw me off the story for good. The original trilogy was blessedly free of sexual violence, but the threat of sexual violence pervades this entire book, finally culminating in Malcolm witnessing it happening in person. I don’t really get the point of it. The villain is interesting in some ways – his evilness causes a kind of schism between himself and his daemon, a really fascinating idea that isn’t explored well enough – but ultimately he’s there just to hunt baby Lyra and, I suppose, show that bad people do bad things? I’m not really sure. It left a bad taste in my mouth, and I finished the book feeling like I had read some bad fanfiction instead of a loving addition to a set of stories I cherish.

 

The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae

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For the first time in generations, the ruler of Orkena has called for the Crossing: his three heirs will embark upon a race across the desert, and the first to make it – and kill the human sacrifice at the end – will win the throne.

All Zahru wants to do is go to the kick-off party. She’s only a Whisperer, someone who can speak with animals, so she’s not qualified to be in any of the heirs’ entourage to help them in the race (like healers). She and a friend sneak in and plan to have a grand old time. But in the most unfortunate series of events I’ve read in quite some time (even exceeding that of the Lemony Snicket series), Zahru is marked as the sacrifice, and she’s dragged across the desert by the various heirs as they capture, lose, and recapture her, all with the intent of stabbing her through the heart at the end.

Seasoned readers of fantasy will be able to predict the basic structure of this story almost immediately. Events will occur in such a way that Zahru will spend some time with each heir; she’ll make several attempts to escape but all of them will fail; and the climax will involve her being stabbed, though she won’t die right away (cliffhanger!). Familiar stories are comforting, so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There’s enough new stuff in there – the class structure based upon magical ability, how magic fades and takes its toll on the user, tantalizing hints at political and military activities with the surrounding countries, genuinely interesting characters with a few surprising secrets – that readers should be interested throughout.

But – and this is a big but – the book’s description on the jacket flap gives away the first third of the book. Zahru doesn’t become the sacrifice and start the Crossing until pretty far in, and I found myself wondering when the promised story – not just what I already knew – would begin. Add this to the fact that once it did begin, I could predict a lot of it, and I found myself a bit disappointed.

Mae tries her level best to get her readers to believe that the heirs who are willing to go through with the sacrifice (and who aren’t particularly conflicted about it!) aren’t terrible people, really. They have their reasons. They’ve had sad lives, maybe, or they really are the best for the job and this is the only way, shouldn’t she want to die for her country? Zahru’s unwavering belief that if they just get to know her, they’ll change their minds and decide not to murder her is so naive it’s painful to read. The emphasis on kindness – so strong it’s half of the title – rubbed me the wrong way. Zahru does occasionally fight back against the people intending to kill her, but mostly she just tries to be really kind to them, to listen and be empathetic, and then figuratively crosses her fingers that her kindness will cause a complete personality shift.

What makes this idea especially off-putting is that the sacrifice is traditionally one of the lower-class members of their society, meaning that this problem of ritualized murder is structural. Zahru herself doesn’t belong to this lower class but is still considered lesser because of her undervalued magical ability. All this makes the idea of kindness as a panacea especially distasteful. Teen girls are often told that they should be kind, to the point that they aren’t given the proper tools to defend themselves or even recognize that they are being mistreated when they are harassed, abused, or assaulted (or, you know, threatened with ritual murder). Books like this do nothing to dispel this misguided notion that kindness is king, and in fact reinforces it, at some points even arguing that it’s a novel concept no one has tried before. Ultimately, The Kinder Poison is a fun read, but not one I’ll be recommending far and wide.

Review copy provided by the publisher. The Kinder Poison is available June 16.

My Most Anticipated YA Fantasy and Science Fiction of 2020

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Fantasy and science fiction were my first reading loves, and YA writers have produced some of the most creative and immersive works within the genre. (Check out the most recent Cybils shortlist for seven examples; the winner will be announced this Friday.) Here are a few of the forthcoming titles that I’m excited to read.

 

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko (April 14)

Nothing is more important than loyalty.

But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?

With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.

 

 

Forged in Fire and Stars by Andrea Robertson (May 12)

Ara has always known about the legend of the Loresmith: the blacksmith who served alongside the kings and queens of every generation to protect the kingdom. It was her fate to inherit the title–though she never truly believed it would come to pass since the monarchy’s downfall years before.

But when the lost Princess Nimhea and Prince Eamon steal Ara from her quiet life with a mission to retake the throne–and take her place as the Loresmith–her whole world turns upside down. Their journey will take Ara on a dangerous adventure to discover new truths about her family’s legacy, and even to face the gods themselves. And with a mysterious thief as an unexpected companion, Ara must use all her skills to figure out just who she can trust, and forge the right path forward–for herself, her kingdom, and her heart.

 

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (May 26)

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.

 

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (June 9)

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

 

The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae (June 16)

Zahru has long dreamed of leaving the kingdom of Orkena and having the kinds of adventures she’s only ever heard about in stories. But as a lowly Whisperer, her power to commune with animals means that her place is serving in the royal stables until the day her magic runs dry.

All that changes when the ailing ruler invokes the Crossing: a death-defying race across the desert, in which the first of his heirs to finish—and take the life of a human sacrifice at the journey’s end—will ascend to the throne and be granted unparalleled abilities.

With all of the kingdom abuzz, Zahru leaps at the chance to change her fate if just for a night by sneaking into the palace for a taste of the revelry. But the minor indiscretion turns into a deadly mistake when she gets caught up in a feud between the heirs and is forced to become the Crossing’s human sacrifice. Zahru is left with only one hope for survival: somehow figuring out how to overcome the most dangerous people in the world.

 

Hunted By the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena (June 23)

Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.

Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl–Gul–in the capital’s bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance–and discovers a magic he never expected to find.

Dangerous circumstances have brought Gul and Cavas together at the king’s domain in Ambar Fort . . . a world with secrets deadlier than their own. Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.

 

Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson (June 30)

When Andra wakes up, she’s drowning.

Not only that, but she’s in a hot, dirty cave, it’s the year 3102, and everyone keeps calling her Goddess. When Andra went into a cryonic sleep for a trip across the galaxy, she expected to wake up in a hundred years, not a thousand. Worst of all, the rest of the colonists–including her family and friends–are dead. They died centuries ago, and for some reason, their descendants think Andra’s a deity. She knows she’s nothing special, but she’ll play along if it means she can figure out why she was left in stasis and how to get back to Earth.

Zhade, the exiled bastard prince of Eerensed, has other plans. Four years ago, the sleeping Goddess’s glass coffin disappeared from the palace, and Zhade devoted himself to finding it. Now he’s hoping the Goddess will be the key to taking his rightful place on the throne–if he can get her to play her part, that is. Because if his people realize she doesn’t actually have the power to save their dying planet, they’ll kill her.

With a vicious monarch on the throne and a city tearing apart at the seams, Zhade and Andra might never be able to unlock the mystery of her fate, let alone find a way to unseat the king, especially since Zhade hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with Andra. And a thousand years from home, is there any way of knowing that Earth is better than the planet she’s woken to?

 

 

 

Graphic Novel Roundup

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2019 was a great year for middle grade graphic novels. Here are two recent ones I enjoyed and will often recommend to kids, particularly when their favorites aren’t on the shelf.

 

Sea Sirens: A Trot and Cap’n Bill Adventure by Amy Chu and Janet K. Lee

Vietnamese American surfer girl Trot is surfing with her cat, Cap’n Bill, when she’s pulled beneath the waves into the sea kingdom below. There, Cap’n Bill’s ornery nature manifests in an unexpected way: he can now talk! Trot and Cap’n Bill find themselves caught up in a battle between the Sea Siren mermaids and the Serpent King. Even if they survive, will they be able to make it back to the surface, where Trot’s ailing grandfather waits for them? What’s more – will Trot even want to?

This is a graphic novel after my own heart. I’ve written before about how I learned to read in part from The Wizard of Oz, and its influences upon Amy Chu and Janet Lee’s book are easily noticed. (In fact, it was directly inspired by one of Baum’s other stories, The Sea Fairies, which started out as separate from Oz, but later overlapped.) Kids who have read a few of the Oz novels beyond the first may recognize Trot and Cap’n Bill from The Scarecrow of Oz, Baum’s ninth book in the series, who originally appeared in The Sea Fairies and whose names Chu borrows for her story. Lee’s character designs and costuming are reminiscent of the illustrations by John R. Neill, who illustrated most of the Oz series, including recognizable hairstyles and headpieces. Her vivid art lends itself well to the myriad strange and curious creatures Trot finds in the sea kingdom, creatures with which Oz fans will feel right at home. And the story uses one of the most popular fantasy tropes that Baum visited frequently – that of a girl swept away to a magical land, where animals can talk and adventure awaits. Chu infuses Vietnamese mythology into her story, effectively blending multiple points of inspiration into a unique and compelling graphic novel. A sequel, Sky Island, is due out this summer.

 

Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis

Meconis’ book is something a bit different from the usual middle grade graphic novel fare. For starters, it’s alternate historical fiction – based upon the childhood of Queen Elizabeth I – that even adults may find difficult to parse without some research or an author’s note. It’s also quite long at almost 400 pages. This may not be a book a kid (or even an adult) could finish in a single sitting. But for the right kind of reader, the ones who like their stories a bit slower and more contemplative, who are fascinated by the past and how different people used to live, this will hit the spot.

The star of Queen of the Sea is Margaret, an orphan who lives in a convent on a tiny island off the coast of Albion. Her only companions are the nuns who run the convent – some kind, some not – and a boy around her own age, William. Then a mysterious woman arrives, and though her identity is supposed to be a secret, Margaret learns that she is Eleanor, the exiled queen of Albion. Eleanor’s arrival throws Margaret’s life into upheaval, revealing secrets about the convent and bringing the world beyond the island very close to home.

Meconis takes her time with her story, fully developing Margaret and her place on the island, as well as her relationships with the nuns, before bringing in Eleanor to shake things up. Margaret’s relationship with Eleanor is particularly fascinating, both in terms of how they interact with each other and how close Margaret discovers her own story is to Eleanor’s. The world-building is a real treat for historical fiction fans, peppered with little details about what life was like at a convent in the 16th century (for example, the many different times of day the nuns – and Margaret – were required to pray, and what each time for prayer was called). Meconis complements her intriguing, slow burning story with muted full-color art in a mostly realistic style, occasionally breaking away for asides in which Margaret explains convent life to the reader. These parts are reminiscent of an illuminated manuscript in style, a nice touch that adds to the sophistication and design of the entire work of art.

A Few Cybils Reads – Part 3 (2019)

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Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Echo Alkaev’s father has been stranded in the wintry forest, and the only way to save him is to make a deal with a talking wolf to live with him for a year, but never look upon him at night. While Meyer’s novel is predominantly a retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon (which might by a Cybils trend this year), it also includes a few elements of many other fairy tales, including Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. Listening to this one so close on the heels of Edith Pattou’s West, I was concerned that I’d find it repetitive, but Meyer’s writing style is very different, and she sprinkles her story with some fresh elements. For example, the huge house that Echo is trapped in is deteriorating – as time goes by, rooms just disappear, and it has something to do with the curse laid upon the wolf. The real gem of this story, and what made it a step above the average retelling, is a magnificent twist near the end that I didn’t see coming but makes total sense in context. This is a good pick for fans of fairy tale retellings; they won’t be disappointed. Plus that cover is gorgeous.

 

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

Donnelly’s twist on Cinderella is unique among the slew of villain-POV fairy tale retellings. The stepsister referenced in the title really isn’t a good person – at least not during the traditional Cinderella story. Both stepsisters treated Ella horribly, and when Ella marries the Prince, the rest of the country learns of their behavior and reviles them. But this is a story of redemption. Donnelly shows how Isabelle, the stepsister this story centers on, came to be the way she is and how she transforms herself into a person not only other people will love, but a person she herself can love. Readers will feel sympathy for Isabelle almost from page 1, as her mother urges her to cut off a piece of her foot to win the prince, something Isabelle doesn’t want to do for multiple reasons but doesn’t see a way out of. Isabelle’s mother and the rest of the world has told her that her value lies in men’s perceptions of her, and since Isabelle is not pretty and does not have the traditional values Ella is praised for, she has been told and shown over and over again that she has no value at all.

It’s a long journey to unwind this lie she has internalized, and along the way, she makes amends for her own behavior and saves the country from a warmonger, using her own unique skills and abilities. It’s quite a moving story, one where Isabelle is held responsible for her actions while also given the space to be viewed with empathy and love by those around her, something she experienced all too rarely. It’s also really funny – Isabelle’s sister Octavia is an aspiring scientist and conducts an ill-advised cheese-making experiment one day, and the results are…unpleasant. In a perfect bit of plotting, this experiment is put to good use in a crucial moment. There’s plenty of magic and adventure in this story, which includes personified versions of the Fates and Chance wagering on Isabelle’s ability to change. Hand this one to readers who want something more than a little different in their fairy tale retellings – and want to bring down the patriarchy.