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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Most of Angie Thomas's work so far is aimed at an older teen audience and treats a number of "mature themes."
This book, however, is aimed at a younger audience, but includes some brilliant story telling, plot twists, character development, and sets up a series of books that I can't wait to keep reading and recommending to my kids and students.
Book #2 coming out this fall!!!
This book, however, is aimed at a younger audience, but includes some brilliant story telling, plot twists, character development, and sets up a series of books that I can't wait to keep reading and recommending to my kids and students.
Book #2 coming out this fall!!!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3 stars.
(Content warnings:(view spoiler). Nothing in this review).
This book didn't blow me away, but it was pretty good. I do think I am difficult to impress when it comes to middle-grade fantasies, so this might be a harsh judgement.
Some things I enjoyed:
- commentary on race and the young, Black experience in present society was woven into the narrative very nicely. I expected nothing less from Angie Thomas, to be honest, but I was still pleased to see that these comments were drawn into the novel without becoming its prime focus, and without bogging down the magic and high-stakes story at its heart.
- the three main characters were great, and I loved that their relationships with each other were given so much attention. Nic's feelings towards Alex and JP felt real and honest, and nicely expanded to make her an authentic MC. Such feelings were also nicely offset by her frequent sarcastic comments, which often made me smile.
- the key 'quest' of the characters was set up swiftly and clearly, so I felt very much behind them from the beginning.
- I liked the role Nic and JP's favourite book series had on their own adventure. It was a nice way to appreciate fantasy fiction whilst contributing to this new story. Plus, it instantly gave Nic and JP masses of character because we got to see their love and excitement for the books, and the way that ignited their friendship.
The main thing I wasn't too sure about was the magical system and world Thomas has created. At first I was intrigued to realise that it was all much bigger and more complex than I anticipated, but I now think Thomas went a bit too big in her attempts. It was fun having all these creatures and places and facets to the Remarkable world, but all of that overshadowed the Gift and Manifestors which were meant to be at the heart of the story. I find that I don't understand much at all about either of these elements despite their importance to the main characters, and I think that had a big impact on how much I could lose myself in the world.
It's a shame this didn't completely have me, but I'm glad I finally got round to reading it anyway, and I'm sure a lot of younger readers would enjoy it.
(Content warnings:(view spoiler). Nothing in this review).
This book didn't blow me away, but it was pretty good. I do think I am difficult to impress when it comes to middle-grade fantasies, so this might be a harsh judgement.
Some things I enjoyed:
- commentary on race and the young, Black experience in present society was woven into the narrative very nicely. I expected nothing less from Angie Thomas, to be honest, but I was still pleased to see that these comments were drawn into the novel without becoming its prime focus, and without bogging down the magic and high-stakes story at its heart.
- the three main characters were great, and I loved that their relationships with each other were given so much attention. Nic's feelings towards Alex and JP felt real and honest, and nicely expanded to make her an authentic MC. Such feelings were also nicely offset by her frequent sarcastic comments, which often made me smile.
- the key 'quest' of the characters was set up swiftly and clearly, so I felt very much behind them from the beginning.
- I liked the role Nic and JP's favourite book series had on their own adventure. It was a nice way to appreciate fantasy fiction whilst contributing to this new story. Plus, it instantly gave Nic and JP masses of character because we got to see their love and excitement for the books, and the way that ignited their friendship.
The main thing I wasn't too sure about was the magical system and world Thomas has created. At first I was intrigued to realise that it was all much bigger and more complex than I anticipated, but I now think Thomas went a bit too big in her attempts. It was fun having all these creatures and places and facets to the Remarkable world, but all of that overshadowed the Gift and Manifestors which were meant to be at the heart of the story. I find that I don't understand much at all about either of these elements despite their importance to the main characters, and I think that had a big impact on how much I could lose myself in the world.
It's a shame this didn't completely have me, but I'm glad I finally got round to reading it anyway, and I'm sure a lot of younger readers would enjoy it.
If Angie Thomas writes it, I’m reading it! Not the target audience, so I fully understand that my preferences are just that. Liked the world building. Like the main characters. It just felt like the story was too hard to follow. That may be more because I’m not as familiar with African-American mythology so my imagination is under-developed there.
HECK YES!
THIS is how you start off a middle-grade fantasy series. After just coming down from finishing a rather disappointing fantasy novel (the YA/NA novel "The Stolen Throne), this one checked just about ALL of my personal boxes. Magic based in realism and history, amazing friends helping the protagonist along the way, well-rounded three-dimensional characters, humor, mystery, and a super touching family story at the center. I also loved the nods to other popular fantasy novels for children. Whether this was intentional on the author's part or not, I drew a lot of comparisons between Harry Potter and the in-book fantasy series Stevie James, particularly this line which comes after
This is the best middle-grade fantasy I've read since "Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow." I know that Angie Thomas will take us on an amazing journey with the next installment of her Remarkable (lol get it?) series. I look forward to the ride, and the things I'm bound to learn along the way.
THIS is how you start off a middle-grade fantasy series. After just coming down from finishing a rather disappointing fantasy novel (the YA/NA novel "The Stolen Throne), this one checked just about ALL of my personal boxes. Magic based in realism and history, amazing friends helping the protagonist along the way, well-rounded three-dimensional characters, humor, mystery, and a super touching family story at the center. I also loved the nods to other popular fantasy novels for children. Whether this was intentional on the author's part or not, I drew a lot of comparisons between Harry Potter and the in-book fantasy series Stevie James, particularly this line which comes after
Spoiler
it's revealed that Tyran Porter, the author of the books, believes it's his destiny to destroy Nic: "It feels as if Stevie James died today. I can never read those books again." I felt that DEEPLY as a millennial who grew up reading and loving Harry Potter and now feels disappointed and betrayed at how much of a POS JK Rowling turned out to be.This is the best middle-grade fantasy I've read since "Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow." I know that Angie Thomas will take us on an amazing journey with the next installment of her Remarkable (lol get it?) series. I look forward to the ride, and the things I'm bound to learn along the way.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wat een leuk boek was dit! Ik heb het heen snel uitgelezen en ne heel erg vermaakt! Nic, JP en Alex vond ik echt fijne karakters. En ook de relatie tussen de vader en moeder van Nic en Alex vond ik interessant neergezet, het voelde als een gescheiden stel dat alsnog volwassen met elkaar omging. Mevrouw Lena voelde als een queer powervrouw aan en I love it. Ook de redemption arch van Junior vind ik ook heel nice, hij lijkt me echt een cutie. Of zou hij toch de 'leerling' kunnen zijn? Ik denk het eigenlijk niet. De techniek vond ik aan de ene kant soms wat simpel bedacht en aan de andere kant ook veel doen voor de link met de slavernij. De politieman met de toverstok doet meteen denken aan het politiegeweld en het is heel interessant hoe dit wordt gekoppeld aan witte suprematie door de tovenaar te linken aan de KKK. Dit commentaar vond ik een beetje on the nose maar nog steeds wel heel cool gedaan.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery
Really cool premise. I love the way Ms. Thomas wove African lore and African American lore into a cohesive narrative. The characters were well rounded and the world building was very vivid. I think what made it “believable” was the use of cultural touchstones that are part of the fabric of America (Harry Potter-esque book series, Wakanda-esque hidden cities). Instead of reading as “rip offs” of those things, the story just wrapped them in as “knowns”
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I think that this book is incredibly important in order to show black and brown girls that they can be heroes and be main characters in their story. Nic was a funny and lovable character. The author weaved social issues into the story, and while some points felt out of place or pulled me out of the story, I understand why they were added. Nic Blake has quite the adventure ahead of her!
3.5 stars rounded up
This book has a lot of promise, but I don't think it's quite up to Angie Thomas' usual standards. Perhaps it's because it's her first foray into middle school lit, but I didn't feel the strong connection to Nic as I did with many of her other characters. The story is a fun middle school story. I think it does an excellent job of representing blackness and black culture (full disclosure--I'm Taiwanese American, so I can't fully speak to this). I recognized mythologies I learned from reading other books like Tristan Strong, for example. And I certainly had fun picturing all the things happening in the book.
The strength of this story lay in the storytelling. It was fast paced with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. I was often reminded of Tristan Strong, Harry Potter, and Black Panther. I also liked the parallels she drew between slavery and the black experience, and how the Remarkable World was connected to it. While some might say this is a bit much for a middle school reader, I do think that we don't give kids enough credit and that many would enjoy reading about this.
While this was all a lot of fun, I was hoping for a stronger emotional tie to Nic. I think it's because she would tell us how much her best friend meant to her, rather than show us how much he meant to her. There were many parts of the story that happened in Nic's head, and I just didn't feel as much of it. But I think this is something that can definitely change in future books. We are only just getting to know who Nic is, and it's more than just the 'Chosen One'. I'm hoping to see her relationship with her mom and brother develop, as well as have her father become an important person not just in her life, but in the rest of her family. And yes, I want her best friend to remain part of her life!
This is a good start for the author into the middle school world, and I look forward to seeing her develop in that area!
This book has a lot of promise, but I don't think it's quite up to Angie Thomas' usual standards. Perhaps it's because it's her first foray into middle school lit, but I didn't feel the strong connection to Nic as I did with many of her other characters. The story is a fun middle school story. I think it does an excellent job of representing blackness and black culture (full disclosure--I'm Taiwanese American, so I can't fully speak to this). I recognized mythologies I learned from reading other books like Tristan Strong, for example. And I certainly had fun picturing all the things happening in the book.
The strength of this story lay in the storytelling. It was fast paced with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. I was often reminded of Tristan Strong, Harry Potter, and Black Panther. I also liked the parallels she drew between slavery and the black experience, and how the Remarkable World was connected to it. While some might say this is a bit much for a middle school reader, I do think that we don't give kids enough credit and that many would enjoy reading about this.
While this was all a lot of fun, I was hoping for a stronger emotional tie to Nic. I think it's because she would tell us how much her best friend meant to her, rather than show us how much he meant to her. There were many parts of the story that happened in Nic's head, and I just didn't feel as much of it. But I think this is something that can definitely change in future books. We are only just getting to know who Nic is, and it's more than just the 'Chosen One'. I'm hoping to see her relationship with her mom and brother develop, as well as have her father become an important person not just in her life, but in the rest of her family. And yes, I want her best friend to remain part of her life!
This is a good start for the author into the middle school world, and I look forward to seeing her develop in that area!