Breathe

January 1, 2007
Gr 9 Up-Russon returns to the characters she introduced in "Undine" (HarperCollins, 2006). Six months have passed since the incident at the Bay of Angels when Undine almost destroyed the world with her newfound magic. She and her friend Trout are in Year 12, and the stress from her almost uncontrollable power has caused a rift between them. Trout has taken to living a half life, wandering the streets at night, trying to discover if the magic belongs in this world. Undine is struggling to keep the promise she made to her mother not to use the magic that is always present, just below the surface of her thoughts. While she and her family are in Greece, where her father was raised, Trout house-sits for them in Australia. During his nightly wanderings, he runs into Max, whom he met in the Chaosphere online. She is searching for the magic as well and is willing to do anything to get it. Trout and Undine are strongly developed characters, giving readers a glimpse of two people who are trying to find themselves emotionally and physically. The colorful language, unique expressions, and exotic locations will capture teens' imaginations, but the story will have more power for those familiar with the first one. A fast-paced plot and a surprise ending will leave readers eager for the conclusion of this trilogy."June H. Keuhn, Corning East High School, NY"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2007
In " Undine "(2006), the title character is a contemporary Tasmanian teenager who discovers her devastating magical powers. In this sequel, Undine has promised her mother that she will wait until she finishes high school before exploring the magic further. It's a hard promise to keep, though, when she travels with her long-absent father to Corfu, where she learns more about the magic's dangerous force and familial connection. Undine's friend, Trout, remains haunted by his glimpse of Undine's powers, and his search to unravel the origin and nature of the magic forms a twin narrative to Undine's perilous discoveries. Russon offers some background context, but readers new to these characters may be lost, and the philosophical questions about cosmic order, free will, and the power of sex, love, and creativity occasionally threaten to overwhelm the story, which leaves many threads dangling. As in the first title, however, Russon's bracing, poetic voice and earthy, likable characters ground the story's esoteric symbolism, and many readers will find their own fear and love reflected in the beautiful, open-ended metaphors.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)