Dragonfly Girl

December 1, 2020
When Kira, a brilliant but misunderstood teenager, wins a prestigious international award for her research paper on dragonfly cognition, she is whisked off to a lavish conference in Stockholm, Sweden. At the time, Kira's only concern is claiming the prize money needed to pay off her ailing mother's debts after her father's death. Instead, her world collides with those of several mysterious and powerful men intent on harnessing her knowledge for their own dubious agendas. Suddenly, she finds herself sucked into the orbit of international scientist-spies working to exploit her accidental discoveries as a means to cure death. As she falls deeper into a winding maze filled with lab rats, a science prodigy, and menacing Russian operatives, Kira discovers that knowledge can be a dangerous business. Her research takes her from Northern California to Stockholm to Siberia to Moscow as she struggles to remain two steps ahead of her many pursuers. She doesn't just need to perfect a way to raise the dead, she needs to find a way to stay alive. Although Kira struggles financially, readers learn very little else about her. While the fast pace and high stakes are engaging, the book tackles too many storylines without interrogating the identity or interiority of the characters. Most characters default to White, but naming conventions imply some racial or ethnic diversity. An exciting adventure about a girl in STEM undercut by limited character development. (Thriller. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2020

Gr 8 Up-Kira Adams's home life is a mess. Her mother is sick, and they are buried in debt. Winning a prestigious science contest takes Kira to Sweden and provides a much-needed payday until it's discovered she lied on the contest application and may be disqualified. However, the intervention of the brilliant scientist Dr. Gregory Munn brings redemption and an exciting opportunity at his prestigious facility. Kira makes the most of the opportunity until panic and guilt over the death of a lab rat in her care causes her to expand on a colleague's work and miraculously bring the dead rat back to life. Now known as the girl who unlocked the cure for death, Kira's fortunes seem changed until she also discovers that the world of science has a dark side, and the one death she can't cure may be her own. This is a compelling YA debut from the internationally bestselling Leimbach. All the characters have depth, especially Kira, whose growth will entice readers to invest in her struggles and cheer for her successes. Leimbach also handles the science well, explaining what is happening without letting it slow down the action, focusing more on the characters' emotions than the scientific procedures. The book lends itself to upcoming volumes, which should be eagerly anticipated. Kira's race isn't specified, and there is a range of racial and ethnic diversity among secondary characters. VERDICT A thrilling debut with a heroine to root for and an excellent story that will keep surprising readers.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.