The End and Other Beginnings

July 29, 2019
In this combination of reprints and original stories, Roth (The Fates Divide) explores, as she expresses in a letter to reviewers, “that pivotal moment when something ends—often painfully...creat space for new beginnings.” To that end, the six pieces collected represent a mix of settings, themes, and tones. In “Inertia,” a young woman uses technology in the wake of a car accident to share in her former best friend’s last memories. “The Spinners” focuses on a teenage bounty hunter driven by a death to hunt parasitic aliens. In “Hearken,” Darya must choose between hearing music that defines someone’s life or their death. “Vim and Vigor” examines the impact on a group of friends after they lose one of their own. And both “Armored Ones” and “The Transformationist” tie into Roth’s Carve the Mark universe, showcasing characters at critical moments, including Teka, who plans to kill the dreaded Cyra Noavek. In these stories, Roth invokes romance, action, family, revenge, and loss. Mostly standalone save for the last two, they serve as an introduction to Roth’s work and a showcase of her versatility, though existing fans will get the most out of these offerings. Ages 13–up. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary & Media.

September 1, 2019

Gr 7 Up-Roth has spun six futuristic short stories, interspersed with illustrations and centered on themes of love and death. Four are completely new material and two are built in the "Carve the Mark" universe. The first story opens as a young woman is summoned to have a "visitation" with her estranged friend-new technology where people are invited to electronically relive favorite memories with a dying person. The technology is well conceived and the meeting is poignant. Another story revolves around a young woman being trained as a "Hearkener," someone who can hear the universe's songs and struggles to decide whether to specialize in songs of life or songs of death. A third story involves using unique technology to make decisions by experiencing the virtual reality of each outcome. Overall, the stories are excellent and could easily be incorporated into middle school classroom discussion. The "Carve the Mark" stories, however, are confusing. Followers of that series will enjoy the expansion of the concept, but those unfamiliar will have the sense of starting on Book Two of a series. VERDICT The collection will resonate with fans of the BBC's Black Mirror. Roth is a favorite, and this anthology will be a welcome addition to all YA collections.-Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
Roth (The Fates Divide, 2018, etc.) delivers six stories of possible futures full of grit and hope. A teen girl links memories with her former best friend as part of a "last visitation" program. A bounty hunter seeks to avenge her mother's death in a future where aliens can buy digital skin to change their appearances. A gifted musician must choose between a future of hearing only life songs or death songs as a Hearkener amid the threat of bioterrorism. A comics fan struggles to rebuild relationships after an accident killed one of her best friends and split their friend group. Akos Kereseth and Teka, both characters from Carve the Mark, prepare for defining moments in their lives. A prisoner on furlough must decide how best to face his past and fight for his future. Roth's stories are compelling, emotionally evocative, and satisfying. Most of the cast defaults to white, but several are people of color, including biracial (white/Korean and white/Indian) and Latinx characters. Characters are also predominantly straight, but one story features a gay romance. Three of the six stories have been previously published in other anthologies, but they gain new impact in the context of this anthology's focus on futurities. Final art not seen. Riveting. (Science fiction. 14-18)

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Emily Rankin and MacLeod Andrews narrate this collection of speculative short fiction. It is Rankin who does the heavy lifting, as she narrates most of the stories. Her performances are full of passion, but she does not differentiate between characters, and by the fifth story in a row, it is hard for listeners to tell the difference between characters from story one to story five. Andrews, who shows up to narrate the second half of the penultimate story, as well as doing the final story alone, has a wide range of accents and a broader emotional range, so his narration packs a bigger punch. Listeners should pick this up, but plan on spreading the stories out for fullest enjoyment. A.R.F. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine