Garrison Girl

June 1, 2018
Building on the commercially successful manga series created by Hajime Isayama (later adapted into an anime series), this novel offers all-new characters.Humans have been living behind a walled fortress since grotesque giants, called titans, began attacking villages and making meals out of the human inhabitants. As a member of the nobility, Rosalie Dumarque has never been outside the inner walls that protect those of her status. Because the white 16-year-old only has six more months of freedom before she must marry an older man to boost her family's wealth, she hopes to make use of her Royal Military Academy training to become a soldier and see the world. In this action-packed story, the unlikely heroine manages to procure the very worst assignment: protecting the walls against titan attacks at the Trost Gate Garrison. From Day 1, Rosalie enters into vividly depicted battles against these beasts. The time in between leaves her opportunities to become closer to squad mates, especially blue-eyed Jax, her commanding sergeant, and to begin questioning her identity as a young woman and what--if anything--she really owes her family. Although the quick, predictable plot builds to a frenetic pace, mysteries surrounding the various titans will keep readers involved up to the conclusion. An open ending leaves room for a series to develop.For teens who want the female protagonist to kick ass more than kiss. (Fantasy. 13-17)

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July 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-Since Rosalie Dumarque is a noble, her home is safe and surrounded by a series of high walls. But outside those walls, mysterious giants prey on humans, and Rosalie wants to fight these titans. She pressures her father into letting her join the garrison, on the condition that she will only serve for six months before returning and marrying the man that her family has chosen for her. Set in the same world as the "Attack on Titan" manga and anime series, this stand-alone novel presents the perspective of the affluent class, and how Rosalie is able to use her Royal Military Academy training as well as her money to help support humanity's last defense against the titans. The story is exciting and sometimes gruesome, featuring plenty of suspenseful scenes of people at their bravest and weakest moments-not to mention the giants, who eat the humans they capture. Rosalie is an excellent and likable protagonist who is willing to learn and is stronger than she looks. VERDICT A great page-turner for fans of the "Attack on Titan" series, as well as any readers who enjoy fantasy, suspense, horror, and kick-ass heroines.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 Set in the world of Hajime Isayama's popular manga series Attack on Titan, this action-packed fantasy will appeal to existing fans and newcomers alike. Rosalie, daughter of Lord Dumarque, agrees to an arranged marriage that will help secure her family's fortune on the condition that she first be allowed to put her military academy training to use by serving in the Wall Rose Garrison, which fights the titans threatening humanity. Rosalie's know-it-all attitude is hard to stomach at first, but once she spends time in the garrison and realizes how much she has to learn, her character undergoes positive changes, transforming her into an enjoyable protagonist. An underdeveloped romance robs readers of the chance to watch two characters fall in love, simply stating this event has occurred toward the novel's end. That qualm aside, the action throughout is compelling, and readers will find themselves cheering hard for Rosalie during an intense final battle scene as she comes into her own, both as a soldier and a Dumarque.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)