Lotus and Thorn

April 25, 2016
In the savage desert of the planet Gabriel, society is divided between plague-ridden scavengers dying in droves and their Curador overlords, a select few living inside a hermetically sealed dome. Leica, an exiled orphan whose six-fingered mutation means she is considered to be “corrupted” by sin, stumbles upon the remains of a shuttle that could mean a way back to Earth. After plague kills her work crew, she seeks refuge in the Curadors’ dome, but in order to gain entry she is forced to become a concubine to a mysterious young Curador, Edison. In a twisted exploration of atonement and survival, Etienne (Harbinger) draws inspiration from a lesser-known Grimm’s fairy tale, “Fitcher’s Bird,” preserving that story’s bloody moments in scenes that include a throat slit in a mercy killing or the discovery of “little skeletons tucked into bed.” Genetic tests fuse animal and machine; Curadores regard women as incubators, pets, or property; allies sometimes prove to be monsters; and lust is one of many complicated emotions to be negotiated. The world of Gabriel is dismal but beautifully rendered by Etienne in stark, terrifying detail. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich.

May 1, 2016
An outcast discovers new worlds in the old one's wreckage.With her parents taken by the last wave of hemorrhagic Red Death, 12-fingered Leica strives to protect her sisters, Lotus and Taschen. Citizens of Pleiades must exchange all Finds from the ruins of the Colony on planet Gabriel for food from the bio-suited Curadores, who live in the decadent but decaying Dome. Caught with contraband and banished to the wastelands, Leica encounters other exiles...and overhears a radio message that may be from Earth. Seeking redemption, reunion with her sisters, and answers about the Red Death, Leica infiltrates the Dome, posing as a Kisaeng (a sort of geisha/concubine) to the dashing but increasingly deranged black Curador Edison, rallying the women, and struggling with the consequences of revolt. Despite the requisite love triangle--here, among Leica, Edison, and Edison's identical brother, Nikola--and Chosen-One agonizing, through adversity and new alliances, Leica emerges as a compelling, body-positive heroine of color who capitalizes on her strengths and celebrates diversity. Etienne delivers a dystopian tale that deftly dissects stories--fairy tales, religious creation myths, political conspiracies--and develops a richly layered world drawn from such disparate cultures as Korean and Mexican.An ambitious, action-filled adventure that chronicles one girl's rebellion and the world-shaking revelations that follow. (Science fiction. 14 & up)

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June 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Leica and her sisters are Citizens of Pleiades, descendants of colonists who settled on the planet Gabriel 500 years ago. Now, in 2590, Citizens scavenge the ruins of their original colony for technology to give to the scientific-minded Curadores in exchange for supplies and God's eventual forgiveness, which they believe will allow them to return to Earth. After being exiled for nearly two years for possessing contraband technology, Leica knows the fear and privation of being alone in the desert surrounding Pleiades. She finds a shuttle in the Tierra Muerta that leads her back to her sister, Lotus, and a fledgling settlement trying to separate itself from Pleiades and the secure dome habitat of the Curadores. With the dome malfunctioning and food becoming scarce, Leica will have to uncover the long-buried secrets behind why Earth abandoned Gabriel so many years ago. This convoluted sci-fi novel is a loose retelling of the Grimm fairy tale "Fitcher's Bird," complete with a version of the story written by the author to accompany each of the novel's three parts. Elements from Korean and Mexican culture are fused into this futuristic narrative to create a diverse world, albeit one that often lacks strong internal logic. A meandering plot filled with not enough character development makes for a slow read. VERDICT This book will have the most appeal for committed science fiction fans and those looking for a new fairy-tale retelling in the style of Marissa Meyer's Cinder or R.C. Lewis's Stitching Snow.-Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library

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