Transcendence

April 23, 2012
In a departure from Omololu’s debut novel about hoarding, Dirty Little Secret, her sophomore outing is a romantic if initially slow-moving story about reincarnation. Sixteen-year-old Nicole “Cole” Ryan has inexplicable visions. For six chapters, the book is a slice-of-life, first-person narrative about a contemporary cello-playing prodigy from San Francisco—except for Cole’s recurring memories of various time periods in the past (rendered in italic passages), which can be triggered by anything from a location, like the Tower of London, to physical contact or a smell. Cole herself isn’t the most engaging of heroines, though she is realistic in her prickliness and indecision. She withholds herself from family, friends, and even her new crush, Griffon. However, once Griffon reveals that he knows the secret of Cole’s visions, the plot takes off. Cole and Griffin are Akhet, people who remember past lives, and while most Akhet are out to save the world, a group of rogues are out for revenge. As the romance and mystery finally unfold, this becomes an intriguing read. Ages 12–up. Agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

April 15, 2012
A girl musician who starts remembering her past lives learns that reincarnation can be dangerous, but romantic too. Cole, who plays the cello at world-class standards, meets a dark and handsome stranger when she visits the Tower of London. There she has a vision of her own execution. Griffon rescues her when she faints. On returning to San Francisco, she learns that Griffon also lives there, and he tells her that he and she are "Ahket," people who can remember their past lives. Meanwhile, Cole remembers more and more about a previous life as a young Italian cellist who was innocently involved in a murder over 100 years ago. Also, she learns that her cello student is a woman who just may have been the victim and who may be seeking revenge. Cole finds herself strongly attracted to Griffon. Could he be a romantic partner from an earlier time? Omololu moves the action along, revealing her plot, narrating the past-life memories in italics and inserting intriguing clues into those episodes. The classical-music motif is a welcome addition to the plot, and the reincarnation theme stands out as a nice break from the usual paranormal subject matter. That Griffon is biracial, both indicated on the cover and revealed in the text, promises another nice break, but there is no textual follow-up. Overall, nicely done. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

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June 1, 2012

Gr 7 Up-While touring London with her sister, 16-year-old cello prodigy Nicole Ryan bumps into someone and blacks out. Oblivious to her surroundings, she has a frighteningly deja vu-like vision of being executed centuries ago. When she regains consciousness, she goes out for tea with Griffon Hall, the boy she hit, and they feel an instant connection. When Cole returns home to San Francisco, she learns that Griffon lives nearby, and the two begin to see each other. He tells an incredulous Cole that, like him, she is Akhet, part of an ancient society of people who remember their previous lives. As her visions of the past increase, so do her brushes with death in the present, leading Griffon to suspect that someone intends to harm her. Part murder mystery, part modern-day romance, Transcendence has the potential to become a popular choice, particularly among readers who enjoyed Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution (Delacorte, 2010) and Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red (Henry Holt, 2011). Though it's a unique play on reincarnation, Transcendence does have flaws. The characters are underdeveloped, the pacing is uneven, and Cole forgives Griffon's controlling behavior too quickly. Savvy teens will question plot contrivances (e.g., how did so many Akhet involved in a past murder in another country end up living so close together in the present?). Still, the story entertains, and a twist in the last chapter leaves room for a sequel.-Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX

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