Language: R (122 swears, 36 “f”); Mature Content: PG (some kissing, no underage drinking or drug use); Violence: R (repeated bloody, graphic violence, with the on-page & off-page death of several minor characters)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY
In the sci-fi fantasy dystopian world of Escal, 16yo Crow is one of the Deathchildren, a minority that was nearly wiped out 10 years earlier by the Gods, and has had to grow up hiding his true nature. He wants to save his uncles, who have been arrested for helping Deathchildren escape the city, but with no money or political sway as he grew up in the wretchedly poor Shallows ghetto, Crow chooses to compete in the Tournament of Gods for the slight chance to save his uncle's lives. It’s quite literally a fight to the death in the gladiator-style combat competition, but in between matches, Crow and his friends begin to uncover a greater conspiracy that the Gods and the government are trying desperately to keep hidden.
I was fully invested in Crow’s story almost from the beginning and by the end of the novel, I just wanted to watch the whole world burn with him. Novoa excels at worldbuilding, establishing a setting where Crow is isolated at first, not by his queer identity, but rather by the systemic inequalities and prejudices directed by the government against his minority population. I thought the book was an interesting mix of sci-fi, dystopian, & fantasy elements. It was kind of like Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games meets the Fifth Element. It is incredibly violent and contains strong graphic language, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Teens who love dystopian worlds will devour this one.
Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher #bookswithbeddes
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