Flicker and Mist

October 1, 2016
Myra has inherited her Leftie mothers Ability to become invisible, called flickering, but using it would endanger her high-profile, mixed-blood family.Living among Plats in New Heart City, Myra stands out, her looks more Leftie (short, fair-skinned, curvy) than Plat (tall, dark, thin), like her father or her friend Porti. (Lefties, lower-caste noncitizens, live mainly in the remote Left Eye.) Portis friendship opens doors for Myra and facilitates her romance with the ruling Deputys son. The girls anticipate competing in the annual Games, riding wetbeasts through an obstacle course. When its announced that all Lefties must be tested for the Ability, Myras mother, fearing exposure, wants to flee but fatefully agrees to wait until Myra competes. The narrative suffers from sketchy worldbuilding. Is the Upland island or continent? Why are Upland regions named for body parts as seen from above? Are the venerated Waters sentient? Fantasy neednt adhere to real-world laws, but readers need guidancelacking hereto the rules governing the created world if theyre to navigate it. Characterization is more successful. Myra especially sustains interest, struggling to master her own competitiveness, unsure shes worthy of Portis generous, loyal friendship. Myras fraught relationship with her mother rings true, as does her sense of her parents tense, mysterious bond that produced yet excludes her. This tale of mixed heritage and divided loyalties with an engaging heroine will appeal to fans of character-driven fantasy. (Fantasy. 12-16)

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November 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Thompson serves up important questions in this dystopian fantasy about an unusual love triangle and a heroine pushed to the edge. In New Heart City, which values those without magical abilities over those with them, Myra must deny an inherited part of herself in order to stay safe. After the Flickerkin, who can become invisible at will, are blamed for planting an explosive device at a race, New Heart's leaders begin jailing and threatening the execution of anyone with Flickerkin blood. With her mother in prison and her father in a precarious political position, the teen must rely on herself and her friends to survive. The novel starts with a heavy dose of exposition typical of this genre, and although it moves at a slower pace than action-filled works such as Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games and its successors, this title invites readers to ponder big political and social questions, many of which are easily applicable to contemporary life. Myra comes across as a somewhat passive character until the climax approaches and she and her friends take things into their own hands. This change speeds up the pace and brings the narrative to an adrenaline-filled close. VERDICT For those who can't get enough dystopian fiction, this work offers another look at governing-gone-wrong, with central themes of equality and racism.-Abby Hargreaves, Alexandria Public Library, VA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Grades 8-11 Thompson brings political corruption, racial profiling, and social justice to the forefront of this fast-paced fantasy, with just enough romance to provide a comfortable backdrop. Myra is half high-ranked Plat and half lower-class Leftie, with the hidden talent of Flickering (the ability to become invisible). She looks very different than her Plat friends, but she has always enjoyed the privileges granted by her father's job as Council Member and is on her way to winning the annual wetbeast race (an equestrian competition). But when terrorist acts by Flickerkin upset her comfortable world, Myra must choose between a budding romance with the Deputy's son and loyalty to her mother's oppressed kin. It's easy to recognize our own current events in Thompson's fantasy world, though there are plenty of distinctive touches that make it much more than an allegory. Thompson's imaginative descriptions of Flickeringthe close bond between wetbeast and riderand the sea-centered rituals of the island people combine to create a unique fantasy world with a rich history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
Racially-mixed Myra knows two social realities in New Heart City: one of "Plat" privilege and the other steeped in discrimination against "Lefties," mainly for the kind's untrustworthy ability to flicker in and out of visibility. Myra has avoided flickering all her life, but recent reports of unseen vandals may disrupt that. Detailed magical descriptions and highly developed social dynamics immerse readers in this world.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)