FALL SPOTLIGHT: CHLOE GONG

Jon Studio

Chloe Gong is the bestselling author of These Violent Delights (2020) and Our Violent Ends (2021). For her latest YA fantasy blockbuster, Foul Lady Fortune (McElderry, Sept. 27), Gong returns to the fantastical world of her previous books and crafts a captivating new story of alliances, political turmoil, and self-discovery that a reviewer for Kirkus calls “thrilling from start to finish.” Gong answered our questions by email.

What made you return to the world of These Violent Delights for this book? When I wrote the first draft of These Violent Delights, it was very different to how it is now, but there was one thing that carried through every iteration: Rosalind Lang was Juliette Cai’s narrative foil. I changed storylines, I merged and cut characters, I deleted entire chapters, but I always kept the plot thread about both Juliette and Rosalind betraying their families—except Juliette trusted the right person and Rosalind trusted the wrong person, which drastically changed their outcomes. As These Violent Delights was falling together, I knew that, if given the chance, I would love to do a Rosalind-centric duology where she was the protagonist instead of Juliette. I wanted to see how things would change when she was given support and love instead of lies and manipulation… so the seeds of Foul Lady Fortune were planted from the very beginning! Besides, I’ve always loved spinoffs for giving readers glimpses into what familiar characters are up to even if the main story has left them alone. It makes me feel like we never really say goodbye to the characters we love; they’re still just existing off in the periphery.

Did you read a lot when you were young? Are there any books or authors that influenced you as a reader and/ or writer? I was such a big reader. I was browsing my school libraries right when YA was having its boom, and there was a period of time when I was going through almost a book a day, no exaggeration. The series that kick-started my love for reading was Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments, which took me down the wonderful rabbit hole of seeking out every YA paranormal that was being published in the 2010s. Kelley Armstrong’s The Darkest Powers series, Lauren Kate’s Fallen series, Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy series—you name it, I probably read it. Other authors like Laini Taylor, Maggie Stiefvater, and Libba Bray were incredibly influential on me as a writer too, because I adored the way they could tell such great stories while also maintaining such lyrical, beautiful prose. I kept that at the forefront of my mind as I started developing my own voice: I wanted the larger story to be great, of course, but I also wanted to craft each individual sentence in a way that had impact.

What are some books coming out this fall that you look forward to reading? This is a sneaky answer because technically I have already read it, but If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang is releasing this fall, and it catapulted itself to the top of my list of favorite books when I read an advanced copy. I’m also very excited for The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim because I adored Six Crimson Cranes, and I can’t wait to read the conclusion.

Interview by Nina Palattella

Kurlansky, Mark Illus. by Eric Zelz Tilbury House (320 pp.) $22.95 | Sept. 6, 2022 978-0-88448-912-2

A book about public lies, the kind that “can destabilize the world.”

Deceit, says noted nonfiction writer Kurlansky, is practiced throughout the living world, often conferring evolutionary advantages, and certainly many social ones—consider the white lie. Three hundred years ago, the rise of the Enlightenment ushered in both a new era of scientific reason and a corresponding rise in lies and conspiracy theories promulgated by power-hungry individuals attempting to dupe the masses. Today’s social media makes this ever more prevalent but also gives those who pay attention tools they can use to broadcast the truth. From murderous clowns to lizard people in government, burning women as witches to persistent scapegoating of Jews, Kurlansky covers the types, tools, targets, tactics, and motives of liars as well as arms readers with defensive techniques such as searching for sources and the classic advice to “follow the money.” Supplemental stories are told in sidebars set off in orange type. Blocks of larger, colorful type break up the pages, as do occasional illustrations and photographs. Short comic-strip segments enliven the ends of each chapter, illustrating Soviet spies sowing anti-vaccine disinformation and showing a dishonest, bankrupt real estate investor denying climate change. This book takes on a dense and complicated subject; Kurlansky’s genius is to embrace the complexity and urge readers to question everything they read, including this book.

(Nonfiction. 1218)

Lesperance, Nicole Razorbill/Penguin (368 pp.) $18.99 | Sept. 13, 2022 978-0-593-46536-3

A tropical paradise is haunted by a dangerous secret. After elite athlete Addie’s horrific free-diving accident—she’s dead for eight and a half minutes—her mother brings Addie along on her honeymoon so Addie won’t be alone as her injured lungs recover. Their destination’s Eulalie Island, a private Caribbean island. Apart from the island’s caretakers (and their two sons), they have the island to themselves. So why does it sound like the birds are calling Addie’s name—and who’s the giggling child she keeps hearing? As more strange things happen—the white flowers turn pink and then darken, vines behave strangely—Addie digs deeper into the history of the island, from its 1700s castaway namesake to a doomed Bostonian family from 1843. (The brutal colonialism of the region is mentioned, but Eulalie explicitly has no history of Indigenous peoples or European settlement.) Addie grows closer to the son of one of the caretakers and is introduced to a deep freshwater sinkhole where she feels no pain and can hold her breath long enough to free dive again. But being favored by the island and its supernatural inhabitants proves dangerous to more than just Addie. The tropical setting is refreshing for its Victorian ghost-story vibe, the characters are likable, and the story’s mystery threads weave together into a delightfully eerie tapestry. Characters default to White.

for air. (Horror. 1318)

McCormack, Will & Michael Govier Illus. by Youngran Nho Andrews McMeel Publishing (64 pp.) $16.99 paper | Sept. 6, 2022 978-1-5248-7125-3

Grieving parents find their ways back together.

A companion to the Oscar-winning short film of the same name, this graphic novel brings new elements to a story that has, horribly, become a familiar narrative in American life. In the aftermath of a school shooting that takes their daughter’s life, a father and mother must rediscover love in a world that’s been leached of color. Their daughter’s soul—“the part of you that is really you”—helps them along, bringing forth memories of her joyful life and enabling them to process her tragic—and tragically preventable—death together. With any exercise in adaptation, there is the question of harnessing medium specificity; this work more than rises to the challenge. McCormack, Govier, and Nho, the animated movie’s co-creators, take their successful cinematic story concept and give it new life with the addition of a carefully written text that explicates the philosophy at the heart of the original. Scenes are reordered to relate to one another in new ways, and characters are endowed with enriched backstories. The cat, an adorable fixture of the film, takes on a moving new role. The result is a book that holds its own, settling comfortably into its own niche, ready to welcome a new audience. Shadows, silhouettes, and occasional washes of color are expertly used to increase the emotional impact. Main characters have paper-white skin and straight, dark hair.

Heavy pain exquisitely rendered. (Graphic fiction. 1218)

Ed. by Méndez, Yamile Saied & Amparo Ortizs Illus. by Ricardo López Ortiz Algonquin (448 pp.) $19.99 | Sept. 6, 2022 978-1-64375-183-2

Fifteen tales full of the macabre and creatures that roam at twilight offer plenty of chills and thrills in this anthology inspired by Latin American folklore and legends.

“Be warned, this story is both a lesson and a curse. Most stories are.” So begins Chantel Acevedo’s strong opener, “The Nightingale and the Lark,” a dreamy tale of star-crossed lovers from families who are at odds over how best to handle monsters in Cuba. Love and loss intertwine across several stories, often superbly dissected through the lenses of gender, sexuality, and, crucially, gender-based violence. In Gabriela Martins’ stellar “Bloodstained Hands Like Yours,” 18-year-old Olivia survives on the streets of Brazil, where the rotten Corpo-seco targets and kills other unhoused people. To save the girl she loves, Olivia must brave her fears and traumas. In Racquel Marie’s “La Patasola,” a queer girl’s coming out turns deadly when her boyfriend’s aggression leads to the appearance of La Patasola, a blood-soaked spirit from Colombia. Colorism and racism thread through numerous tales. The horrors of modern U.S.–led capitalism and the consequences of environmental destruction—see Julia Alvarez’s poignant “Leave No Tracks,” featuring a more-than-human family of ciguapas in the Dominican Republic—round out a few more emergent themes. Dramatic black-and-white art enhances the suspense. The combination of recognizable names from young adult literature and superlative stories on a range of themes makes this collection a winner.

This bloodcurdling anthology soars. (Horror anthology. 1418)

MillerLachmann, Lyn Carolrhoda (328 pp.) $19.99 | Nov. 1, 2022 978-1-72841-568-0

The brightest torches burn quickly. Readers barely have a chance to get to know 17-year-old Pavol Bartoš, a young man whose bright future was extinguished when the oppressive Czechoslovak Communist Party, or KSČ, government denied his application to attend university and instead directed him to report for duty as a miner. Fueled by a desire to confront the unfair, authoritarian regime and guided by altruistic (if innocent) ideals, Pavol and his friends draft a letter that they plan to present to the government office in Prague Castle. When this plan falls apart, Pavol is resigned to what he believes is his last, terrible option: death. Pavol follows the example of reallife activist Jan Palach, a student who set himself ablaze in 1969 as an act of political protest against the KSČ. Pavol’s untimely death has unforeseen consequences for his friends—gay former school bully Štěpán; bookish neurodiverse Tomáš; and Pavol’s newly pregnant girlfriend, Lída. Readers will be on the edges of their seats with fear as they follow the social, psychological, and physical fallout for this trio as they deal with the consequences of Pavol’s actions while fighting for their own brief moments of happiness and hope. The story presents an unflinching look at the toll of authoritarianism; it’s a tale that will inspire readers to examine modern politics and the need for people to stand up for personal rights before human torches are once again lit.

author’s note, historical note) (Historical fiction. 1418) (This review is printed here for the first time.)

Miyazaki, Hayao Trans. by Alex Dudok de Wit First Second (160 pp.) $27.99 | Nov. 1, 2022 978-1-250-84652-5

A dangerous quest to feed an impoverished land leads to chance encounters and awe-inspiring sights. Shuna, the prince of a humble, struggling country, acts on the advice of a dying traveler from an Eastern land to seek out seeds that will grow bountiful grains. What he finds is a hostile city built on greed with an active slave trade. After meeting Thea and her little sister, Shuna fights to free them from enslavers. Every scene in this cinematic work stands apart with breathtaking watercolors aided by expert staging and blocking. The sights along Shuna’s journey range from a derelict ship in a treacherous desert to supernatural creatures and settings. The certainty and simplicity of Shuna’s motivations along with Thea’s own narrative arc allow the story to move nimbly from one larger-than-life spectacle to another. The pages read right-to-left manga style, while large panels and minimal dialogue create an immediate, immersive experience for readers. The narration sits outside or along the edges of panels, allowing the lush visuals maximum room to impress. Afterwords from the author and translator describe the story’s roots in a Tibetan folktale as well as comparisons to Miyazaki’s later animated works; this story, translated from Japanese, was originally published in Japan in 1983 before Miyazaki rose to fame with Studio Ghibli. The story’s cultural origins are cued through characters’ garb and other visual elements.

sublime. (Graphic fiction. 1218) (This review is printed here for the first time.)

Neely, Kindra Little, Brown (304 pp.) $17.99 paper | Oct. 11, 2022 978-0-316-46209-9

After a 2015 shooting rocks an Oregon community college, one survivor grapples with PTSD. When the mass shooter murders people at her college, author/illustrator Neely never even sees him. Hiding, she experiences the attack as a mix of terror, confusion, misinformation, bravery, and a horrific kind of boredom. Post-attack, she swings between despair and constant panic triggered by journalists, her fellow students, and even her friends. She doesn’t tell her loved ones about her suicide attempt, and, determined to move on, she goes to art school in Savannah, Georgia. But how can Kindra heal? Her phone is constantly lit with alerts: the massacres at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the Las Vegas music festival, Parkland, and the Thousand Oaks bar shooting, whose victims included a survivor of the Las Vegas incident just a year before. For Neely the past three years seem like a constant flow of utterly pointless thoughts and prayers. She finds no closure at the March for Our Lives, but she works up the courage to seek counseling through student services only to find there are no available therapists. But in writing this very graphic novel, she at last finds some catharsis. An author’s note discusses her recovery from suicidal depression with unsentimental, pragmatic hope. Pale, freckled, redheaded Neely’s charming illustrations featuring soothing pastels with occasional pops of bright color help balance the heaviness of the subject matter.

(resources) (Graphic memoir. 1318)

Nicholls, Sally Walker US/Candlewick (240 pp.) $17.99 | Sept. 20, 2022 978-1-5362-2318-7

A complicated romance unfolds in the wake of World War I. In 1916, Harry Singer, a carefree, floppy-haired boy of 19, entered the war effort. He was sent to the front and went missing one month later, just as then-16-year-old Margot Allen, the pretty blond, blue-eyed vicar’s daughter he was sweet on, learned she was pregnant and was packed off to a home for girls in her condition. Now it’s 1919, and Margot is returning from her secretarial course in the big city of Durham to her North Yorkshire village to celebrate the first Christmas since the war ended. She’ll get to see 2-year-old James, who is being raised as her brother. Harry, who had been a prisoner of war, will also be returning for the holidays. Since learning he was alive, Margot hasn’t found a way to tell him about James and has avoided communicating with Harry altogether. The novel’s strong pacing alternates between wartime and its aftermath, vividly capturing postwar life with its continuing food shortages and the devastating loss of life both in combat and to the influenza pandemic. The experiences of Margot’s older brother, Stephen, show the lasting impact of the war on someone who survived many months in the trenches. At the heart of this story lies a tale of young love interrupted by the realities of war and life’s complications.

sum of its parts. (historical note) (Historical fiction. 1318)

Peppins, Brianna Disney-Hyperion (400 pp.) $17.99 | Nov. 15, 2022 978-1-368-07837-5

A 14-year-old girl discovers a dangerous secret that puts her relationships to the test. Avielle LeBeau has dreamed of carrying on her family’s legacy of attending Historically Black Boarding Schools at Briarcliff Preparatory School for Girls, especially since it means being with her older sister, Belle, and near her twin brothers, who attend all-boys Preston Academy. Despite her excitement, Avi worries about landing a spot on the prestigious school paper and adjusting to life away from home. Her hectic schedule fills with extracurriculars, homework, a budding romance, and social events—but it doesn’t escape her notice that Belle’s boyfriend seems off. Avi notices how controlling he is, telling Belle how to dress and who to be friends with, and after witnessing an explosive argument between them, she knows something is wrong. Suddenly Avi’s problems seem small as this larger crisis unfolds. Debut author Peppins’ thoughtful, realistic writing shows the alienation that victims of domestic violence endure along with the impact it can have on those who love them but have a limited ability to bring about real change. Through limited omniscient narration, readers enjoy a detailed account of Avi’s life at an HBBS; however, the author doesn’t skimp on the characterizations of members of Avi’s core support system. Many people and subjects significant to Black culture are woven into the story and will spark recognition for many readers.

ing. (author’s note) (Fiction. 1418) (This review is printed here for the first time.)