King of Dead Things

JLG Gold Standard Selection &★ "" Holness uses Afro-Caribbean mythology to create a vital and mysterious magical underside of London. Protagonists Eli and Malcolm are rooted in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, and Holness's descriptions of their magic, community, food, and family fill the senses and strongly tie her story to cultural tradition and folklore. King of Dead Things is an outstanding, fast-paced adventure.""--Shelf Awareness, STARRED REVIEW ★ ""Holness' debut novel overflows with drama, culture, and fantastical realism. Anyone with roots in the Caribbean will chuckle at the familiar array of characters that populate this world. Readers will feel transported as the vivid scenes play out on each page, drawing them in with universal elements such as struggles with identity, family, and an uncertain future. Hopefully this will not be the last we see of Eli and Malcolm. An electrifying debut."" --Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW ""Infused with Caribbean folklore, this fast-paced urban fantasy careerns from one idea to the next but manages to tie it all together in a surprise twist ending.""--Booklist ""Through Eli and Malcolm's third-person perspectives, magics rooted in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora leap off the pages in a tangle of sensory and emotional touchstones: community, food, family, the way a neighborhood feels--all speak of a tangible power tied to cultural tradition and folklore. Eli, Sunny, Max, and Malcolm are each sympathetic and engaging. . . one crisis dealt with still leaves a multitude of lingering mysteries for (hopefully) future novels."" --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books