Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teens will enjoy mix of magical realism and mystery.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Seventeen-year-old Lucas Knight is used to summering in Puerto Rico with his hotel-developer father, but he has never been able to solve the riddle of Isabel, the neighbor girl who lives in a tropical garden and is said to be cursed with a deadly touch. On the day his latest girlfriend, Marisol, disappears, Lucas begins to receive messages at his hotel room from Isabel. Gradually, he's drawn into her world of secrets, especially when another young girl goes missing. Soon, Lucas is battling for his own life, even as a storm bears down upon the island.
Is It Any Good?
Like a gathering tropical storm, this offbeat thriller crackles with suspense, depending more on mood than on action to keep readers turning pages. With A FIERCE AND SUBTLE POISON, debut novelist Samantha Mabry conjures up an unusual mystery, mixing in elements of magical realism to her tale of missing girls and deadly family secrets. The main character, Lucas Knight, is not especially sympathetic at the start, but he gradually reveals his better qualities as he's pushed to unravel the mystery of the vanished girls.
The novel's climax is powerful and emphatic. There's little chance of a sequel, and it's impressive that Mabry has accomplished so much in a stand-alone volume.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how class and wealth are portrayed in books, in movies, and on TV. How does belonging to a wealthy family shape Lucas' outlook and actions?
Why do people make up stories about strangers? How do these narratives help people deal with uncertainty?
How does Lucas treat the female tourists he meets in San Juan? How does his attitude about them change over the course of the novel?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Algonquin Young Readers
- Publication date : April 12, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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