A Fierce and Subtle Poison
Common Sense says
- Samantha Mabry
- Fantasy
- 2016
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Samantha Mabry's A Fierce and Subtle Poison is a fantasy-tinged thriller set in modern-day Puerto Rico. It involves the disappearances of teen girls and a secret curse. There are a few scenes of violence -- a fight between friends, a deliberate poisoning -- but they're not particularly disturbing. Swear words are sprinkled lightly across the text, from multiple uses of "hell" and "damn" to a handful of instances of "f--k" and "s--t." Seventeen-year-old Lucas Knight seduces tourists and drinks alcohol with his buddies, but these exploits are generally not described in detail.
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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: Samantha Mabry
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Friendship, Misfits and Underdogs
- 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, iBooks, Kindle
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.