We Shall Be Monsters

March 18, 2024
Hoping to gain the yakshas’, or nature spirits’, favor to end the mysterious blight poisoning Dharati, the country’s leaders routinely hang single women and girls for suspected connection to malevolent beings called rakshasas. In Dharati, teens Kajal and her sister Lasya lead a hardscrabble life as itinerant workers and petty thieves. After Lasya dies in an accident, Kajal embarks on an obsessive search for a way to resurrect her. Her already seemingly impossible quest is further jeopardized by Lasya’s spirit warping into a bhuta, a hostile specter that kills indiscriminately until it’s put to rest. Then, Kajal is blackmailed by insurrectionists into reviving the crown prince, who died in battle to the Usurper King almost 20 years prior. As political plots thicken and her sister’s bhuta grows stronger, Kajal must face the consequences of her actions and decide what she’s willing to lose to reach her goals. Borrowing liberally from Hindu folklore and utilizing evocative, moody prose alongside gruesome depictions of body horror, Sim (Ravage the Dark) explores themes of systemic misogyny, superstition, and morality. Though pacing occasionally flags, Sim delivers a twisted work of fantasy horror teeming with fascinating creatures and long-buried secrets. Age 12–up.

April 15, 2024
A young woman must resurrect a prince whose return to the throne could restore balance to the kingdom. After successfully--with a few caveats--reviving a dead dog, gutsy Kajal is determined to do the same for Lasya, her beloved deceased sister. But when Lasya turns into a bhuta (a vengeful, murderous ghost) and takes out her rage on those around Kajal, the latter is accused by the townsfolk of being a dakini, or witch, and imprisoned. Before a brutal sentence can be carried out, Vivaan and Sezal, two young rebels, approach Kajal; they know she resurrected Kutaa, her undead canine companion. They promise to help her escape and retrieve Lasya's body, but in return, she must aid them in overthrowing Anu Bakshi, the Usurper King, by resurrecting Dharati's crown prince, Advaith Thakar. Every time Lasya's bhuta claims another life, she becomes more powerful, so Kajal hurries to meet her end of the bargain. But after discovering that the boy she brought back to life isn't actually the crown prince but someone else entirely, she frantically attempts to cover up her mistake and find the real Advaith. Sim's duology opener is an artful presentation of binaries--evidence and belief, right and wrong--and the complex, gray, in-between areas. This intriguing exploration of certainty is highlighted by a nonbinary character's perceptions of duality. The worldbuilding, which relies heavily on its infusion of Indian mythology, is both winsome and convoluted. A dark and sinuous fantasy adventure. (author's note) (Fantasy. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 Kajal escapes her own coffin moments before it is set aflame, only to realize her sister's spirit has not yet returned to her body. Unable to bear her permanent loss yet unable to revive Lasya immediately, Kajal takes the next best route--burying Lasya's body to preserve it while she learns the necessary magic to revive her. Each experiment brings her closer to success, and when her revived dog, Kutaa, earns her the attention of a group of insurrectionists desperate to revive the murdered crown prince, she may finally get the last bit of knowledge she needs. Unfortunately, Lasya has returned too soon as a bhuta--a murderous spirit--and Kajal chaotically races to stop the cascade of deaths she has set in motion. A gripping opening sets a breakneck pace as this Frankenstein-inspired story of accidental monster creation leads readers to timeless questions about true monstrosity and the responsibility of the creator for the consequences. A fantastic, magical adventure that covers a lot of ground with a large, energetic cast and a heavy infusion of fascinating and illuminating mythology.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024

Gr 8 Up-A deeply atmospheric Frankenstein retelling rooted in Indian mythology. Kajal will do anything to revive her sister after her death, but when the resurrection goes wrong, her sister's spirit twists into a murderous ghost called a bhuta. The bhuta's murderous rampage gets Kajal condemned as a witch. Imprisoned with no hope of escape, two rebels offer a chance at freedom. They know Kajal has managed a successful resurrection before her sister turned, and they'll set her free if she can bring back the crown prince. Desperate to return to her sister's body and try again before her soul is entirely lost, she rushes the prince's resurrection-and accidentally brings back a different boy. After discovering she hasn't resurrected the right person, she attempts to cover up her mistake while finding the prince. This is a thrilling and chaotic beginning to a whirlwind adventure, with uniquely realized characters and a ribbon of body horror flavoring the plot. The pacing occasionally slows to a simmer, highlighting the atmosphere and Sim's ability to navigate complex themes without condescension. Kajal confronts institutionalized misogyny and societal morality, while grappling with the question: If you create the monster, are you responsible for its crimes? Characters are Indian with additional representation in gender and orientation in a queernormative world. VERDICT A horror-fantasy woven with Indian mythology, this fun and unique duology opener is recommended for purchase.-Emmy Neal

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