The Situation: Nichole 'Nic' Blake is now 12 years old, which means it is finally time for her father to teach her to use the Gift so she can be a powerful Manifestor like him. For a few years now, he has found a reason to delay this teaching, each time declaring that the Gift is nothing to play with, and that there can be real consequences, or that she could hurt herself or someone else. While this all may be true, Nic believes she is ready. Sure, the little hellhound she received as a birthday present is nice too, but Nic wants to learn to use what she had always been told is already inside her. She has spent her life learning about what it means to be a Remarkable, while moving from place to place, for reasons that her father was never ready to mention.
The Problem: When Nic decides to sneak out with her best friend and neighbor, JP, to see their favorite author at a book signing, she has no idea it will put her on a journey like she never imagined. When Nic's father is accused of a crime she cannot bring herself to believe he committed, her only choice is to attempt to clear his name, despite being only 12, and despite not knowing how to use the Gift. With JP by her side, as well as her new friend Alex, Nic will encounter hungry shapeshifters, desperate demons, terrifying visions and prophecies, and other powerful Remarkables focused on bringing her and her father to justice.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult, or middle-grade fantasy novel, the first in what will be a trilogy. Nic Blake is a 12 year-old girl currently living in Jackson, Mississippi, a Remarkable living in the Unremarkable world. Using both African American history and folklore, Thomas tells the story of a young girl who only wants to learn to use the power she has spent her life learning about from her father. Thomas weaves African American history into the Remarkable world using historical figures like John Henry, Harriet Tubman, Emmet Till, and many more. Nic's adventures even begin to mirror the adventures from her own favorite book series, a realization that becomes even more important the further the story goes.
My Verdict: This story wastes no time getting started, beginning with Nic's attempt to capture a hellhound of her own. From there, the story continues to reveal the world that Nic inhabits, with both its Remarkable and Unremarkable traits. Nic is smart, curious, resilient, and remains incredibly courageous in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances. And Thomas weaves in African American history in a way that is nearly seamless, while also mentioning present-day issues, and relating them to Nic's current adventures and struggles. This novel will satisfy those readers who long for fantasy stories that take place in our world, instead of perhaps some far off fictional world we will never have access to. And the fact that there are two more books to come will give cause for many to be excited.
Favorite Moment: I love trains, and Bertha is a train Nic and her friends must use more than once during their adventures, and it just happens to move along the Underground Railroad.
Favorite Character: JP is Nic's best friend and neighbor, a 12 year-old preacher's kid who wears button-down dress shirts and bow ties...by choice.
Recommended Reading: For more fantasy, I recommend The Reader by Traci Chee, the first in a trilogy centered around a highly sought-after book in an illiterate society.
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