The Broken Lands

by Kate Milford, Andrea Offermann (Illustrator)

A crossroads can be a place of great power. So begins this deliciously spine-tingling prequel to Kate Milford’s The Boneshaker, set in the colorful world of nineteenth-century Coney Island and New York City. Few crossroads compare to the one being formed by the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, and as the bridge’s construction progresses, forces of unimaginable evil seek to bend that power to their advantage. Only two orphans with unusual skills stand in their way. Can the teenagers Sam, a card sharp, and Jin, a fireworks expert, stop them before it’s too late? Here is a richly textured, slow-burning thriller about friendship, courage, and the age-old fight between good and evil (from Goodreads).

My Thoughts

This was excellent. I’ve been telling everyone this book is Stephen King-ish, a descriptive term meaning ookie spookie.

I fell in heavy like with Jin and Sam. For young teenagers, they have already experienced many of life’s unpleasant moments. Jin is resilient and strong. Sam is street smart and loyal. Together they must stand up against evil.

I was not aware when I requested this book that it was classified as juvenile fiction and honestly, I could not tell this from the writing. It was suspenseful, magical and just down right entertaining!

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchnage for an unbiased review.

Publish date: September 4, 2012.