Elemental

Publishers Weekly

In this postapocalyptic tale, first in a planned trilogy, a small colony of 15 survives on the island of Hatteras off the coast of North Carolina, their return to the mainland prevented by plague. Sixteen-year-old Thomas is treated like an untouchable by the colony’s Guardians because he is the only person on the island who lacks the power to control one of the four elements—earth, wind, water, or fire. When a hurricane threatens, Thomas and the colony’s other youths are sent to shelter on nearby Roanoke Island, only to discover that they have thus escaped a surprise attack by pirates whose captain believes that Thomas or his deaf brother holds the key to ending the plague. When Thomas and the others fight back, he learns he is not as powerless as he thought. John (Five Flavors of Dumb) hits several standard postapocalyptic tropes (plague, isolated community as sole bastion of civilization, scapegoated protagonist uncovering secrets), but creates engaging characters and provides plenty of mystery, adventure, and action. Ages 12–up. Agent: Ted Malawer, Upstart Crow Literary. (Nov.)

VOYA - Rebecca Moore

In the future, a rat-borne plague has rendered the American mainland unlivable, so sixteen-year-old Thom's family lives in a tiny colony on Hatteras Island. Everyone save Thom has a magic-like "elemental" gift that helps the colony, so Thom's lack makes him worth "nothing." Only his father will even touch him, and doubtless his dreams of the lovely Rose and iconoclastic Alice will end in heartbreak. Then pirates come while all the teens are sheltering from a hurricane in nearby Roanoke, in a ruined town of forbidden preplague wonders. When the teens discover that the pirates have captured the adults and are coming for them—led by Captain Dare—they know they must act. As they strive to rescue their parents and themselves, the teens begin to uncover the secrets of Roanoke, their families' pasts, and themselves. Shades of the lost colony of Roanoke thread through this well-constructed and suspenseful dystopia, where secrets pile on secrets like dune sand—so many secrets that some readers may grow frustrated by the author's parsimonious explanations. The explanations are so incomplete that much remains unknown by the cliff-hanger ending, so a sequel clearly lies in the future. All the characters, however, are well-drawn and idiosyncratic—Thom is particularly sympathetic—making the human story as compelling as the enigmas of Roanoke and the Hatteras colonists. The descriptions of the physical world are lush and evocative as well. Recommend this to students who prefer their dystopias more enigmatic than desperate, though still with some violence. Reviewer: Rebecca Moore

VOYA

This story starts out with the opposite premise of usual fantasy books—the main character's superpower is his lack of one. This creates an unexpectedly emotional story of survival and self-discovery. Although a little too fast-paced and sometimes overly dramatic, the book offers a surprisingly accurate portrayal of human emotions. Fantasy readers who prefer more character development and fewer battle scenes will enjoy it. Elemental is best for middle schoolers with short attention spans. Reviewer: Alisa Billig, Teen Reviewer

VOYA

John paints a descriptive picture, allowing readers to envision Skeleton Island (Roanoke), the pirates, and their ships. He also allows Alice, Thom, and Rose to grow, both together and individually, with Alice exploring the islands and Thom learning to keep his own secrets. In addition, John uses the adult Guardians to add questions and secrets to the islands, keeping readers in a state of confusion and curiosity. Elemental will appeal to teen mystery readers. Reviewer: Tapan Srivastava, Teen Reviewer

Kirkus Reviews

The lost colony of Roanoke Island meets Captain Kidd. Sixteen-year-old Thomas lives on Hatteras Island in a colony protected by the Guardians, a group of elders with magical powers fueled by the elements: water, fire, wind and water. Their children have inherited their special gifts--except for Thomas. His deaf younger brother, Griffin, however, is a seer who has visions of the future that are sometimes horrific and cause him to have seizures. The Guardians moved the colony to Hatteras to escape a plague that wiped out all other human life on the mainland. Now the colony is under siege by pirates who have kidnapped everyone but Thomas, Griffin and three other kids. John's post-apocalyptic alternate history starts off with a whine, but the pace and the mystery pick up once the adults are captured and the kids are left on their own. Characterizations don't dip too far below the surface, except when G-rated sparks flicker between Thomas and one of the teen girls stranded with him. Enter Captain Dare, the cutthroat leader of the pirates who attacked the colony. His presence, along with some old maps and paper fragments with the name "Virginia" scrawled on them point to a sequel. Readers may not catch all the loose historical connections, but they'll like the action in this occasionally exciting story of survival. (Post-apocalyptic adventure. 12-16)

School Library Journal

Gr 6–10—When plague hit the mainland United States, a few people managed to escape to the Outer Banks. Now, 16-year-old Thomas is the only person on Hatteras Island without an Element, the supernatural ability to manipulate air, fire, earth, or water. When pirates kidnap the adults and attempt to take the island for their own, Thomas; his deaf younger brother; his best friend, Alice; his would-be girlfriend, Rose; and Rose's little brother hide out on Roanoke Island, where an abandoned community has been reduced to rubble in the wake of the plague and treacherous storms. As they defend themselves against desperate pirates, the teens slowly discover that their Guardians have been hiding secrets-particularly about Thomas-that could cost all of them their lives. A confusing start makes way for plenty of action for readers who enjoy survival stories with a twist of the supernatural and a hint of romance. Thomas and Alice are the focal characters as both are instrumental in defending the island. The eerie setting, with its skeletal buildings and mysterious past, is practically a character in itself. The mystery builds so slowly that some readers might abandon Elemental before the action really kicks in. For that reason, it is best recommended to patient readers who, like the characters, will fight for answers that don't come easily.—Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX