Publishers Weekly
★ 06/10/2024
Since her recently divorced parents can’t afford it, assumed white and Mohawk teen Avery Ray is determined to attend college on a running scholarship. While traversing difficult terrain, a hypnotic voice lures her off her usual training path and deep into the forest, in which she encounters a mysterious, dreamlike landscape that features a pond of black water. Barely breaking free of the voice’s lure, Avery makes her way back to safety, but the black water’s malignancy lingers. When she starts hallucinating visions of the water and smoky, faceless forms begin stalking her every move, she fears that she’s unleashed something sinister. Then someone close to her goes missing, forcing Avery to dive deep into the history of her Crooks Falls town and her own Mohawk identity if she hopes to break the curse of the black water. Sharp prose and humorous banter permeate this stellar debut by Isaacs, who crafts an atmospheric mystery filled with intrigue and harrowing imagery that shimmers brilliantly amid the eerie setting. Fully fleshed out secondary characters help Avery connect with her heritage while a romantic subplot seamlessly interweaves itself throughout her investigation. An author’s note and Kanyen’kehá glossary conclude. Ages 13–up. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Looking Glass Literary. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
Sharp prose and humorous banter permeate this stellar debut by Isaacs, who crafts an atmospheric mystery filled with intrigue and harrowing imagery that shimmers brilliantly amid the eerie setting. — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A harrowing work that combines suspense with a coming-of-age journey of cultural exploration. — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Eerie monsters and beautiful folklore blend together with a spot-on grumpy teenage voice in Isaacs’ horror debut about buried secrets and unspoken truths. — Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2024-06-15
In the forest outside Crook’s Falls lies an unnaturally still body of black water that hides—until it’s hungry.
Legends say that the pond is connected to the Ragged Man, who lurks in the shadows: “Walk with him, and you don’t come back.” When Avery, a Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) high school athlete with a white dad, defies warnings and ventures off the trail during a run, she discovers the deep black water that awakens endless nightmares. Sensing an eerie presence, Avery flees but can’t escape the water’s calls. She’s never felt connected to “the culture [that’s] supposed to be mine” and hesitates to seek the truth until the danger becomes undeniable as her nightmares intensify and people begin to disappear. When Key, the boy who’s her best friend and romantic interest, vanishes, Avery seeks guidance from Elders and learns more about the black water and the Ragged Man. In a desperate attempt to save Key and her town, she navigates a chilling mystery, torn between following wisdom passed down by her Elders and risking everything for love. Against a haunting backdrop, debut novelist Isaacs, who is Kanyen’kehá:ka and white, skillfully portrays a young woman’s struggles with the fallout of having distanced herself from her ancestors, showing how she comes to acknowledge this disconnect—grounded in avoidance of pain and discomfort—and wrestles with the resulting regret.
A harrowing work that combines suspense with a coming-of-age journey of cultural exploration. (Kanyen’kéha glossary, note from Cynthia Leitich Smith)(Supernatural. 13-18)
