Publishers Weekly
12/19/2022
Twelve-year-old artist Azalea “Zailey” loves studying and drawing faces, even though she has never seen her own. In her utopian community of Gladder Hill, the 102 residents are forbidden from anything that might reveal their images: cameras, mirrors, sunglasses, shiny spoons—even the water is pumped with oxygen to cloud it. To avoid delving into what the community considers “Superficiality” and to “minimize physical comparison,” denizens also wear the same clothes and buzz haircuts. After a visitor strikes up a conversation, Zailey begins wondering about her origins, including her estranged mother and her own life before Gladder Hill. The discovery of Zailey’s artwork—a collection of community portraits she’s hidden from her grandmother—sets off a startling chain of events that cause her to view Gladder Hill, the outside world, and herself innew ways. A dubious premise and heavy-handed messaging diminish the novel’s impact, but Collins (After Zero) engages in a thoughtful psychological examination of how people view themselves and their bodies, touching briefly on body dysmorphia and disordered eating, and succeeds in creating a chilling vibe. Zailey cues as white. An author’s note with resources concludes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Becky Bagnell, Lindsay Literary. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"The Giver meets Uglies in this intricately crafted world where any mention of looks is considered 'superficial' and children are kept from seeing their own faces. Christina Collins delivers a fast-paced, imaginative, and thoughtful tale that is destined to be the next beloved dystopian novel. Readers will race through it, eager to discover the fate of the endearing Zailey, and they will end it brimming with new questions to ponder about the drawbacks and power of appearance in our society." — Brigit Young, author of The Prettiest
"A captivating reflection of how we see ourselves and others. Readers simply won't be able to look away." — Abby Cooper, author of Sticks & Stones
"Immensely intriguing... sure to spark consideration of body image, beauty concepts, and what truly defines an individual" — Booklist
"Collins (After Zero) engages in a thoughtful psychological examination of how people view themselves and their bodies, touching briefly on body dysmorphia and disordered eating, and succeeds in creating a chilling vibe." — Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
2022-11-29
Twelve-year-old Zailey is curious about the world outside her town.
At a very young age, Zailey moved with her grandmother to Gladder Hill, an experimental community that demonizes the Superficial: Children are told tales about the mirror demon, words relating to physical appearance are banned, and authorities go to extreme lengths to keep all reflective surfaces out, even pumping oxygen into the water to keep it cloudy. As an artist with an eidetic memory and a fascination with drawing faces, Zailey feels guilt over her secret sketchbook of portraits and fears it could get her and her grandmother evicted. When a classmate discovers it and confesses that he too wonders what his face looks like, they bond over their shared curiosity about the rest of the world. The first half of the book plods along, slowly showing life in the community. In the second act, an accident gives Zailey a chance to escape and chase after a personal mystery of her own. On one hand, the second story arc is far more compelling, with greater tension. However, it’s built upon distracting implausibilities. Regrettably, the body image themes go underexplored and are never fully integrated into the plot. The conclusion relies on a deus ex machina that undermines the stakes. The town’s rules create a race-blind default (Zailey and her classmates don’t appear to know about the concept of race, although they notice one another’s physical differences).
Doesn’t go beyond face value. (author’s note, resources) (Speculative fiction. 9-14)
