Voice of Youth Advocates

McIsaac's debut is an apocalyptic gang-of-boys novel in the tradition of Patrick Ness. Another novel that takes as its premise the idea that teenage boys are nearly hopeless, often brutal animals, deserted by their parents and devoid of any finer graces, it follows sixteen-year-old Urgle as he leaves Ilkuma Pit and ventures into the unknown forest to save his little brother. Ultimately, Urgle's quest ends with him discovering courage and earning his symbolic manhood.Urgle is a stock protagonist for the genre, an inept misfit, but a noble savage somehow imbued with a set of morals that calls for him to make a sacrifice he previously would have been incapable of performing. In between, there are a lot of names, locations, and post-apocalyptic slang to navigate.áThe Boys of Fire and Ash is a typical effort in this genre, quickly identifying the good guys and bad in black-and-white fashion. Once it allies the reader to Urgle and his stereotypically precocious-but-likeable little brother Cubby, it brings the requisite disaster that changes life as they know it for the protagonists. In this case, Cubby is kidnapped by the troll-like Tunrar people. Urgle, his best friend Av and the mysterious quasi-adult Blaze must travel to unfamiliar places to reclaim him.áWhile we have seen this thing before, it will appeal to those who enjoy the genre and have exhausted the works from the masters of this genre.Jim Nicosia.

School Library Journal (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Gr 6 Up-In the Ikkuma Pit, the Brothers stick together and look out for each other in a world with no mothers (or women in general) and it takes everything they have to survive. When their Leaving Day arrives, they go out into the world, never to return, and another young boy mysteriously appears to replace them. Urgle is a young man trying to keep himself and his "little brother" Cubby alive. He is suspicious about the outside world, and he is equally suspicious of Blaze, a Brother who has returned to the Ikkuma Pit after leaving. Blaze speaks of monsters who chased him over the wall and back into the Pit. When those same monsters kidnap Cubby and drag him into the outside world, Urgle, along with an unlikely group of Ikkuma brothers, embark on a journey to rescue Cubby and eventually find out what is waiting for them in the outside world. McIsaac's debut fantasy novel is fast-paced and heartstopping. Her world is fully formed (although it does take a while before the parameters of this universe truly comes into focus). The characters are fleshed out and feel authentic. This is a great stepping stone for those tweens looking for a postapocalyptic novel without diving head first into the violence and social mores of similar YA titles. There is a hint of romance, appropriate for the intended audience. VERDICT This self-contained story is an entertaining read that will be enjoyed by many. Christopher Lassen, Brooklyn Public Library

Horn Book (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

In a society where women abandon male infants, Urgle lives with other boys in a volcanic pit. When Cubby, his assigned "Little Brother," is kidnapped, Urgle must assassinate the leader of a fierce female tribe in exchange for Cubby's life. The places and cultures Urgle encounters on his quest are vividly rendered; his transformation from self absorbed to heroic is less convincing.

ALA Booklist (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

The Ikkuma Pit, sheltered from the outside world, is hot and filled with lava pots. It's where Mothers leave their baby sons and where Brothers grow up hating the Mothers who abandoned them. When a Brother turns 16, he takes his Leaving. That's the first time a boy ventures out of the Pit and into the unknown world. Urgle, nearing his Leaving time, isn't ready. Being ill-equipped in hunting and tracking, his nickname, "Useless," is one he's heard for so long that he believes it. But when his Little Brother Cubby is stolen by an outside creature, Urgle, along with two of the Brothers and the only Brother ever to have returned to the Pit, sets out to find the child. They are repeatedly tested in their skills and their beliefs, selflessly fighting for those they love. Although their quest may sound familiar, the difference is the setup and how the boys' prejudices are challenged by people along the way, some of whom they never wanted to meet. Fans of Rick Riordan and Anthony Horowitz will want to read this action-filled debut novel that offers a new world to enjoy and a new underdog to root for.