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The Flicker
Perfect for fans of The Marrow Thieves, Hatchet and The City of Ember, H.E. Edgmon's middle grade debut offers a bittersweet tale of hope and survival, a modern classic for the climate change generation.
One year ago, a solar flare scorched the Earth and destroyed life as we know it.
With their parents gone and supplies running dangerously low, step-sisters Millie and Rose only have one chance at survival: leave home with their infant half-brother and loyal dog Corncob in search of Millie’s grandma, a Seminole elder. As they navigate the burning land with a group of fellow survivors, dodging The Hive, a villainous group that has spent the last year hoarding supplies and living in luxury, the siblings have to learn to rely on each other more than ever, and discover how to build a new life from the ashes.
Expertly balancing heartbreak and hope, The Flicker is both a thrilling survival story and a tender exploration of Indigenous ideas of identity and found family.
One year ago, a solar flare scorched the Earth and destroyed life as we know it.
With their parents gone and supplies running dangerously low, step-sisters Millie and Rose only have one chance at survival: leave home with their infant half-brother and loyal dog Corncob in search of Millie’s grandma, a Seminole elder. As they navigate the burning land with a group of fellow survivors, dodging The Hive, a villainous group that has spent the last year hoarding supplies and living in luxury, the siblings have to learn to rely on each other more than ever, and discover how to build a new life from the ashes.
Expertly balancing heartbreak and hope, The Flicker is both a thrilling survival story and a tender exploration of Indigenous ideas of identity and found family.
Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 2024
About the author
H.E. Edgmon
11 books769 followersH.E. Edgmon (he/they) is a high school and college dropout, a militant queer, and an author of books both irreverent and radicalizing. His stories will always center the perspective of Indigenous people, trans people, and survivors of trauma. At present, he’s probably biting off more than he can chew, emulating the aesthetic of Dwayne from The Lost Boys (1987), and living out the found family trope in Brooklyn. Online, he can most often be found on Twitter @heedgmon.
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February 8, 202207.02.2022 a middle-grade dystopian where an angst riddled step-siblings pair with a theatre troupe to search for their grandmother — a Native elder who may still be alive. authors says it's a "story about grieving what's been stolen from [Indigenous people]" and i think it's going to make me cry.
August 26, 2024
Husband brought an arc back from ALA
This was so good! I’m very much outside the target audience but it was incredibly compelling even to an adult like me, very much a love letter to chosen family, Appalachia and indigenous people. I thought I didn’t like post apocalyptic but damn trans people are killing this genre
This was so good! I’m very much outside the target audience but it was incredibly compelling even to an adult like me, very much a love letter to chosen family, Appalachia and indigenous people. I thought I didn’t like post apocalyptic but damn trans people are killing this genre
November 8, 2024
I’ll admit, I thought based on the summary that this would be too dark of a middle grade for readers within the target demographic. And while I still think that whoever does read it will have to have some level of maturity(probably within the 10-12 group), there was enough of a hopeful tone to keep this from feeling unpleasant to read. This was an emotional look at loss and community, with the kids acting age-appropriate. (Especially with most of them grappling with being forced to grow up too fast.)
Also, this is the second queer Appalachian book I’ve read that has a central dog character that survives to the end! Hello, Corncob. (Malnourished baby ☹️)
The main characters—Rose and Millie—sometimes made me want to pull my hair out just because of how hostile they were towards each other at the beginning, but their interpretation’s of each other’s actions and coping mechanisms were completely understandable. They knew they were all the other had, yes, but they hated their roles of assumed responsibility and that they had no one else. It made their thoughts and psychology really interesting to read??? I feel like two siblings, realistically, would find it difficult to be around each other in an apocalyptic setting. (Also, I saw some of myself in Millie.)
Are some of the story beats predictable? Absolutely. But the twists were always so much fun, they were so juicy and added a lot to the characters. It’s one of the parts that made me stay up to finish this.
One of the things that made this story stand out to me, though, was that indigenous narratives are incorporated into an apocalypse scenario. Millie might not be as connected to her Seminole heritage as Rose thought she was, but she isn’t disconnected from her experience as an Indigenous kid. There were glimpses of how she viewed different entities (or people?) like The Hive slightly differently because she saw parallels to her ancestors’ history, but the bigger part of that was the overall discussion on colonialism and climate change being intrinsically tied. I think both of those things felt like they were talked about in a way the younger readers could start to grasp, even if they wouldn’t know all of the complexities yet.
On the topic of the kids acting like kids, the scene of Rose accidentally coming out to Olly was hilarious. Very much had the vibes of a middle school recess comeback.
However, I wanted some more substance from the Lost Boys’ group dynamic. There wasn’t as much time for the kids to forge their own bonds with Rose and Millie, so they felt more like a collective than a found family where I could be attached to all the members. Ben, however!!! I loved how his struggle as a caretaker was handled and how that so clearly paralleled Millie. He was such a strong character and his journal entries brought me to tears.
And this is a minor thing, but at the beginning, when the world was still being introduced, the writing somewhat covertly used Rose’s interest in reading as a way to describe it. Books themselves, too, are a motif throughout—usually, to mark privilege and access to resources—and that was such a creative method of worldbuilding???
This might become a favorite of mine. “The Flicker” had the character beats I adore in apocalypse narratives, but with a quarter of the on-page deaths (key words: “on-page”), and almost half of the usual stress. I’m curious to know what younger readers actually within the demographic think, though! (Maybe I’ll find out from a parent’s Bookstagram or if I get the chance to go to an author event, who knows.)
************
pre-review:
Was this a particularly unique post-apocalyptic universe?? By no means. Was I still invested the whole time? Oh absolutely.
RTC
Also, this is the second queer Appalachian book I’ve read that has a central dog character that survives to the end! Hello, Corncob. (Malnourished baby ☹️)
The main characters—Rose and Millie—sometimes made me want to pull my hair out just because of how hostile they were towards each other at the beginning, but their interpretation’s of each other’s actions and coping mechanisms were completely understandable. They knew they were all the other had, yes, but they hated their roles of assumed responsibility and that they had no one else. It made their thoughts and psychology really interesting to read??? I feel like two siblings, realistically, would find it difficult to be around each other in an apocalyptic setting. (Also, I saw some of myself in Millie.)
Are some of the story beats predictable? Absolutely. But the twists were always so much fun, they were so juicy and added a lot to the characters. It’s one of the parts that made me stay up to finish this.
One of the things that made this story stand out to me, though, was that indigenous narratives are incorporated into an apocalypse scenario. Millie might not be as connected to her Seminole heritage as Rose thought she was, but she isn’t disconnected from her experience as an Indigenous kid. There were glimpses of how she viewed different entities (or people?) like The Hive slightly differently because she saw parallels to her ancestors’ history, but the bigger part of that was the overall discussion on colonialism and climate change being intrinsically tied. I think both of those things felt like they were talked about in a way the younger readers could start to grasp, even if they wouldn’t know all of the complexities yet.
On the topic of the kids acting like kids, the scene of Rose accidentally coming out to Olly was hilarious. Very much had the vibes of a middle school recess comeback.
However, I wanted some more substance from the Lost Boys’ group dynamic. There wasn’t as much time for the kids to forge their own bonds with Rose and Millie, so they felt more like a collective than a found family where I could be attached to all the members. Ben, however!!! I loved how his struggle as a caretaker was handled and how that so clearly paralleled Millie. He was such a strong character and his journal entries brought me to tears.
And this is a minor thing, but at the beginning, when the world was still being introduced, the writing somewhat covertly used Rose’s interest in reading as a way to describe it. Books themselves, too, are a motif throughout—usually, to mark privilege and access to resources—and that was such a creative method of worldbuilding???
This might become a favorite of mine. “The Flicker” had the character beats I adore in apocalypse narratives, but with a quarter of the on-page deaths (key words: “on-page”), and almost half of the usual stress. I’m curious to know what younger readers actually within the demographic think, though! (Maybe I’ll find out from a parent’s Bookstagram or if I get the chance to go to an author event, who knows.)
************
pre-review:
Was this a particularly unique post-apocalyptic universe?? By no means. Was I still invested the whole time? Oh absolutely.
RTC
September 11, 2024
Note to self: always read everything H.E. Edgmon writes.
I'm not typically a fan of post-apocalyptic stories, because they make me SO anxious. But I've loved what I've read from H.E. Edgmon previously, so I still wanted to give this a try, and I'm so glad I did.
This is pretty brutal for a middlegrade novel, but it's also full of heart and hope. Millie and Rose were both very different and have very different ways of coping with what's happening to them, which was interesting to read and I think will help middlegrade readers understand that people respond to similar situations differently and that's okay. I absolutely loved the Lost Boys, particularly Ben, and the story became so much more hopeful once Millie and Rose met them.
This isn't quite 5 stars for me, though, because I was honestly expecting a little more from this. I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and this book didn't do much that felt inventive to me - I feel like it's a fairly standard post-apocalyptic story.
I'm not typically a fan of post-apocalyptic stories, because they make me SO anxious. But I've loved what I've read from H.E. Edgmon previously, so I still wanted to give this a try, and I'm so glad I did.
This is pretty brutal for a middlegrade novel, but it's also full of heart and hope. Millie and Rose were both very different and have very different ways of coping with what's happening to them, which was interesting to read and I think will help middlegrade readers understand that people respond to similar situations differently and that's okay. I absolutely loved the Lost Boys, particularly Ben, and the story became so much more hopeful once Millie and Rose met them.
This isn't quite 5 stars for me, though, because I was honestly expecting a little more from this. I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and this book didn't do much that felt inventive to me - I feel like it's a fairly standard post-apocalyptic story.
January 22, 2024
“Millie and Rose grabbed my heart from the first page and refused to let go—even long after finishing their story. Flicker is a brilliant middle-grade debut from Edgmon that’s equal parts unflinching and vulnerable. A beautifully crafted post-apocalyptic tale with a delightful, engaging queer cast, Edgmon’s story world burns bright with nuanced, complex themes of identity, family—both blood and found, and the pursuit of hope, purpose, and love in a hostile and dying world.” —Terry J. Benton-Walker, bestselling author of Alex Wise vs the End of the World and Blood Debts
May 29, 2024
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a lot lot. I honestly don't know how middle graders will cope with this but maybe they're stronger than me.
I liked it though, not much happened but I was invested in both the main characters' journey. I enjoyed following them, somehow, in this post apocalyptic world. I liked how they both had their distinct personalities and voices, and how they grew together throughout this journey. The end was a little fast paced for me. It all fell into place a little too quickly but this was a really interesting book overall!
This was a lot lot. I honestly don't know how middle graders will cope with this but maybe they're stronger than me.
I liked it though, not much happened but I was invested in both the main characters' journey. I enjoyed following them, somehow, in this post apocalyptic world. I liked how they both had their distinct personalities and voices, and how they grew together throughout this journey. The end was a little fast paced for me. It all fell into place a little too quickly but this was a really interesting book overall!
June 25, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan/ Feiwel & Friends for the digital arc.
After the first 20% of the book, I felt like the dialogue was dragging down the story and I had every intention of stopping. Then I realized that the dialogue was facilitating the character development, and I had become invested in the characters, the storyline, and the themes. There's a lot going on in this book-devastation of the planet due to climate change, survival, income inequality, gender identity, found and blood families, and the knowledge about the earth which has been passed through the generations of indigenous people. It's been a long time since I've finished a book this quickly, but it developed into a page turner.
After the first 20% of the book, I felt like the dialogue was dragging down the story and I had every intention of stopping. Then I realized that the dialogue was facilitating the character development, and I had become invested in the characters, the storyline, and the themes. There's a lot going on in this book-devastation of the planet due to climate change, survival, income inequality, gender identity, found and blood families, and the knowledge about the earth which has been passed through the generations of indigenous people. It's been a long time since I've finished a book this quickly, but it developed into a page turner.
October 7, 2024
That ending had me crying like a baby. This was full of hope and messages about climate change and capitalism. I loved it. Millie had moments she got on my nerves but I understand her perspective. The relationship between Millie and Rose was so sweet. I’m so glad they were able to grow. And they both loved their brother so much. He was never a burden to them. I love a good sibling/found family dynamic. Middle Grade books have just gotten better and better and this is another one I recommend.
Read
November 4, 2024This middle grade was SO GOOD. I was specifically looking for post-apocalyptic kidlit in which the kids are on a *journey* (for comp / research purposes lol), and THE FLICKER did not disappoint.
Bonus points for an indigenous MC, plenty of queer characters, an Appalachian setting, and a big dose of found family.
10/10 would recommend.
(shout-out to @_perpetualpages_ for putting this one on my radar 😘)
Bonus points for an indigenous MC, plenty of queer characters, an Appalachian setting, and a big dose of found family.
10/10 would recommend.
(shout-out to @_perpetualpages_ for putting this one on my radar 😘)
April 27, 2024
2.5 ✨️
Lovely queer rep but I was missing something more original when it came to plot and the world...
Lovely queer rep but I was missing something more original when it came to plot and the world...
November 14, 2024
Adored this book. Pure magic in the form of kids who don’t give up on each other 😭
June 26, 2024
~~Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC!~~
I've had an up-and-down thing with Edgmon's works for a while. I thought I'd stop for good after their last book, but then I randomly decided to take a chance on winning this book when I entered a Grab-A-Galley sweepstake on Publisher's Weekly. When I did get the email saying I won, I felt both nervous and curious for what Edgmon's middle grade debut was.
I wouldn't say my expectations were blown out of the water, but it was still a pleasant surprise, nonetheless.
This book is dark. Despite its target audience, the story is very blunt its delivery of the author's imagined scenario of a post climate apocalypse. These kids, and a 9-month-year-old infant, are constantly facing starvation, threats of death and violence from adults, the very planet is practically dead, hell, the first chapter is a cold open where one of the main characters is burying her step-dad. All of this is so brutal, especially for a book aimed at middle graders. But, honestly, I love that for it.
Dark kids' media is my all time favorite (i.e., the first Land Before Time, Mrs. Frisby and the Secrets of Nimh, even popular franchises like Star Wars have plenty of dark moments.), and the fact this book utilizes this dark tone in order to discuss climate change makes it all the more horrifying.
I mean, at the time of this review, the U.S. had been experiencing scorching hot temperatures (From 90 degrees Fahrenheit all the way into the hundreds depending on the region) for over a week, despite the fact summer "officially" started five days ago. Climate change is very much a real threat, and this book showing the possible brutal, and very much fetal, outcomes for its young audience of that threat kind of amazes me, especially when it takes that darkness to show there's some hope inside.
Another thing I really liked was the characters. Millie and Rose are both unique but strong leads, and the theatre troupe that picks them up are also really good and add that element of found family I adore in books. Some people might hate how much they fight in the beginning, but I found it realistic and understandable. I mean, as I said, the first chapter begins with them burying their last adult figure, and with them not being all that close to begin with, it makes sense that there would be a lot of angst and tension at that point. All the more, it allows for character growth; that's what at the core of most stories, anyway.
The only thing that kept me back from my like turning into a love for this book was the ending. It came on really fast after we spent the whole book with slow build up and character growth/interaction. A lot of the action happened off-page, too, because the POV jumped to a character who was out of commission due to an injury, and then everything suddenly fell into place once they woke up. It was kind of a whiplash, but I won't rag on it too badly, because I felt the characters deserved some hope and happiness after everything they've gone through.
Overall, I think this is Edgmon's best work yet. I don't know what he plans on doing next, but I kinda hope he has another middle grade planned down the line.
I've had an up-and-down thing with Edgmon's works for a while. I thought I'd stop for good after their last book, but then I randomly decided to take a chance on winning this book when I entered a Grab-A-Galley sweepstake on Publisher's Weekly. When I did get the email saying I won, I felt both nervous and curious for what Edgmon's middle grade debut was.
I wouldn't say my expectations were blown out of the water, but it was still a pleasant surprise, nonetheless.
This book is dark. Despite its target audience, the story is very blunt its delivery of the author's imagined scenario of a post climate apocalypse. These kids, and a 9-month-year-old infant, are constantly facing starvation, threats of death and violence from adults, the very planet is practically dead, hell, the first chapter is a cold open where one of the main characters is burying her step-dad. All of this is so brutal, especially for a book aimed at middle graders. But, honestly, I love that for it.
Dark kids' media is my all time favorite (i.e., the first Land Before Time, Mrs. Frisby and the Secrets of Nimh, even popular franchises like Star Wars have plenty of dark moments.), and the fact this book utilizes this dark tone in order to discuss climate change makes it all the more horrifying.
I mean, at the time of this review, the U.S. had been experiencing scorching hot temperatures (From 90 degrees Fahrenheit all the way into the hundreds depending on the region) for over a week, despite the fact summer "officially" started five days ago. Climate change is very much a real threat, and this book showing the possible brutal, and very much fetal, outcomes for its young audience of that threat kind of amazes me, especially when it takes that darkness to show there's some hope inside.
Another thing I really liked was the characters. Millie and Rose are both unique but strong leads, and the theatre troupe that picks them up are also really good and add that element of found family I adore in books. Some people might hate how much they fight in the beginning, but I found it realistic and understandable. I mean, as I said, the first chapter begins with them burying their last adult figure, and with them not being all that close to begin with, it makes sense that there would be a lot of angst and tension at that point. All the more, it allows for character growth; that's what at the core of most stories, anyway.
The only thing that kept me back from my like turning into a love for this book was the ending. It came on really fast after we spent the whole book with slow build up and character growth/interaction. A lot of the action happened off-page, too, because the POV jumped to a character who was out of commission due to an injury, and then everything suddenly fell into place once they woke up. It was kind of a whiplash, but I won't rag on it too badly, because I felt the characters deserved some hope and happiness after everything they've gone through.
Overall, I think this is Edgmon's best work yet. I don't know what he plans on doing next, but I kinda hope he has another middle grade planned down the line.
April 2, 2024
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.0 of 5
In a post-apocalyptic world (a result of significant climate crisis), a pair of step-siblings must navigate a newly dangerous world and find some kind of long-term safety. They connect with a theatre troupe - safety in numbers - and work their way toward 'Sanctuary' where they should find safety and perhaps relatives. But it's a dangerous journey as lawlessness reigns and ruthless bands of thugs are looking to take whatever they can, including people.
The journey becomes a metaphor for one of the siblings who is on a personal journey as well, struggling to understand their own sexual identity, coming to terms with and admitting to those around them, that they are trans.
I think it's important that young readers who struggle with their sexual identity have books and characters that they can identify with. In this sense, this book works quite nicely. It's an important part of the character development, but it's not the focus of the story which is appreciated.
But...
The story is extremely generic. There is nothing special about this post apocalyptic world. It's a tamed-down version (it's soft YA) of every post-apocalyptic story you've ever read or watched. As a sci-fi adventure it struggles to set itself apart from overflowing bookstore shelves. As a character study, unless you are specifically looking for a young trans character with whom to identify, there's really nothing here. This is a passage of time, focused on some young adults making their way in a depressing world.
I definitely didn't hate anything here. Nothing rubbed me the wrong way, but I waited and waited for something interesting to happen. Is waiting for a character to realize that they are a 'they' enough? Perhaps for some, but not for this reader.
Looking for a good book? The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon is a YA adventure in a post-apocalyptic (climate crises) world with one of the main characters coming to terms with being trans. Sadly, not much happens.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
In a post-apocalyptic world (a result of significant climate crisis), a pair of step-siblings must navigate a newly dangerous world and find some kind of long-term safety. They connect with a theatre troupe - safety in numbers - and work their way toward 'Sanctuary' where they should find safety and perhaps relatives. But it's a dangerous journey as lawlessness reigns and ruthless bands of thugs are looking to take whatever they can, including people.
The journey becomes a metaphor for one of the siblings who is on a personal journey as well, struggling to understand their own sexual identity, coming to terms with and admitting to those around them, that they are trans.
I think it's important that young readers who struggle with their sexual identity have books and characters that they can identify with. In this sense, this book works quite nicely. It's an important part of the character development, but it's not the focus of the story which is appreciated.
But...
The story is extremely generic. There is nothing special about this post apocalyptic world. It's a tamed-down version (it's soft YA) of every post-apocalyptic story you've ever read or watched. As a sci-fi adventure it struggles to set itself apart from overflowing bookstore shelves. As a character study, unless you are specifically looking for a young trans character with whom to identify, there's really nothing here. This is a passage of time, focused on some young adults making their way in a depressing world.
I definitely didn't hate anything here. Nothing rubbed me the wrong way, but I waited and waited for something interesting to happen. Is waiting for a character to realize that they are a 'they' enough? Perhaps for some, but not for this reader.
Looking for a good book? The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon is a YA adventure in a post-apocalyptic (climate crises) world with one of the main characters coming to terms with being trans. Sadly, not much happens.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2024
The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon. A middle-grade post-apocalyptic survival story. One year after a solar flare destroyed the world as we know it, squabbling stepsisters, Millie and Rose, with baby brother Sammy transverse a burned America to find Millie‘s grandmother, an indigenous elder of the Seminole tribe . With food scarce and little life existing in the ashes, they meet up with another group of tween survivors. Together, they join forces, avoiding the evil Hive Corporation, which has gobbled up all, the remaining resources and is quick to kill anyone who crosses its path. The Hive represents the current greedy, corporate world that consume earth resources without regard for the damage it is doing to the environment. In this story, corporations were responsible for the destruction of the protective layer of ozone which allows the solar flare to scorch earth, leaving it a wasteland.
The book grabs the reader from the haunting opening line and the momentum continues to the heart-pounding climax. The girls, with their allies, navigate grief, their new reality, exploring indigenous ideas of sexual identity, and embracing found family to a hopeful conclusion.
Published by Feiwell & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Expected publication date September 24, 2024.
The book grabs the reader from the haunting opening line and the momentum continues to the heart-pounding climax. The girls, with their allies, navigate grief, their new reality, exploring indigenous ideas of sexual identity, and embracing found family to a hopeful conclusion.
Published by Feiwell & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Expected publication date September 24, 2024.
August 4, 2024
This book had me emotional! Overall it’s a really beautiful and hopeful message about divesting from capitalism and colonialism to build a better future in community. One of the main themes is how capitalist greed is killing the planet and only LAND BACK will save us; I think it’s so cool to make these concepts accessible for middle grade readers (i.e., our future).
And honestly, this book has so many more beautiful pieces: gender identity exploration and coming out, learning to honor grief, found family (because "blood-family" is a colonizer mindset), staying connected to your roots (and in Millie’s case, Indigenous ancestral knowledge), and dismantling classism and rural stigma. And even when the subject matter is heavy, there’s levity! I laughed out loud a couple times and I think kids will really get a kick out of a few silly bits.
The characters’ inner experiences felt true to their ages and backgrounds, with the Appalachian dialect/accents adding an extra layer of authenticity. I really enjoyed Ben and Alex’s story, and how invested the younger ones were in their queer love.
This would make an excellent gift for any middle-grade kids in your life, especially Native kids, with major life lessons wrapped in an edgy dystopian adventure.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC :)
And honestly, this book has so many more beautiful pieces: gender identity exploration and coming out, learning to honor grief, found family (because "blood-family" is a colonizer mindset), staying connected to your roots (and in Millie’s case, Indigenous ancestral knowledge), and dismantling classism and rural stigma. And even when the subject matter is heavy, there’s levity! I laughed out loud a couple times and I think kids will really get a kick out of a few silly bits.
The characters’ inner experiences felt true to their ages and backgrounds, with the Appalachian dialect/accents adding an extra layer of authenticity. I really enjoyed Ben and Alex’s story, and how invested the younger ones were in their queer love.
This would make an excellent gift for any middle-grade kids in your life, especially Native kids, with major life lessons wrapped in an edgy dystopian adventure.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC :)
October 10, 2024
Wow. coming down from the high of reading this in one sitting, so this may not be real coherent, but lord i wish i couldve read this book as a middle schooler. its gritty, dark, realistic, without being overly so. theres alot of love for the characters, and i learned alot (i had never heard of low-context and high-context language before!). the tenderness for the characters is like. super apparent, and comin as someone from the south, the conversations rose and oli (oly?) had about transess, about hickness and stupidness and that WHOLE ALL OF IT. made me feel all kinds of ways. the not having the words to know what you are and how feelings can be more important than saying "the right thing".....AUGH!
I love this book. outside of all that i love about it, it is just such a solid story.
My only gripes are: i want more, the ending felt rushed just a bit, i wish we had gotten to see the sanctuary more. AND: i wanted to hear more about the actual Flicker As An Event. (though i hafta say, the way the kiddos danced around the topic was very...realistic. who the hell wants to talk about why the worlds ending when your right in the middle of it?
I have avoided this authors books since i dont really trust YA (aromantic is just sort of sick of romance stories, srry) , but with how good this one is, i might give em a try?
please read this book.
I love this book. outside of all that i love about it, it is just such a solid story.
My only gripes are: i want more, the ending felt rushed just a bit, i wish we had gotten to see the sanctuary more. AND: i wanted to hear more about the actual Flicker As An Event. (though i hafta say, the way the kiddos danced around the topic was very...realistic. who the hell wants to talk about why the worlds ending when your right in the middle of it?
I have avoided this authors books since i dont really trust YA (aromantic is just sort of sick of romance stories, srry) , but with how good this one is, i might give em a try?
please read this book.
September 3, 2024
3.5 stars
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Flicker by HE Edgmon to review! I've loved Edgmon's YA books, so I was excited to jump into their middle grade debut. Especially when it comes to a post-apocalyptic story. I feel like we don't see a lot of those in middle grade, so I'm glade that it's crossed over.
The strongest aspect of this book is definitely its characters. We get to flip between Millie and Rose's point of view, seeing how they both view the world they've found themselves in. We also get to see how they both grow closer to each other, realizing that they really need each other. But their journey also shows them that they can welcome others into the fold, too. Others that also help them to realize parts of their identity that they didn't know before.
While I enjoyed the characters and the overall plot, the general pacing felt a little off to me. The ending felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly, even for a middle grade book. Expanding the ending a little would have helped in making the story itself feel more complete.
All in all, not a bad middle grade debut for Edgmon! I think their writing style might be better suited to YA, though.
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Review to come!
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Flicker by HE Edgmon to review! I've loved Edgmon's YA books, so I was excited to jump into their middle grade debut. Especially when it comes to a post-apocalyptic story. I feel like we don't see a lot of those in middle grade, so I'm glade that it's crossed over.
The strongest aspect of this book is definitely its characters. We get to flip between Millie and Rose's point of view, seeing how they both view the world they've found themselves in. We also get to see how they both grow closer to each other, realizing that they really need each other. But their journey also shows them that they can welcome others into the fold, too. Others that also help them to realize parts of their identity that they didn't know before.
While I enjoyed the characters and the overall plot, the general pacing felt a little off to me. The ending felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly, even for a middle grade book. Expanding the ending a little would have helped in making the story itself feel more complete.
All in all, not a bad middle grade debut for Edgmon! I think their writing style might be better suited to YA, though.
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Review to come!
April 27, 2024
There was a lot I liked about this book, and a few things that didn't quite work for me.
'The Flicker' is a post-apocalyptic story that follows two stepsiblings and their baby brother as they navigate the new world they find themselves in without their parents. As far as first impressions, this is probably where I struggled the most with this book. With respect to the setting, there wasn't much to really set this post-apocalyptic world apart from any other. Given the emphasis on the environment made throughout the book, I would have loved to have seen more details here. As for the main characters, Millie and Rose, the two did grow on me by the end, but their frequent arguing in the first third of the book had me skimming ahead a bit to get to the character development (which Edgmon does provide, thankfully). Some things I thought the book did very well was incorporate different dialects into the characters, which helped establish their identities, and I thought Edgmon pulled off writing some emotional moments throughout.
I could see myself recommending this book to some readers who have a specific interest in this genre, or in characters they might see themselves in.
'The Flicker' is a post-apocalyptic story that follows two stepsiblings and their baby brother as they navigate the new world they find themselves in without their parents. As far as first impressions, this is probably where I struggled the most with this book. With respect to the setting, there wasn't much to really set this post-apocalyptic world apart from any other. Given the emphasis on the environment made throughout the book, I would have loved to have seen more details here. As for the main characters, Millie and Rose, the two did grow on me by the end, but their frequent arguing in the first third of the book had me skimming ahead a bit to get to the character development (which Edgmon does provide, thankfully). Some things I thought the book did very well was incorporate different dialects into the characters, which helped establish their identities, and I thought Edgmon pulled off writing some emotional moments throughout.
I could see myself recommending this book to some readers who have a specific interest in this genre, or in characters they might see themselves in.
September 24, 2024
I was already a fan of H.E. Edgmon's work in YA books when I read their MG debut, and from the first page, I knew this one would yank my heartstrings in a powerful way.
Their approach to writing young protagonists is one of the most realistic and relatable I've seen: young tweens who are capable yet hurting, fighting their way to hope through a world that's gritty and harsh with unexpected pockets of tender humanity that have managed to survive with empathy intact.
It's a tough thing to be faced with a brutal world full of injustice. It's an even tougher thing to dare to hope and trust in the midst of all that, and that's exactly the message The Flicker has to offer young readers facing similarly uncertain times: Yes, this is SO hard and unfair. Yes, hope and love are still worth it.
super official author-shaped blurb: "Bound up in a gripping page-turner, the soul of The Flicker is fierce, relentless love for chosen family, the natural world, and a humanity exploited almost to the point of extinction. With unblinking honesty, this story invites readers to hope, and hope tenaciously for a better way of living."
Their approach to writing young protagonists is one of the most realistic and relatable I've seen: young tweens who are capable yet hurting, fighting their way to hope through a world that's gritty and harsh with unexpected pockets of tender humanity that have managed to survive with empathy intact.
It's a tough thing to be faced with a brutal world full of injustice. It's an even tougher thing to dare to hope and trust in the midst of all that, and that's exactly the message The Flicker has to offer young readers facing similarly uncertain times: Yes, this is SO hard and unfair. Yes, hope and love are still worth it.
super official author-shaped blurb: "Bound up in a gripping page-turner, the soul of The Flicker is fierce, relentless love for chosen family, the natural world, and a humanity exploited almost to the point of extinction. With unblinking honesty, this story invites readers to hope, and hope tenaciously for a better way of living."
November 5, 2024
A year after a solar flare scorched Earth, step-sisters Millie and Rose, with their baby brother and loyal dog, journey across a ravaged landscape to find family. Facing dangers and The Hive—villains hoarding resources—they must learn to survive and rebuild from the ashes together.
This middle-grade novel tackles heavy themes with a balance of heart and hope. Millie and Rose, with their unique personalities, show young readers that it’s okay to cope with hardship differently. The Lost Boys—especially Ben—bring an uplifting presence to the story.
Though it takes time to fully understand where Millie and Rose are each coming from, their love for their baby brother Sammy is unwavering. Despite their differences, they share the goal of finding a safe place where Sammy can thrive.
The book weaves together themes of climate devastation, survival, inequality, gender identity, family (both found and blood), and the wisdom of indigenous traditions. The ending had me tearing up, delivering profound messages on climate change and resilience and the will to survive.
This middle-grade novel tackles heavy themes with a balance of heart and hope. Millie and Rose, with their unique personalities, show young readers that it’s okay to cope with hardship differently. The Lost Boys—especially Ben—bring an uplifting presence to the story.
Though it takes time to fully understand where Millie and Rose are each coming from, their love for their baby brother Sammy is unwavering. Despite their differences, they share the goal of finding a safe place where Sammy can thrive.
The book weaves together themes of climate devastation, survival, inequality, gender identity, family (both found and blood), and the wisdom of indigenous traditions. The ending had me tearing up, delivering profound messages on climate change and resilience and the will to survive.
August 23, 2024
This is a lovely, character-driven novel set in a post-apocalyptic world. Tender and emotional, with an array of diverse characters. This book touches on a number of deep topics: gender identity, Indigenous culture, and the corrupting influence of power and greed. It also addresses the burden of being a caregiver—the pressure, the burnout, and the desire to take a break and do nothing (even when it is an impossible wish).
Still, amidst all the struggles for survival there are some tender reminders of humanity's capacity for kindness. There are strong themes of found family and community, nods towards the caregivers of the planet, and opportunities to define the new “normal” when it comes to gender rules/roles.
I was in tears by the end.
Still, amidst all the struggles for survival there are some tender reminders of humanity's capacity for kindness. There are strong themes of found family and community, nods towards the caregivers of the planet, and opportunities to define the new “normal” when it comes to gender rules/roles.
I was in tears by the end.
October 8, 2024
There's quite a difficult line to find where a middle reader book tells a smart, stunning story without talking down to the age group. The Flicker accepts that challenge and excels at creating a story that allows middlegrade readers to be challenged with themes, style, and a great narrative.
Millie and Rose are living in a post-apocalyptic world without their parents. Their survival is solely depending on their ability to find supplies, defend themselves, and network with other survivors. They have to find as normal as a life they can while dodging the shady and evil Hive corporation.
The characters of this story are what really brings it to life. Most readers will find a way to relate to the POVs the story provides.
Millie and Rose are living in a post-apocalyptic world without their parents. Their survival is solely depending on their ability to find supplies, defend themselves, and network with other survivors. They have to find as normal as a life they can while dodging the shady and evil Hive corporation.
The characters of this story are what really brings it to life. Most readers will find a way to relate to the POVs the story provides.
September 23, 2024
What an intense story about the end of the world! When my mind was feeling tired, I knew I could pick up Flicker and that I wouldn’t have a problem continuing reading because it flows so well. Stepsisters Rose and Millie start out with a strained relationship, but their journey to survive the solar flare that wiped out most living things on earth will really test their relationship. I love the themes of friendship and family. There is also a very major storyline amidst the end of the world experiences about gender fluidity.
October 13, 2024
CW: death, death of parents, fire, violence, colonization, classism, transphobia, cannibalism, gun violence, animal death, grief, suicidal thoughts
While it was very dark for a middle grade novel (possibly the darkest middle grade book I’ve read in my entire life), the message of this book is vital and powerful. Full of kids forced to grow up too fast and characters trying to do their best during the end of the world, this book still brings a little light when everything is shrouded in chaos and how the people we surround ourselves with can get us through the darkest moments.
While it was very dark for a middle grade novel (possibly the darkest middle grade book I’ve read in my entire life), the message of this book is vital and powerful. Full of kids forced to grow up too fast and characters trying to do their best during the end of the world, this book still brings a little light when everything is shrouded in chaos and how the people we surround ourselves with can get us through the darkest moments.
October 21, 2024
The Flicker is a darker novel with elements of hope throughout.
Author H.E. Edgmon’s characters are what pushes this story forward. Mille and Rose are well realized, as are the group that they join forces with.
Edgmon’s straight-forward approach has many merits, but pacing sometimes gets lost along the way.
The Flicker is a post-apocalyptic middle-grade novel that packs a punch. And as far as the post-apocalyptic elements — death, violence, starvation — go, it’s pretty brutal. Because of this, I’d suggest ages 10 and up, rather than the publisher’s suggested 8 and up.
Author H.E. Edgmon’s characters are what pushes this story forward. Mille and Rose are well realized, as are the group that they join forces with.
Edgmon’s straight-forward approach has many merits, but pacing sometimes gets lost along the way.
The Flicker is a post-apocalyptic middle-grade novel that packs a punch. And as far as the post-apocalyptic elements — death, violence, starvation — go, it’s pretty brutal. Because of this, I’d suggest ages 10 and up, rather than the publisher’s suggested 8 and up.
March 7, 2024
this is the dark, serious, postapocalyptic fiction kids growing up in climate apocalypse deserve--evil rich people, indigenous knowledge, rural found and created family, and high stakes and action throughout. There's a deadly purple fog, and the deaths in the background are grounded, not imaginary. Sharp prose and characterization and character arcs that feel true to children and to human lives in times of crisis.
July 8, 2024
This book was such a delight to read! The author was able to touch on some difficult topics while also remaining appropriate for the age group. The LGBTQ representation was nice! I will definitely be purchasing this book for my classroom library!
*I won this ebook through a PW Sweepstakes
*I won this ebook through a PW Sweepstakes
September 5, 2024
Excellent survival adventure set on a future Earth that has been devastated by a solar flare. Two sisters and their baby brother join a group of camper survivalists known as "The Lost Boys" on a journey to find the mysterious "Sanctuary." Filled with great characters and nail-biting action, this is a great story for anyone who is into post-apocalypse fiction.
September 6, 2024
Great read, wonderful to jump back into a young reader fic. Some of the identity was a bit heavy handed, but it worked for the theme of the book. One of my favorite speculative fiction ideas is post apocalyptic climate change with positive spins, and this delivers!
November 9, 2024
The only really decent thing abt this book was the plot. Otherwise it was awful. The characters were all pretty whiny and mean to each other. The style of narrative that the book was written in was super duper informal and I honestly didn't like it. The end
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