Wasted Boys

"In McPherson’s speculative sequel, a young man, spurned in love, engages in soul-numbing bacchanals at a new school....

Jace’s descent into drugs and depression is difficult to witness, and his new friends seem to bring little comfort. The choice to center Jace, rather than Logan—the protagonist of the previous book—is a bold one, and it’s one that’s amply rewarding; Jace was, and remains, the series’ standout character. The most intriguing addition to the cast is Astrid, a volatile and vivacious young woman who lends the story a welcome energy. Her relationship with Jace, which is both sexual and platonic, is complex, and her reactions difficult to predict. The setting is considerably more developed than in the previous book; readers learn a good deal more about Tycha and its various peoples and languages (including some persuasively constructed invented words). The internal consistency of the worldbuilding, and the manner in which the author parcels out new information gradually, is arguably the book’s most laudable achievement. A sequel that greatly expands on its setting and introduces memorable new characters."

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-- Kirkus Reviews

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"McPherson’s heart-rending second (after Wanted Boys) in the Wanted Boys series begins with a melancholy Jace forced to go to engineering school without the love of his life, Logan. McPherson does a remarkable job of portraying a story through the eyes of a young gay man who is torn between what he feels and what he’s been taught his entire life. That inner conflict spirals into self-hate, but Jace also experiences deep awakenings about the hidden truths in both of his worlds. As the cracks start to appear in Jace’s foundation, he also begins to understand the true consequences of allowing hate to fester unchecked. That awakening drives him to take a stand against his past—one that’s wrapped in danger and violence but also renewed purpose. A grim look at discrimination’s many evils, McPherson’s Wasted Boys is a stark, critically uncomfortable story, culminating in a shocking twist that will leave readers eager for more. Distressing but powerful story of consequences to unchecked hatred."

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-- Booklife