Splendor
Gr 9 Up—This sequel to Sacred (Delacorte, 2012) captures only a fraction of the intensity and characterization found in the first book. Scarlett, now a senior in high school, is dealing with the separation of her parents, her boyfriend Will's departure to college on the other side of the country, and her friend Lily's need to push boundaries. In the midst of these changes, the teen forms a relationship with Sabine, a student of Kabbalah. Favoring the company of Sabine's family over her own disconnected household, she turns to her new friend for guidance about her recurring, prophetic dreams involving Will. Distracted by her studies and by her pregnant horse, Scarlett overlooks the seriousness of Lily's rebellion and destructive relationship with Gunner, the sexy newcomer to their Catalina Island high school. The intense, almost supernatural connection between Will and Scarlett is not fully explained in this book, so teens will need to have read Sacred to understand Will's gift for detecting danger before it happens. The book explores Kabbalah, a school of thought founded within the context of Judaism, in a way that is informative but often heavy-handed. The potential connection between Scarlett's dreams, Will's psychic abilities, and Kabbalah are barely touched upon, significantly diminishing the palpable tension felt in the first book. Fans who enjoyed Sacred will tolerate Splendor out of curiosity.—Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD