Meridian

I really loved this story, and I recommend it for children maybe ages 12 and up, young adults, and adults who are young at heart. I think it would have appeal for both male and female readers. I think it is to be the first in a series, and I hope that is true! I can't wait to read the rest as they are written! There really are two main characters- the girl Meridian and a boy named Tens. Poor Meridia suffers from ailment after ailment her whole life in addition to watching creatures of all types seem to come to her to die. Discovering her angelic heritage as a Fenestra when she turns 16 is both a blessing and a curse. Finally there is a reason for all the pain and death she has endured for as long as she can remember, mysteries are explained, but now on her shoulders is a very grave responsibility. She must learn to be the vessel for souls of the dying to transition from this world to what we would think of as heaven, or face certain death- all the while being pursued by darker beings, who wish to eradicate the Fenestra entirely and snatch the souls away to chaos instead. It's a story about discovery, innocence, coming of age, facing danger and our fears, temptations that we do not understand, and growing into the person one is destined to be. It's like good vs. evil, but with a bit of a twist.

I have been waiting for Meridian to come out for months now, ever since earlier this year and was ecstatic when it finally did. I wanted to take my time reading Meridian, so I expanded the book over three reading days although I wanted to devour the book in one night. When Meridian Souz turns sixteen, her mother and father sends her to Colorado to her aunts place without any explanation. She soon discovers that she is a Fenestra, half-angel half-human. Now Meridian must learn how to use her gift and also figure out what it going on in the town of Revelation, Colorado. Meridian is a fresh of breath air. I appreciate the originality of this book a lot. The characters are very likable, although I wanted to yell at Tens, yeah impossible I know, but still an amazing book.

I absolutely loved this novel. It is an interesting concept that I wasn't quite sure how well it would play out (Half-Angels crossing over dead people? Sounds a bit like a Supernatural/Ghost Whisperer cross), but it worked marvelously. From the very first page this is a gripping tale with a heroine that is both relatable and magical (or ethereal). It is a fast moving plot that shows us the beginning of Meridian's story (And I can't wait for the next books in the series) and the characters that are intertwined with her life and destiny. It is a fast read and very enjoyable- I highly recommend it.

Death has been a constant companion to Meridian Sozu. From birth small things have found their way to her side to die. Insects and small animals have found her in bed, at school and her backyard overflows with tiny graves. Mysterious aches and pains have plagued her but the doctors have never found a physical cause leading Meridian to shrinks. Shunned and whispered about at school she has never had any truly close friends and even her parents have stopped touching her. The only comfort she has is her younger brother, Sammy, whom she has tried to protect from the affliction she believed he would share with her. Unafflicted by the tiny deaths she finds comfort in Sammy the one person who doesn't treat her like a freak. On her sixteenth birthday a strange car crash changes everything. The pain is unbearable but even moreso the fact that her family has already packed and is moving away, sending her to stay with the ancient great-aunt she was named after. Something is amiss that only Auntie can explain. Meridian arrives at her aunt's home in Colorado to find that things in Revelation aren't going well either. Auntie, her ward Tens and their wolf Custos are plagued with mysterious phone calls quoting scripture. Auntie explains that Meridian is a Fenestra--a half-human, half-angel--whose purpose is to be a gateway to the dead between Earth and Heaven. This is why the dead have come seeking her all these years and now that she has come into her full power dying humans will be drawn to her as well. But being a Fenestra has its own dangers, danger from souls crossing over as well as the enemies of the Fenestras, the Aternocti. With Auntie to guide and train her, Tens to be her companion and protector, Meridian will face the prejudices of the religious devout and ultimately learn to help souls cross over... unless, of course, the Nocti get their way. What a fabulous bit of YA fic! It isn't everyday that a novel intended for a younger audience treats readers with the intelligence and expected insight that Meridian does. Nothing is dumbed down or overly sugar-coated. Young (or even adult) readers who enjoy the paranormal stuff should reach for this one. Kizer has built not only a fascinating, sophisticated new mythos for the genre but has made it simplistic enough that it isnt confusing. The Fenestra and Aternocti make great counter-balances to one another and while this does bring the ideas of Heaven, Hell and reincarnation into discussion it lacks the religious overtones one might expect. Religion, however, does play some role in the story. The local church's leader is a zealotous man who seems bent on destroying anyone or anything that conflicts with his views of proper Christianity. The fanatacism is quite scary and will hopefully provoke thought in readers rather than offend. I, personally, found it to be somewhat of a study in how religion can be corrupted by those who lead when their motivations aren't just or pure. Meridian is a very likable her

I had the good fortune to win an ARC of MERIDIAN from someone who snagged it at the ALA Midwinter Conference. I read the book in nibbles and gulps, both wanting to savor it and make it last. MERIDIAN is the kind of book that my mind kept drifting to when I was trying to concentrate, or even when I was just shopping at the grocery store. The best parts, for me: The character of Meridian, who manages to be both strong and vulnerable, mature and believably sixteen. Kizer pulls this off with Meridian's voice, I think, which reminded me a little of myself at that age. I really like how she explores her powers and the idea of death; Kizer handles these scenes with subtle, nuanced emotion, where a lesser author might stray into the melodramatic. Meridian's protector and love (as described in the blurb), Tens, came across refreshingly charming and flawed in the face of a slew of drop-dead gorgeous, brooding, and otherwise cardboard males in other young adult fantasy. Yes, he's mysterious, but not annoyingly so. The weakest parts: At times I felt like the antagonist was just stuck in there to provide tension and didn't really have a good reason to show up so often. Even though the antagonist has a motive, it wasn't one I felt at a gut level. The ending, consequently, seemed somewhat flat, and also felt like a set up for a sequel. Also, the pacing felt a little uneven in the last half of the book; I wondered if these scenes were written more hastily than the earlier ones. Overall, I found MERIDIAN to be deliciously different, not even bothering to tread into the realm of cliches, with great characters I could sympathize with and imagine outside of the book. I suspect MERIDIAN will be quite popular when it comes out. Highly recommended.