Monarch Rising

August 29, 2022
In Glenn’s splashy near-future dystopian debut, Black 17-year-old Josephine Monarch, an artist whose parents died in a revolution, longs to leave the Ashes, a town personified by “waterless borderlands full of brown grass, Radius-ridden rats, disorderly cops, and poor people.” Jo’s only hope for a future free from squalor is to be selected from the Lineup, a process in which Ashes teenagers must pass an academic exam, dress their best, and line up for wealthy Reps from nearby New Georgia. The Reps then choose the most promising participants from the Lineup to attend an ornate Gala, wherein the teens have the opportunity to be integrated into New Georgian high society for a “lifetime of luxury and comfort.” Jo has spent years preparing for this moment; all that stands in her way is white 18-year-old heartbreaker Coventry “Cove” Wells and his determination to break her spirit. But even as she delves deeper into New Georgia’s opulence, she fears that a brewing revolution back home will jeopardize her future. Despite uneven pacing and underbaked themes regarding intracommunal oppression and examinations of privilege, Glenn’s impressive character-building presents a highly motivated, dynamically layered cast, driven by their respective trauma and desire for change. Ages 14–up.

September 1, 2022
Young adults in the New United States deal with the aftermath of a life-changing revolt. During Revolt 2030, the oppressed actually succeeded in overthrowing the rich and powerful. The victors then accumulated all the wealth and left the rich losers of the conflict to fend for themselves in slums like Ashes, where protagonist Josephine Monarch, a 17-year-old Black girl, lives. It's 2070, and her neighborhood borders New Georgia--a place of prosperity and plenty--but as an act of revenge, she and other descendants of those once in power mostly aren't allowed access to its abundance. Some, however, are allowed to leave if they are picked by a New Georgia Rep in the Lineup. Cove is the privileged White stepson of the current Lineup Rep who is in a sexual relationship with his stepsister. After capturing his eye, Jo is swept into a world of secrets, betrayal, and revolution. The ambitious conceit of this novel does not follow through to the execution due to confusing character motivations and questions around the worldbuilding. Some readers may enjoy the plot's quick pace and dark nature, but others may find that Cove's sexual opportunism and racial fetishization of Jo would benefit from more unpacking. An uneven execution of a solid concept. (author's note) (Dystopian. 16-adult)

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October 1, 2022
Grades 9-12 Set in a haunting, not-too-distant future America, Glenn's debut follows Jo Monarch as she tries to survive--and succeed--in the treacherous sociopolitical waters on the struggling border of New Georgia, known as the Ashes. When it's time for the Lineup, Jo's one chance to move to a safer, more luxurious life, challenge after challenge is thrown her way. Schmoozing at galas and trying to navigate complex situations to impress the New Georgia Reps so that she will be picked to leave, Jo's constantly on edge. And then the ultimate challenge arrives: Cove Wells, a Rep's stepson who has been raised to emotionally ruin anyone he might cross romantic paths with. Glenn's lush writing combines with an eerie atmosphere to tell the tale of Jo's dilemma as she decides between leaving everyone she loves to pursue a better life or fighting to save those she cares about--all while trying to overcome Cove's attempts to wreck everything she lives for.

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