The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl

The title, cover, and comics-style art at the beginning of each chapter hint that Keil’s (Life in Outer Space) novel might be a superhero adventure where the powers of good must defeat evil. Not so much. Even Alba, a recent high school graduate trying to figure out what comes next, readily admits, “As stories go, I’m fully aware that my world is probably not the most riveting of narratives.” Alba lives at her mother’s bakery in desolate Eden Valley outside of Melbourne, Australia. A talented artist, as evidenced by sketches of her alter-ego Cinnamon Girl, Alba debates following her passion or staying in the familiarity of the Valley and near Grady, her best friend since birth. Then, a doomsday prophecy floods their town with eccentrics, brings back another old friend, and leaves Alba questioning her future even more. Alba is a feisty, fun, and introspective narrator, and her relationship with Grady definitely warrants readers’ attention, but the promise of an “incredible adventure” is an empty one; this meandering story is much more about friendship and self-discovery. Ages 12–up. (Apr.)