Adora and the Distance

Freckled, brown-skinned Adora, nine, was found alone as an infant by a fountain in her ostensibly Spanish empire city, before being adopted by Lord Rafael, a learned and wealthy government official. Years later, she lives by a strict routine studying etiquette, fencing, and politics, all while being plagued by dreams of an ancient evil called the Distance, which legend likens to a “storm of darkness that destroys anything in its way.” Accompanied by her lifelong protector El Moor, caretaker Esperanza, and several skilled warriors from faraway lands, Adora seeks to lure the Distance and its imminent devastation away from her home. Together, the group searches for a way to defeat it by journeying to “the end of the world.” Though supporting characters sometimes feel thinly developed and the resolution feels rushed, Kristantina’s (Mata Hari) cinematic illustrations, enlivened by rich colors and almost tangible textures, adeptly portray Adora’s ever-expanding worldview as she learns more about her traveling companions, the lands beyond her own city, and herself. In an afterword, Bernardin (Heroes Reborn) describes the work as a meditation on and interpretation of autistic children’s (“especially those with language deficits”) inner worlds. Ages 13–17. (Mar.)