Frost

October 10, 2016
Sixteen-year-old Frost has never left the building where she lives with Bunt, a robot who carries the consciousness of her dead father, and Romes, her pet broot (a fantastical creature). When Romes falls ill, Frost must leave her haven to save him. Bunt warns Frost about the danger, but Frost is determined, so they set off into the ruined world outside, which is filled with zombielike, cannibalistic Eaters. Eventually, they meet a man named Barron and his teenage son, Flynn, but a betrayal delivers Frost and Bunt into the hands of the cruel and murderous Good John Lord, who has built a society built on exploitation and slavery and is eager to get his hands on Bunt. Kozlowsky (The Dyerville Tales) has built a grim and brutal world that’s in shambles after a robot uprising, and John Lord is a thoroughly creepy villain. Fast-paced and frequently violent, this suspenseful SF tale with a resilient, goodhearted heroine raises thought-provoking questions about what it means to be human and the nature of love and loyalty. Ages 14–up. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary.

July 15, 2016
In a post-apocalyptic world, a girl who's never left home sets out on an arduous quest to save her sick pet.All Frost's 16 years have been spent in a bombed-out apartment overlooking a ruined city. Her only companions are Bunt, a stalwart robot that's been partially taken over by what's left of her deceased father's personality and memories, and Romes, a wild broot-turned-beloved pet and companion. But Romes has fallen deathly ill, and Frost will do anything to save him. She decides the three of them will journey toward a distant blue glow at the edge of the city known as the Battery, which she's certain holds the key to saving her only friend. Outside, they're confronted with unrelenting obstacles: vengeful robots, zombielike cannibals, and a city run by a tyrannical cult leader. Frost pushes on even as Romes steadily deteriorates. Yet through it all, it might just be the mind-bending revelations about her family and herself that break her. With refreshingly little weight put on romance, the core of Frost's story lies in her complicated relationship with her father. Though familiar, the dystopian world is viscerally cold and haunting. But after a long, action-packed journey that's a little reminiscent of Dorothy's through Oz, the conclusion rushes up abruptly and offers only vague closure. Kozlowsky doesn't describe Frost, leaving readers to imagine her as they will. A wild, robot-driven ride with nods to a far darker kind of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. (Science fiction. 13-17)

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September 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-Described as a dystopian fairy tale, Kozlowsky's novel will attract many genre YA readers. Sixteen-year-old Frost must cross a treacherous landscape, accompanied by her robot caretaker, in order to save her beloved pet from death. Out of the apartment she lived her whole life in, Frost discovers the Eaters and rogue robots that plague the world after the Days of Bedlam. The protagonist must fight her way through many obstacles to reach her beacon of hope, the Battery. While written as a YA novel, this will also appeal to younger readers, as there is very little strong language and the violence is not overly graphic. The main character does feel younger than her years, which could be attributed to how she grew up. There is wonderful world-building, but the pacing is slightly off. Certain events happen very quickly, while others drag. There is also a disconnect between the story lines with the Eaters and the robots. It feels as though two different worlds were pushed together. Readers may also assume this is a fairy-tale retelling, which it is not. It is instead a new fairy tale for the modern age. VERDICT An interesting twist on commonly used tropes that doesn't quite achieve cohesion. A good choice for younger tweens or teens looking for dystopian fiction.-Tegan Anclade, Lake Villa District Library, IL

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2016
Grades 8-11 Frost, 16, is stepping outliterally. With her robot companion, Bunt, she's leaving the relative safety of the apartment she's lived inside all her life to go in search of people who can save her dying pet. Frost tamed Romes (a canine-like beast called a broot) long ago, and he's her only living companion since her mother died and her father had to bury his consciousness within Bunt, emerging occasionally to offer advice and comfort. Kozlowsky's dystopian future includes flesh-eating zombies called Eaters, psychotic dictators, and a firm belief that, despite the aforesaid ills, people remain good at heart. The author poses interesting philosophical questions. Can a robot feel emotion? Can loyalty be a programmed response? Are humans capable of real change, or will we always opt for the easy and safe way out? Those who enjoy gore will appreciate the bloodbaths, while the swift pace and plentiful chapter hooks should keep everyone turning pages. A comfortably predictable romance wraps up all the elements necessary for a potentially popular new series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
Frost lives at the apex of an abandoned apartment building with only her beloved pet, Romes, and Bunt, a robot housing her deceased father's consciousness. But when Romes becomes sick, Frost must traverse a vividly drawn post-apocalyptic wasteland of robots, zombielike Eaters, and anarchic mayhem to obtain medicine. The oddly self-aware heroine's journey ends with metaphors on the nature of being human.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)