In ten short stories, Australian writer Margo Lanagan explores more darkness than light, but relief comes in signs of the resiliency of the human spirit. All of the stories have fantastic settings that are not quite of this world as we know it; or perhaps our own world taken to extreme in its bleakness. But the actions of the characters, both human and non-human, are hauntingly real and familiar: they struggle, grieve, question, and long for hope in the midst of despair. Whether dealing with love, isolation, or betrayal, all of the stories reside in emotionally challenging terrain. In the first, a teenage girl has been sentenced to death in the tar pits, and the narrator, her resigned younger brother, describes events as her family participates in the ritual ceremony of “singing her down.” Each story is technically perfect. Characters emerge almost immediately through dialogue, which often drifts in and out of English as we know it. And they are rich with language. As a whole, this volume is intense in impact, but the beautiful and economical writing make it truly a fine example of a cohesive collection that is neither hopeful nor altogether despairing. (Ages 14–17)

Black Juice is disconcerting. Although the author’s writing is brilliant, the ten short stories are not pleasant, nor are they immediately accessible. They are the stuff of contemplation. “Singing My Sister Down,” (3–16) opens the volume and sets the tone. A young woman has been sentenced to death for killing her husband. The twist is how she dies. Lanagan perfectly describes her stories’ affect: “Those angels . . . was like crushed mint to my brain, breathing open huge new spaces there that I’d not the faintest notion how to fill” (128). Black Juice will jostle not only your brain but also your emotions. 2006 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Books List, Michael L. Printz Honor Book, World Fantasy Award for Best Collection, ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults. lmp