I know I am an adult and this is a middle grade book but I still really enjoyed it! The representation in this book is done so well and it doesn’t try hard to do so which I appreciate. I will definitely recommend this to adults as well as the younger generation.

'The Flicker' was an interesting take on post-disaster middle grade with influence from 'The Last of Us' and other similar stories. Unfortunately, maybe a little too similar to those other stories.

Firstly, the family dynamics in this were so well written, the care, the devotion all of it made for the two main characters that you wanted to root for and follow along with because family is complicated, we know this. They also both had very strong voices in the text, H.E Edgmon's character work is always something I love in every story they've written so far. Unfortunately, the rest of this fell very flat, it doesn't exactly do anything unique with the story or twists or narrative so isn't a book I would give points on for exceptional creativity. Especially in a post-pandemic world, stories like this often fall flat if there's no unique material simply because the market is oversaturated. I was excited for the authors take on this but was left hoping for something that would never come. But, I did enjoy this overall and had a good (albeit quick) time and as always love the way H.E Edgmon writes but struggled this time with fully enjoying the story, sadly.

Excited for their future endeavours regardless. And for a quick middle grade, this still had a lot of heart and elements to love!

The Flicker is a darker novel with elements of hope throughout.

Author H.E. Edgmon’s characters are what pushes this story forward. Mille and Rose are well realized, as are the group that they join forces with.

Edgmon’s straight-forward approach has many merits, but pacing sometimes gets lost along the way.

The Flicker is a post-apocalyptic middle-grade novel that packs a punch. And as far as the post-apocalyptic elements — death, violence, starvation — go, it’s pretty brutal. Because of this, I’d suggest ages 10 and up, rather than the publisher’s suggested 8 and up.

In an all too real apocalypse it is up to two step siblings to navigate their way to safety. But what is safe when the world is bone dry and humans are scarier than monsters?

There's quite a difficult line to find where a middle reader book tells a smart, stunning story without talking down to the age group. The Flicker accepts that challenge and excels at creating a story that allows middlegrade readers to be challenged with themes, style, and a great narrative.

Millie and Rose are living in a post-apocalyptic world without their parents. Their survival is solely depending on their ability to find supplies, defend themselves, and network with other survivors. They have to find as normal as a life they can while dodging the shady and evil Hive corporation.

The characters of this story are what really brings it to life. Most readers will find a way to relate to the POVs the story provides.

Note to self: always read everything H.E. Edgmon writes.

I'm not typically a fan of post-apocalyptic stories, because they make me SO anxious. But I've loved what I've read from H.E. Edgmon previously, so I still wanted to give this a try, and I'm so glad I did.

This is pretty brutal for a middlegrade novel, but it's also full of heart and hope. Millie and Rose were both very different and have very different ways of coping with what's happening to them, which was interesting to read and I think will help middlegrade readers understand that people respond to similar situations differently and that's okay. I absolutely loved the Lost Boys, particularly Ben, and the story became so much more hopeful once Millie and Rose met them.

This isn't quite 5 stars for me, though, because I was honestly expecting a little more from this. I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and this book didn't do much that felt inventive to me - I feel like it's a fairly standard post-apocalyptic story.

3.5 stars

One year ago, the Earth was scorched by the sun which destroyed life as we know it. With their parents gone, Millie and Rose have to figure out how to survive. Since they're running low on supplies, they decide to leave home to fine Millie's grandma. What they don't expect is to run into a group of fellow survivors that offer to help. All while trying to dodge The Hive, an evil corporation that has taken over at the end of the world. As they journey together, Millie and Rose realize that they need to rely on each other more than ever.

Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Flicker by HE Edgmon to review! I've loved Edgmon's YA books, so I was excited to jump into their middle grade debut. Especially when it comes to a post-apocalyptic story. I feel like we don't see a lot of those in middle grade, so I'm glade that it's crossed over.

The strongest aspect of this book is definitely its characters. We get to flip between Millie and Rose's point of view, seeing how they both view the world they've found themselves in. We also get to see how they both grow closer to each other, realizing that they really need each other. But their journey also shows them that they can welcome others into the fold, too. Others that also help them to realize parts of their identity that they didn't know before.

While I enjoyed the characters and the overall plot, the general pacing felt a little off to me. The ending felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly, even for a middle grade book. Expanding the ending a little would have helped in making the story itself feel more complete.

All in all, not a bad middle grade debut for Edgmon! I think their writing style might be better suited to YA, though.

This one just wasn't for me personally. I found it rather hard to get into story and I couldn't motivate myself to pick it up which only made it harder care or be invested. I don't know if this is a "me" issue or if it speaks to the quality of the book itself.

This is a lovely, character-driven novel set in a post-apocalyptic world. Tender and emotional, with an array of diverse characters. This book touches on a number of deep topics: gender identity, Indigenous culture, and the corrupting influence of power and greed. It also addresses the burden of being a caregiver—the pressure, the burnout, and the desire to take a break and do nothing (even when it is an impossible wish).

Still, amidst all the struggles for survival there are some tender reminders of humanity's capacity for kindness. There are strong themes of found family and community, nods towards the caregivers of the planet, and opportunities to define the new “normal” when it comes to gender rules/roles.

I was in tears by the end.

What an intense story about the end of the world! When my mind was feeling tired, I knew I could pick up Flicker and that I wouldn’t have a problem continuing reading because it flows so well. Stepsisters Rose and Millie start out with a strained relationship, but their journey to survive the solar flare that wiped out most living things on earth will really test their relationship. I love the themes of friendship and family. There is also a very major storyline amidst the end of the world experiences about gender fluidity.

Millie and Rose are left with their little brother after the Flicker happens and kills most of civilization. Millie decides that with dwindling resources, they should pack up and head to her Seminole grandmother's house to learn about living off the land. Rose and Millie do not see eye-to-eye and sturggle to get along as well as survive.
This book fell flat for me. I had a hard time picking it up and often found myself lost with the various characters. It could be a good read for the heavy dystopian readers, but not for the general readers.

This book had me emotional! Overall it’s a really beautiful and hopeful message about divesting from capitalism and colonialism to build a better future in community. One of the main themes is how capitalist greed is killing the planet and only LAND BACK will save us; I think it’s so cool to make these concepts accessible for middle grade readers (i.e., our future). And honestly, this book has so many more beautiful pieces: gender identity exploration and coming out, learning to honor grief, found family (because "blood-family" is a colonizer mindset), staying connected to your roots (and in Millie’s case, Indigenous ancestral knowledge), and dismantling classism and rural stigma. And even when the subject matter is heavy, there’s levity! I laughed out loud a couple times and I think kids will really get a kick out of a few silly bits. The characters’ inner experiences felt true to their ages and backgrounds, with the Appalachian dialect/accents adding an extra layer of authenticity. I really enjoyed Ben and Alex, and how invested the younger ones were in their queer love. This would make an excellent gift for any middle-grade kids in your life, especially Native kids, with major life lessons wrapped in an edgy dystopian adventure.

This book was such a delight to read! The author was able to touch on some difficult topics while also remaining appropriate for the age group. The LGBTQ representation was nice! I will definitely be purchasing this book for my classroom library!

*I won this ebook through a PW Sweepstakes

One of my favorite books of 2024 so far. It was engaging, and captivating. I did not see the plot twists coming. The characters felt real. It kept us in the sibling's point of view sufficiently enough that I felt their biases while reading - the things they wouldn't have guessed are things I did not guess either. The story is well written in both prose, dialogue, character, and setting. There is amazing diversity of character's gender identities and ethnicities.

I definitely enjoyed it. I thought about this setting and story and characters long after I finished the book. I hope there is a sequel coming where we get to learn more about these characters.

I've had an up-and-down thing with Edgmon's works for a while. I thought I'd stop for good after their last book, but then I randomly decided to take a chance on winning this book when I entered a Grab-A-Galley sweepstake on Publisher's Weekly. When I did get the email saying I won, I felt both nervous and curious for what Edgmon's middle grade debut was.

I wouldn't say my expectations were blown out of the water, but it was still a pleasant surprise, nonetheless.

This book is dark. Despite its target audience, the story is very blunt its delivery of the author's imagined scenario of a post climate apocalypse. These kids, and a 9-month-year-old infant, are constantly facing starvation, threats of death and violence from adults, the very planet is practically dead, hell, the first chapter is a cold open where one of the main characters is burying her step-dad. All of this is so brutal, especially for a book aimed at middle graders. But, honestly, I love that for it.

Dark kids' media is my all time favorite (i.e., the first Land Before Time, Mrs. Frisby and the Secrets of Nimh, even popular franchises like Star Wars have plenty of dark moments.), and the fact this book utilizes this dark tone in order to discuss climate change makes it all the more horrifying.

I mean, at the time of this review, the U.S. had been experiencing scorching hot temperatures (From 90 degrees Fahrenheit all the way into the hundreds depending on the region) for over a week, despite the fact summer "officially" started five days ago. Climate change is very much a real threat, and this book showing the possible brutal, and very much fetal, outcomes for its young audience of that threat kind of amazes me, especially when it takes that darkness to show there's some hope inside.

Another thing I really liked was the characters. Millie and Rose are both unique but strong leads, and the theatre troupe that picks them up are also really good and add that element of found family I adore in books. Some people might hate how much they fight in the beginning, but I found it realistic and understandable. I mean, as I said, the first chapter begins with them burying their last adult figure, and with them not being all that close to begin with, it makes sense that there would be a lot of angst and tension at that point. All the more, it allows for character growth; that's what at the core of most stories, anyway.

The only thing that kept me back from my like turning into a love for this book was the ending. It came on really fast after we spent the whole book with slow build up and character growth/interaction. A lot of the action happened off-page, too, because the POV jumped to a character who was out of commission due to an injury, and then everything suddenly fell into place once they woke up. It was kind of a whiplash, but I won't rag on it too badly, because I felt the characters deserved some hope and happiness after everything they've gone through.

Overall, I think this is Edgmon's best work yet. I don't know what he plans on doing next, but I kinda hope he has another middle grade planned down the line.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan/ Feiwel & Friends for the digital arc.
After the first 20% of the book, I felt like the dialogue was dragging down the story and I had every intention of stopping. Then I realized that the dialogue was facilitating the character development, and I was became invested in the characters, the storyline, and the themes. There's a lot going on in this book-devastation of the planet due to climate change, survival, income inequality, gender identity, found and blood families, and the knowledge about the earth which has been passed through the generations of indigenous people. It's been a long time since I've finished a book this quickly, but it developed into a page turner.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of THE FLICKER by H.E. Edgmon in a Publishers Weekly giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy summer!

Loved the plot/idea behind this book. I also love how hopeful a post apocalyptic middle grade novel made me feel. I had to rate this book 3 stars instead of 4 or 5 though, because of the depiction of the Appalachian dialect. I’m from West Virginia, currently reside in North Carolina, and while we do occasionally use words like “ain’t” or “gon’’ in conversation, I thought the amount used in this book was gratuitous. My grandfather (born and raised in West Virginia) had a 7th grade education (which is a similar age to our two protagonists) and he didn’t even speak like this.

Hm. I'm not quite sure where I land on this book, and my opinion will probably change more favorably when it's released and I can try the audiobook.

There were moments I definitely enjoyed but felt the pacing was off. I also kept having to take a step back when it came to world building and how this drastic of a change happened in only a year. Some scenes and dialog also felt forced and out of place, but I'm glad they exist for the young readers who will need to hear them!

There was a lot I liked about this book, and a few things that didn't quite work for me.

'The Flicker' is a post-apocalyptic story that follows two stepsiblings and their baby brother as they navigate the new world they find themselves in without their parents. As far as first impressions, this is probably where I struggled the most with this book. With respect to the setting, there wasn't much to really set this post-apocalyptic world apart from any other. Given the emphasis on the environment made throughout the book, I would have loved to have seen more details here. As for the main characters, Millie and Rose, the two did grow on me by the end, but their frequent arguing in the first third of the book had me skimming ahead a bit to get to the character development (which Edgmon does provide, thankfully). Some things I thought the book did very well was incorporate different dialects into the characters, which helped establish their identities, and I thought Edgmon pulled off writing some emotional moments throughout.

I could see myself recommending this book to some readers who have a specific interest in this genre, or in characters they might see themselves in.