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likeagilmoregirl's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Addiction, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Eating disorder and Murder
queer_bookwyrm's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) gun violence, reference to police violence, discussion of eating disorders, blood/gore/violence, death, discussion of substance use/addiction, mentions of child neglect, sickness/infection
Blood Like Fate by Liselle Sambury is the final installment in the Blood Like Magic duology. Don't let the rating fool you, I did enjoy reading this book, but it had some pacing issues, and I was able to guess the twist not even half way through the book. It was just so painfully obvious.
We pick up with Voya after the events of the last book, heartbroken and grieving. In the first book we see Voya's struggle to make decisions, any decision, and realizes that even not making a decision is a decision. This time she now has to deal with the consequences of her decisions and the fallout therein. Voya is also struggling with being the new Matriarch. She doesn't believe in herself, and neither does her family. They only see her as a kid making all the wrong choices. Even though Luc is one of the reasons her life is a mess, she still pines for him throughout the book (which honestly was really annoying).
One of the things I love about this series is the family dynamics and importance of history and ancestors. Voya's family is large and complicated, and they don't always agree on everything, but when it comes down to it, they love each other and will fight for one another. There is also a major thread about community as extended family, and how pooling their resources makes everyone stronger. I also really appreciate the examination of grief and other mental health issues such as substance use disorder and eating disorders.
Sambury describes her writing as "messy black girls in fantasy situations", and she delivered. Voya is messy AF, and I found myself grumbling at her throughout the book, but I try to remember, she's only 17. She's a great character, and I wouldn't mind seeing how she grows as matriarch as she gets older. It's also nice to read about Canadian-Trinidadian families and other families from the Caribbean. The speculative science in this is so interesting! It's very much science run amuck. The main message is science without ethics is violence.
Check out my review of book one for the representation in the series.
Blood Like Fate by Liselle Sambury is the final installment in the Blood Like Magic duology. Don't let the rating fool you, I did enjoy reading this book, but it had some pacing issues, and I was able to guess the twist not even half way through the book. It was just so painfully obvious.
We pick up with Voya after the events of the last book, heartbroken and grieving. In the first book we see Voya's struggle to make decisions, any decision, and realizes that even not making a decision is a decision. This time she now has to deal with the consequences of her decisions and the fallout therein. Voya is also struggling with being the new Matriarch. She doesn't believe in herself, and neither does her family. They only see her as a kid making all the wrong choices. Even though Luc is one of the reasons her life is a mess, she still pines for him throughout the book (which honestly was really annoying).
One of the things I love about this series is the family dynamics and importance of history and ancestors. Voya's family is large and complicated, and they don't always agree on everything, but when it comes down to it, they love each other and will fight for one another. There is also a major thread about community as extended family, and how pooling their resources makes everyone stronger. I also really appreciate the examination of grief and other mental health issues such as substance use disorder and eating disorders.
Sambury describes her writing as "messy black girls in fantasy situations", and she delivered. Voya is messy AF, and I found myself grumbling at her throughout the book, but I try to remember, she's only 17. She's a great character, and I wouldn't mind seeing how she grows as matriarch as she gets older. It's also nice to read about Canadian-Trinidadian families and other families from the Caribbean. The speculative science in this is so interesting! It's very much science run amuck. The main message is science without ethics is violence.
Check out my review of book one for the representation in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Addiction, Gun violence, Eating disorder, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child death and Police brutality
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Eating disorder, Death, Colonisation, Classism, Racism, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Medical content, and Grief
cakt1991's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Blood Like Magic was a stunning debut, so I had high expectations going into Blood Like Fate. And while I don’t think this book is as strong as its predecessor, it’s nonetheless compelling, and adds to the whole story the duology is telling impeccably well.
The world continues to be well-realized and expansive, and I’ve grown to love the mingling of sci-fi technology and fantastical witchy magic. It felt very grounded in the first one, and continues in a similar vein here.
I continue to love Voya’s growth this time around. She remains flawed, making sometimes fatal mistakes and struggling with tough choices. But she’s always trying to be better, and I love the care she has for her family and coven. And the stakes are higher for her here, as she’s stepping into the role of the family’s Matriarch, and I love seeing her reckoning with all her new responsibilities.
There’s a pretty large cast of characters, and I love how diverse and colorful they are. Each of them feels distinct and is easy to distinguish from the others.
Plot and pacing wise, I feel a tad mixed. It absolutely merits the length it is, although I do feel that initially it is a little slow to start. However, it soon gains momentum, especially when the mystery subplot comes into play to amp up the suspense.
This is a solid conclusion to the duology, and will leave readers who enjoyed book one satisfied. If you enjoy stories that blend sci-fi and fantasy elements, with a generous dose of Black Girl Magic, I recommend checking this duology out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Gun violence, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Police brutality, Addiction, Eating disorder, and Drug abuse
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