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mbjem_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was VERY slow to start, and for a while, I was considering a DNF. I got completely blocked around the 50% mark because I just did not find the characters likable at all. I can say that I'm at least mostly glad that I stuck out until the end, though. While I do still think the pacing was a little slow, and the exposition came across as a little forced at times, I did genuinely like this book after I finished it.
The world building is interesting, unique, and compelling enough to be worth reading more about on its own. While I'm not totally endeared to the main characters yet, I did like several of the side characters quite a lot. Hopefully, the sequel will show some real growth for the main characters and make them more likable. At this point, I'm cautiously optimistic about the future and the next books!
The world building is interesting, unique, and compelling enough to be worth reading more about on its own. While I'm not totally endeared to the main characters yet, I did like several of the side characters quite a lot. Hopefully, the sequel will show some real growth for the main characters and make them more likable. At this point, I'm cautiously optimistic about the future and the next books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Hate crime, Mental illness, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Murder, Classism, Vomit, Slavery, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Death of parent
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and Chronic illness
sarahbythebook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
It took a lot for me to get into this book (hence the half star missing), but I don't know if that was just my headspace this month or the book itself. The last half, however, was INCREDIBLE. I also need the second book immediately, but I still haven't gotten a shipping update so we are impatiently waiting for now.
The African mythology and lore was beautifully done, and all of the characters were sympathetic. As much as Karina drove me crazy, I get where her head is at throughout this book because I was also a combative teenager with a chip on my shoulder and a me-against-the-world mentality. I also connected with Malik's fragility and vulnerability but determination in spite of his struggles. All of the characters are just very well done, and I really really enjoyed this book!
The African mythology and lore was beautifully done, and all of the characters were sympathetic. As much as Karina drove me crazy, I get where her head is at throughout this book because I was also a combative teenager with a chip on my shoulder and a me-against-the-world mentality. I also connected with Malik's fragility and vulnerability but determination in spite of his struggles. All of the characters are just very well done, and I really really enjoyed this book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal death, and Colonisation
Minor: Self harm
beldaran1224's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
If you're looking for the best of YA, this is it. The setting is very rich, heavily rooted in African mythology and history - I noticed heavy inspiration from Egypt and Morocco, while there are likely inspirations I'm not as familiar with that I missed!
The book follows two POVs. There's a lot of depth and development there, and the themes and tropes involve a number of heavy and important topics. Expect to think about mental health, colonialism and more.
The moment I finished this book, I immediately put the second book on hold at my library.
The book follows two POVs. There's a lot of depth and development there, and the themes and tropes involve a number of heavy and important topics. Expect to think about mental health, colonialism and more.
The moment I finished this book, I immediately put the second book on hold at my library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Self harm, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racism, Mental illness, and Colonisation
Minor: Abandonment, Classism, and Cultural appropriation
strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was so good! There were wonderful tropes I love and also magic and mythology I hadn’t heard before. I love fantasy stories that include mythology based off of places on Earth. This was based of West and North African Folktales.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Death, Xenophobia, Vomit, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Animal death, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual content
internationalreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Racism, Murder, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Classism, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
bibliorama's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Enjoyment - 3
The second half I enjoyed better than the first. This book did put me into a major reading slump where I had to put it down for months before finishing it.
Start - 2.75
I started reading this back in February of 2022 and that's when it put me into a reading slump. Granted that mainly happened because of what happens to a certain characters mom early on in the book.I am very tired of the parents being killed off in YA. Especially since Karina and her mom had an interesting dynamic that I wish was explored more. It also doesn't help that her death happened right as I was beginning to be invested in their relationship. There wasn't much else in Karina's character that felt unique and outside of other YA books.
Characters - 3.5
Here's the interesting part about this book, it takes a very common trope in YA and flips it on its head. The trope is "poor girl trying to survive in a brutal world gets thrust into the wealthy (potentially royal) side of the world and she meets a bruding prince that is mysterious yet alluring." I'm thinking Red Queen, Shadow and Bone, Crier's War, that kind of setup. Which I liked those books when I read them, so this isn't a knock against that trope. The difference with this book is that Malik is our outsider who's trying to survive while not being accepted in this society and Karina is our brooding princess. I really like this changing of perspective. It gives the trope a different flair.
I really connected with Malik. He felt unique to the genre and is a character you don't see very often. It was nice seeing a teenage boy be represented in YA fantasy especially since he was also dealing with anxiety. I also thought that was depicted realistically. He is also going through a lot in this book. His sister has been kidnapped and to get her back he has to assassinate Karina. Plus he is thrusted into this game where his true identity has to be hidden because the Eshran people are highly discriminated against. That's a lot for one teenager to have on their plate, but when you add all of that with the second perspective of Karina, who is also dealing with a lot, it becomes too much.
This caused me to not connect as much to Karina, partly because she felt like a character that I have read and seen before in this genre already. It also didn't help that the specific scene that made me not want to continue reading happened in her perspective(being the murder of her mom).
What I wish would have happened is for this book to be from one perspective. I think it would have kept the plot more straightforward and allowed more time to deepen the characters. Plus it would have kept Karina a mystery where the reader is with Malik on whether or not she could be trusted.
Atmosphere - 3.5
I like the world and the history behind it, but it still felt surface level in some areas. Maybe this was caused by jumping perspectives, I never felt truly grounded in the character I was reading from.
Plot - 3.5
Like I said before, there's a lot for both teens to deal with and it felt like too much going on where we'd have to move through issues too quickly to fit it all in. I liked Karina's item fetch quest the least. I would have been okay with her doing that in the background.
Ending - 4
Listen, I know a four here might be surprising based on what I've said already, and maybe I was being too harsh on this book, but after not picking it up for a few months, I was able to get my mind in the right head space to finish. I needed to lower my expectations and just let it be what it is and that allowed me to enjoy my time reading the second half more. I still wish the changes that I wrote above were in the final version, but they aren't. So I tried to just let it be so I didn't get put back into another slump.
Style - 2.5
The style was pretty straightforward sometimes a little too much. As far as writing style goes, I didn't feel like there was much difference between Malik and Karina's perspectives. Sure the content that they were thinking about was different, but the way it was presented wasn't.
I might pick up the sequel through the library.
Overall - 3.25
~~~~~~~~~~
So I came back after months of dnfing, and I did finish it. That has to count for something. I enjoyed the back half more than the first half, but a more in depth review will come later. For now,
~~~~~~~~~~
My plan is to come back to this book eventually, but maybe that's just my completionist heart talking. I gave it two months and now I feel as though I'm in a reading slump. The main drive for this that I can pinpoint is thekilling off the mom trope. This was when my enjoyment plummeted. I think I would enjoy the story more if it was just from Malik pov rather than both him and Karina. He felt like a fresh perspective on some tried and true tropes where Karina felt very average. I think I would've enjoyed her plotline more as a mystery from Malik's perspective. One thing I will add, I like the twist on the trope of "from outside the world of the rich and powerful girl protag who comes in contact with the prince etc." I haven't seen a teenage boy take on this character trope and a female take on the mysterious prince trope. So I still think this would be a good story for a teen, particularly for black teenage boys who might not be finding themselves represented in YA fantasy.
The second half I enjoyed better than the first. This book did put me into a major reading slump where I had to put it down for months before finishing it.
Start - 2.75
I started reading this back in February of 2022 and that's when it put me into a reading slump. Granted that mainly happened because of what happens to a certain characters mom early on in the book.
Characters - 3.5
Here's the interesting part about this book, it takes a very common trope in YA and flips it on its head. The trope is "poor girl trying to survive in a brutal world gets thrust into the wealthy (potentially royal) side of the world and she meets a bruding prince that is mysterious yet alluring." I'm thinking Red Queen, Shadow and Bone, Crier's War, that kind of setup. Which I liked those books when I read them, so this isn't a knock against that trope. The difference with this book is that Malik is our outsider who's trying to survive while not being accepted in this society and Karina is our brooding princess. I really like this changing of perspective. It gives the trope a different flair.
I really connected with Malik. He felt unique to the genre and is a character you don't see very often. It was nice seeing a teenage boy be represented in YA fantasy especially since he was also dealing with anxiety. I also thought that was depicted realistically. He is also going through a lot in this book. His sister has been kidnapped and to get her back he has to assassinate Karina. Plus he is thrusted into this game where his true identity has to be hidden because the Eshran people are highly discriminated against. That's a lot for one teenager to have on their plate, but when you add all of that with the second perspective of Karina, who is also dealing with a lot, it becomes too much.
This caused me to not connect as much to Karina, partly because she felt like a character that I have read and seen before in this genre already. It also didn't help that the specific scene that made me not want to continue reading happened in her perspective
What I wish would have happened is for this book to be from one perspective. I think it would have kept the plot more straightforward and allowed more time to deepen the characters. Plus it would have kept Karina a mystery where the reader is with Malik on whether or not she could be trusted.
Atmosphere - 3.5
I like the world and the history behind it, but it still felt surface level in some areas. Maybe this was caused by jumping perspectives, I never felt truly grounded in the character I was reading from.
Plot - 3.5
Like I said before, there's a lot for both teens to deal with and it felt like too much going on where we'd have to move through issues too quickly to fit it all in. I liked Karina's item fetch quest the least. I would have been okay with her doing that in the background.
Ending - 4
Listen, I know a four here might be surprising based on what I've said already, and maybe I was being too harsh on this book, but after not picking it up for a few months, I was able to get my mind in the right head space to finish. I needed to lower my expectations and just let it be what it is and that allowed me to enjoy my time reading the second half more. I still wish the changes that I wrote above were in the final version, but they aren't. So I tried to just let it be so I didn't get put back into another slump.
Style - 2.5
The style was pretty straightforward sometimes a little too much. As far as writing style goes, I didn't feel like there was much difference between Malik and Karina's perspectives. Sure the content that they were thinking about was different, but the way it was presented wasn't.
I might pick up the sequel through the library.
Overall - 3.25
~~~~~~~~~~
So I came back after months of dnfing, and I did finish it. That has to count for something. I enjoyed the back half more than the first half, but a more in depth review will come later. For now,
~~~~~~~~~~
My plan is to come back to this book eventually, but maybe that's just my completionist heart talking. I gave it two months and now I feel as though I'm in a reading slump. The main drive for this that I can pinpoint is the
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Colonisation, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: War and Alcohol
With the trigger warnings listed, I still find their presentation in the story and how they're addressed not overly graphic or glorified. They all fall in line with the world and I think a teen reading this book wouldn't have any issues.ka_ke's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I really wanted to like this book. It started off strong, but by about halfway through I figured out the twist and got bored. I don’t think I will be reading the sequel unfortunately.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Violence
alizam's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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
4.75
This is the example of what YA fantasy can and should be. A brilliant story that knows when to subvert and when to use standby tropes, wrapped in an immersive setting and beautiful mythology. I appreciated the way mental health was handled as well. The protagonists are flawed, yes, but deeply sympathetic and complex.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Mental illness, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Death, Death of parent, Colonisation, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, and Xenophobia
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