Reviews

Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

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ladyofthelake68's review

It starts really slow and there is so much detail to the world build that I got lost. Nearly 100 pages in and nothing seems to have really happened, I haven't connected with any of the characters and the stakes seem unimportant.

mercyreads444's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

setcab's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense 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

4.0

heavenbythesea's review against another edition

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adventurous dark

3.5

amybraunauthor's review against another edition

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4.0

A diverse, imaginative, thrilling read with a complex world, SON OF THE STORM is a strong debut that has powerful messages and challenging themes. It is filled with action, monsters, historical inspiration, and solid writing.

The story follows a variety of characters, the main one being a student named Danso with a mixed heritage and ambitions for adventure. As his ambitions and knowledge begin to lead him into danger, he meets a variety of characters and begins a harrowing experience that shatters everything he knows.

Danso is a good character who is easy to relate to, as all he wants is to belong. Lilong was one of my favourite characters as she is strong and determined to dispel the lies told about her people. Esheme is also complex, power-hungry but also devoted to her people. There are other side characters who have a strong presence and that I hope make an appearance in future books.

That said, for some reason, I struggled to connect with the characters in this book. I'm honestly not sure why. They are not badly written, they each have clear motivations, they each have different personalities, and they each have character arcs. Maybe the book needed an extra dose of humour that I prefer in my fantasy characters, or maybe another personality quirk. Honestly though, it could just be my personal preference because this is not a bad book and I encourage others to read it.

The world building and prose are strong, making for a highly visual read. The action scenes were intense and there were plenty of shocks to be had. Even though it didn't have the humor I love in a fantasy story, this is definitely a book I would suggest to those looking to diversify their shelf.

starinthestorm's review

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3.5

Took a but to get into this one. Wasn't really gripped until more than halfway through. Great characters though and I am looking forward to the next one!