beardedbarista's review against another edition
4.0
Great adventure. This book takes a lot from others in it's genre but still keeps you excited for the next chapter. Also great ending to keep you awaiting the sequel... Is that type of spoiler?
Thomas makes this book incredibly inclusive by having non binary characters as well as trans characters not only as background but main characters. A sign of a positive future in writing particularly for YA novels. I enjoyed the structure and plot of the story. I struggled keeping up with a lot of the names and terms but they all became more familiar as the book went on. Fun listen or read. I got mine through my local library app Libby.
Thomas makes this book incredibly inclusive by having non binary characters as well as trans characters not only as background but main characters. A sign of a positive future in writing particularly for YA novels. I enjoyed the structure and plot of the story. I struggled keeping up with a lot of the names and terms but they all became more familiar as the book went on. Fun listen or read. I got mine through my local library app Libby.
kay_h64's review
adventurous
funny
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? It's complicated
5.0
ciarramist's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
lit_with_lauren's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
hoax_meal's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A definite improvement from his last book. Aiden Thomas has grown in his ability to write characters and progress relationships. Though I found this book gripping, it relied on certain tropes I do not like. Mainly the "over protective bitchy sister" trope. I want to like all the characters. Especially ones who are later revealed to be sympathetic. But I really couldn't bring myself to like Stella. Nor did I like the effect her character had on the decidedly more likeable Aurelio.
worldingaround's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sophiesometimesreads's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
ericawrites's review
5.0
I really loved The Sunbearer Trials. It's a great YA fantasy based loosely on Mexican mythology. My only complaint is that the book ends on a cliffhanger, and the sequel's not out yet!
I immensely enjoyed Thomas' Cemetery Boys, but The Sunbearer Trials exceeds that book in writing, pacing, and world-building. I adored how free Teo felt in his gender and all his feelings, and his feelings about his community were at the forefront, whether it was his mother and father-figure head priest, his friends, the humans living in his mom's city, or other trans people. Thomas did a great balancing act around "teens who save the world vs. adults in their lives" and "this is a cruel trial and what are the adults thinking."
Thomas's subversions around Aurelio as YA love interest and playing with the love triangle idea were perfection. The stakes felt too real for Teo and Aurelio. It's the same with Teo starting off as a charmed character, and where he landed at the end was great.
All the side characters popped off the page, and I wanted to know more stories in this world, even with Teo as our narrative POV. Cannot wait for the next book!
I immensely enjoyed Thomas' Cemetery Boys, but The Sunbearer Trials exceeds that book in writing, pacing, and world-building. I adored how free Teo felt in his gender and all his feelings, and his feelings about his community were at the forefront, whether it was his mother and father-figure head priest, his friends, the humans living in his mom's city, or other trans people. Thomas did a great balancing act around "teens who save the world vs. adults in their lives" and "this is a cruel trial and what are the adults thinking."
Thomas's subversions around Aurelio as YA love interest and playing with the love triangle idea were perfection. The stakes felt too real for Teo and Aurelio. It's the same with Teo starting off as a charmed character, and where he landed at the end was great.
All the side characters popped off the page, and I wanted to know more stories in this world, even with Teo as our narrative POV. Cannot wait for the next book!
bunnybunny_mp3's review against another edition
3.0
I understand why people would love this, unfortunately that wasn't my experience. The characters were quite flat, and I personally don't like when people make a character's whole experience being trans. Yes, Teo is trans. What else? Does he has any hobbies? Something he's obsessed with? What are his inspirations, his dreams? The only things we learn is that 1) teo is trans 2) he has disforia with his wings (which was quite clever, actually!!) And 3) he doesn't like the fact that people treat as less because he's a jade. But besides that, there isn't much we learn enough to cheer for him.
Someone has said that this book was supposed to be a ya. I'm not sure about it, since this book is 100% made like a middle grade book. For a book that has as major plot the fact that someone is going to die, the narrative is not as dark as the situation would make it to be. Even the characters forget that someone will die as human sacrifice (which was quite weird but ok).
Overall the idea was good, but the execution was quite flawed. I didn't care enough for the characters to cheer for them, which kind of blew up the whole purpose of the book.
Regardless of everything I just said, the idea of a world with this kind of mythology was nice to see :]
Even though this wasn't for me, I encourage people to give it a shot!
Someone has said that this book was supposed to be a ya. I'm not sure about it, since this book is 100% made like a middle grade book. For a book that has as major plot the fact that someone is going to die, the narrative is not as dark as the situation would make it to be. Even the characters forget that someone will die as human sacrifice (which was quite weird but ok).
Overall the idea was good, but the execution was quite flawed. I didn't care enough for the characters to cheer for them, which kind of blew up the whole purpose of the book.
Regardless of everything I just said, the idea of a world with this kind of mythology was nice to see :]
Even though this wasn't for me, I encourage people to give it a shot!
reid_r's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 Stars. I REALLY wanted to like this book but I couldn’t. The dialogue was cheesy Disney channel vibe lines one after another and the stakes never seemed too serious. The story was way too predictable and while I was expecting YA, it seemed aimed for a much younger audience. The characters also had no depth which added to the predictability of the book.
All that being said, the representation overall is great and deserves some credit!
All that being said, the representation overall is great and deserves some credit!