Reviews

We Shall Be Monsters by Tara Sim

thisbookisbananas's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What would you be willing to do to bring a loved one back to life?Part fantasy, part political intrigue,and  part horror, We Shall Be Monsters is steeped in Indian folklore which focuses on a young necromancer on a quest to revive her deceased sister. This book will capture you from chapter one. While gruesome in some spots, I would say this is a cozy horror, if that term exists. This book would be a great bridge for teens who love fantasy but are interested in toeing into horror. I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

a1ana_reads's review

adventurous emotional funny reflective 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

Where do I even start? 

The main character, Kajal, was so fun to read. And though I found certain lines in their inner monologue a bit cringey, overall I liked her. She’s a pretty unique heroine, and I love her so much. 

The imagery of bhuta Laysa was very well-written, and being someone who had no knowledge of Indian mythology going in, I still understood what was going on relatively easily. The author’s note at the end was also very helpful to let me know what was made up for the book & what’s in actual mythology. 

Honestly I was lowkey hoping for some rivals-to-lovers with Vritika & Kajal, but Tav won me over. He’s so sweet and I love him. 

Humor is incorporated into this book in a similar way that Leigh Bardugo writes in Shadow & Bone, which I liked. The characters are teenagers afterall, and are bound to crack a multitude of jokes. 

niaamore's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

3.5

 A girl who can revive the dead, her sister turned demon, an accidental resurrection, and a cute undead dog. Did I mention this is inspired by Frankenstein?

I loved the premise. You get thrown into the action from the very beginning, it was great. Yes, I did pick this up because of the Indian mythology inspiration, and the necromancer-like ability was a great bonus. I will say, while I did love many of the characters, especially Kutaa, I didn’t care for the main character. I found her impulsive and selfish, almost hot headed in her actions. She did move the plot through these actions though, so take my criticism with a grain of salt.

I love seeing all the Asian and Middle Eastern mythology inspired stories coming out recently. They are an insta-read for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Nancy Paulsen Books for this ARC.

qace90's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.

This is excellent and definitely a case of cursing myself for reading it so early when I need the sequel <i>immediately</i>!! Full review closer to release, but definitely keep your eye out for this one!

shrrawat's review against another edition

dark funny 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

5.0

          As someone of Indian origin, I loved this book for the way it incorporated the mythologies and stories that I grew up with into a rich fantasy setting. Although other authors have tried it before, there is still a noticeable shortage of South Asian inspired YA fantasy fiction despite the diversity of the culture and the wealth of folklore.

I also enjoyed the author's sense of humor. Some of them are pretty standard, drawing on sarcasm and irony, and some are more hidden but still accessible. Naming the dog "Kutta" for example is a good example of showing Kajal's deadpan nature, while also being a good pun for those who know Hindi.

The only minor critique I had is not that of the book, but that of the marketing. This book was heavily advertised as a retelling of "Frankenstein." However, the only noticeable element of that work was Kajal's raising the dead. The motivations of themes of "Frankenstein" and "We Shall Be Monsters" is very different. Kajal is not some ambitious upstart with a God complex, but a girl who is trying to atone for her perceived role in the death of her sister. She is not repulsed by her creation, but is drawn to it and the despair and guilt she has as a result of it. 

If that was the intended dichotomy, then it was successful in its goal. Regardless, ignoring that claim, I did enjoy "We Shall Be Monsters" for its diverse twist to the fantasy genre.
        

sylsbookcorner's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense

• 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

First thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for this ARC in exchange for my review! 

This is my third book by Tara Sim and she has quickly become an author that I will read whatever she writes because it is so GOOD! The worldbuilding is immaculate, the way she weaves Indian mythos with the familiar narrative of a creator terrified of their creation (or the power they wield in that ability to create) is brilliant. 

The characters are complex and messy and they though they try to make the right decisions, what is right is not always easy and we see them wrestle with the consequences of choices they make throughout the story. I loved the way there were pieces called back to from the beginning that we see wrapped up in the end, we find our identities and histories that I didn’t see coming. 

I desperately need to know how this story ends, it’s gonna be a wild ride!! 

noviellic's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

This book hooked me in from the first line! It takes you on a journey with Kajal as she tries to resurrect her dead sister. Her journey begins with an undead dog, and being accused of being a witch, referred to as dakinis in the book. She works with rebels who are trying to overthrow the current king, by resurrecting the prince that should have held the throne. She is able to resurrect the crown prince.. or does she? The journey is captivating and while I predicted some things, there were so many more layers then I expected and had me turning the page until the very end. I am already so excited for the next book! The book incorporates Indian mythology which was a good change from typical young adult fantasy novels. I loved the different characters throughout the book and that they were morally grey. My favorite quote is “We’re often conditioned to apologize for the things we need.”