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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
Complicated
What a great ending to this duology! My heart ached for both Simi and Kola. If you love pining and forbidden love… phew, you will get that full force in this series. But my favorite part of this duology was the story itself and everything I learned. The history of Mami Wata, Orisas, Yemoja, etc. Reading the author notes at the end of both books made the story even more impactful. This duology was unlike any other fantasy series I read before because no one has talked about the true story of 15th century West Africa and what occurred during that time period, as well as, the spiritual beliefs and stories of that time. It was so fascinating and I now find myself wanting to learn more. Highly highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Violence
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
A stunning exploration of love, friendship and loss
I enjoyed this continuation of Simi's story, brought to an abrupt end on a cliffhanger at the end of Skin of the Sea.
What I enjoyed most: The worldbuilding that was introduced in the first book was wonderfully realised here, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the orisas, the anti-gods and their different roles, as well as getting to know the duality of Esu, who played the role of villain in the first book, but whose position shifts drastically in this sequel. I was also glad to see that some of the characters whom we presumed had died turned out to have survived, gaining their own strengths in the meantime. Some of the best moments in the book were definitely when the whole group of friends were together, simply indulging in each other's company.
The parts I didn't enjoy as much: Simi's need for self-sacrifice and desire to take on every problem by herself, which she thinks of as trying to be selfless for the greater good, but actually hurts the ones around her, and can be perceived as selfish because she actually just wants to do penance to ease her guilt.
That said, I understand that Simi is very much a lawful good character (and I am usually most partial to morally grey characters) so what she does is very much in line with who she is and I do understand the motivations behind her actions.
More importantly, I was happy to see at the end that she grows out of this mindset and chooses not only romance, but herself, subverting the little mermaid story in the best way possible! So glad to see her growth and to see her finally embrace her full potential and live the life she was meant to have.
A stunning exploration of love, friendship and loss
I enjoyed this continuation of Simi's story, brought to an abrupt end on a cliffhanger at the end of Skin of the Sea.
What I enjoyed most: The worldbuilding that was introduced in the first book was wonderfully realised here, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the orisas, the anti-gods and their different roles, as well as getting to know the duality of Esu, who played the role of villain in the first book, but whose position shifts drastically in this sequel. I was also glad to see that some of the characters whom we presumed had died turned out to have survived, gaining their own strengths in the meantime. Some of the best moments in the book were definitely when the whole group of friends were together, simply indulging in each other's company.
The parts I didn't enjoy as much: Simi's need for self-sacrifice and desire to take on every problem by herself, which she thinks of as trying to be selfless for the greater good, but actually hurts the ones around her, and can be perceived as selfish because she actually just wants to do penance to ease her guilt.
That said, I understand that Simi is very much a lawful good character (and I am usually most partial to morally grey characters) so what she does is very much in line with who she is and I do understand the motivations behind her actions.
More importantly, I was happy to see at the end that she grows out of this mindset and chooses not only romance, but herself, subverting the little mermaid story in the best way possible! So glad to see her growth and to see her finally embrace her full potential and live the life she was meant to have.
I liked this one as much if not better than the first in the series. I would definitely recommend to my fantasy-loving friends, and I will be keeping an eye out for more work from this author.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Soul of the Deep is an adventurous fantasy that reads quickly. I enjoyed the colorful settings, the world building, and the character development. The conclusion was satisfying. Overall, Soul of the Deep is very well written, and I would highly recommend this duology to other YA readers who enjoy adventure, fantasy, and mermaids.
I am in LOVE with the authors writing style! It was a perfectly struck balance of description, speech, world building and internal monologue that it all played out so vividly in my mind as I was reading it.
The plot was really intruiging to me - often in fantasy it takes me at least 100 pages to get stuck in, but straight off I was hooked on Simi's story. It was fast paced throughout, but the flow of reading worked so well in my opinion. The story and narrative progression were balanced out really well - I felt like I could take pause in certain parts of the story to really absorb the narrative, and the dialogues progressed smoothly.
My only issue was that the romance between Simi and Kola wasn't really there for me - I think a best friend relationship would've worked a lot better.
Overall, I loved this book. The West African mythology was really well established and the characters all came across likeable in their own ways.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
The plot was really intruiging to me - often in fantasy it takes me at least 100 pages to get stuck in, but straight off I was hooked on Simi's story. It was fast paced throughout, but the flow of reading worked so well in my opinion. The story and narrative progression were balanced out really well - I felt like I could take pause in certain parts of the story to really absorb the narrative, and the dialogues progressed smoothly.
My only issue was that the romance between Simi and Kola wasn't really there for me - I think a best friend relationship would've worked a lot better.
Overall, I loved this book. The West African mythology was really well established and the characters all came across likeable in their own ways.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
This wasn't good. Like it felt like there was a time skip or something, because this felt so detached from book 1. Like the death of a character was just forgotten even though it was a big deal in book 1?!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
(This is probably a 4.25 for me.)
The first installment in this series, Skin of the Deep, feels like a retelling of The Little Mermaid with West African mythology and culture, and it tackled deeper subjects, like the slave trade.
Soul of the Deep picks up where Skin of the Deep left off and expounds upon the elements above. It dives deeper and gets darker, with more political elements and the looming threat of war.
There is so much to appreciate in this series, and I personally love the exploration of the orishas and Mami Wata. There are many creatures from actual African mythology, and for someone like me, who enjoys looking things up and learning more about them, proved really fun.
This was a solid follow-up (conclusion?) to the series.
Song I associate with the book:
The first installment in this series, Skin of the Deep, feels like a retelling of The Little Mermaid with West African mythology and culture, and it tackled deeper subjects, like the slave trade.
Soul of the Deep picks up where Skin of the Deep left off and expounds upon the elements above. It dives deeper and gets darker, with more political elements and the looming threat of war.
There is so much to appreciate in this series, and I personally love the exploration of the orishas and Mami Wata. There are many creatures from actual African mythology, and for someone like me, who enjoys looking things up and learning more about them, proved really fun.
This was a solid follow-up (conclusion?) to the series.
Song I associate with the book:
SOUL OF THE DEEP by Natasha Bowen is a captivating second installment in the Skin of the Sea series. Simidele's sacrifice to protect her loved ones leads her to serve a new god, watching over the Land of the Dead in the ocean's depths. However, when demons resurface, she must join forces with a cunning god to prevent their havoc on the human realm. The novel artfully explores the perspective of Simidele, blending the human and fantastical worlds with emotional depth. It portrays awe, beauty, grief, and empowerment, particularly for black women. The rich mythology, with its creatures, abilities, and battles, keeps the story fast-paced and engrossing, even with occasional complexity. The book's conclusion delivers a satisfying resolution while leaving room for further adventures in Simidele's journey. This book is an enthralling and empowering read that resonates with its themes of sacrifice, redemption, and self-discovery.
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