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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
This duology made me realize how much I actually like fantasy books. I ate this series UPPPP. If you're looking for a book that celebrates and empowers Black women in magical settings, this is it. In my opinion, the prequel (skin of the sea) was better than this sequel, but I still really liked this book! It tied the ending of the previous book up really nicely and I appreciated the ending.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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:
Complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
- second book in a duology, a young adult fantasy inspired by West African mythology
- Simi is a mermaid/mami wata who serves orisa Yemoja, & collects the souls of those who die in the sea, bringing them to be blessed by Yemoja before their journey onward
- Simi saves a human Kola from drowning & is turned into a human as she goes on a quest (with Kola lol) to seek forgiveness & redemption
- so much angst between Simi & Kola!
- world-building and characters were beautifully fleshed out!
- the sequel was not my favorite (Simi is in a new world, new job & has to team up with new characters), & I think Skin of the Sea would have been perfect as a standalone!
- cw: slavery, death, violence, kidnapping, colonisation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Colonisation
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
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
4 ⭐ CW: violence, death, blood, animal cruelty mention, enslavement
Soul of the Deep by Natasha Bowen is the final book in the Skin of the Sea duology. This was a great fast paced sequel, that continues to expand West African mythologies. I found the ending predictable, similar to book one, but it didn't make it less enjoyable. This is a pretty solid YA book. Warning for possible spoilers for Skin of the Sea ahead.
We follow up with Simi in the Land of the Dead, a deep, dark, cold part of the Sea where the orisa Okun is bound to bless the dead that fall to the ocean floor. Though Simi is miserable and misses her fellow Mami Wata and Kola, she is determined to honor her agreement with Okun. That is until she realizes Okun has lied to her about the trickster god, Esu, making it possible to calamity to strike land with ajogun (the anit-gods) not being appeased and bound.
In this book we see a lot of the rivalries between West African kingdoms exacerbated by the European slave trade. We see the corruption in the pursuit of power that cannot be controlled. I loved seeing more of the mythology and culture of different African peoples. We see women water drummers, African vampires, undead, a loch ness monster type of creature, and a man eating tree. Above all, the message of this book in the freedom of choice. The freedom to choose what is right for yourself, not just for others. And what is right for you might not be the thing you think you want.
This series is perfect for teens grappling with coming of age and the burden of choice. It's also just a great adventure! Looking forward to more from this author.
Soul of the Deep by Natasha Bowen is the final book in the Skin of the Sea duology. This was a great fast paced sequel, that continues to expand West African mythologies. I found the ending predictable, similar to book one, but it didn't make it less enjoyable. This is a pretty solid YA book. Warning for possible spoilers for Skin of the Sea ahead.
We follow up with Simi in the Land of the Dead, a deep, dark, cold part of the Sea where the orisa Okun is bound to bless the dead that fall to the ocean floor. Though Simi is miserable and misses her fellow Mami Wata and Kola, she is determined to honor her agreement with Okun. That is until she realizes Okun has lied to her about the trickster god, Esu, making it possible to calamity to strike land with ajogun (the anit-gods) not being appeased and bound.
In this book we see a lot of the rivalries between West African kingdoms exacerbated by the European slave trade. We see the corruption in the pursuit of power that cannot be controlled. I loved seeing more of the mythology and culture of different African peoples. We see women water drummers, African vampires, undead, a loch ness monster type of creature, and a man eating tree. Above all, the message of this book in the freedom of choice. The freedom to choose what is right for yourself, not just for others. And what is right for you might not be the thing you think you want.
This series is perfect for teens grappling with coming of age and the burden of choice. It's also just a great adventure! Looking forward to more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The perfect sequel! Words cannot express how much I loved this book! I just don’t want to say goodbye to this world. I really hope there’s another one!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I felt pretty much the same about this book as the first in the series - I love the story and the mythology but just couldn't get a connection to the characters. It was a nice ending to the duology!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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:
Yes
I was very excited for this book since Olokun was in it. And this book was a wild ride from start to finish.
The imagery in this book was perfect, I could really feel the dreariness of Simi’s stint in the deep. How it felt for her to be in land and how her body adjusted after yearning for the heat.
The battles were described so well, though I wish Simi had more action. But I could easily see the details in my head. Natasha has a way with words and I can’t wait to have more of her work.
The continuation of Simi and Kola’s relationship broke me because I understood both sides and wanted nothing more than to see them happy. But the burden of duty weighs heavy on Simi even if Kola is willing to do away with it. I think the way it ended was fitting for them even if I wanted more.😫
I love the idea of Simi going to reunite her family and even though the duo is finished, maybe we will get a peek at what their reunion looks like.🤞🏾