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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Everything began right until they weren't
I loved book one. Reading it knowing it's a duet, I was anticipating that the second book will shed more light on what happened and why and how the characters developed especially the Romance between Simi and Kola because she was obsessed with him
Kola this Kola that Kola Kola Kola
So the book begins were book 1 ended
Simi is now bound by her word to Okulun to stay with him in the Land of the Dead
And for a bitter Orisa, I thought he treated her quite fine
Her friend Folasade finds her and informs her that Esu probably wasn't returned to the Supreme God and because of that Chaos erupted because someone was trying to free the anti-gods whom were bound by Esu
While on the surface I vestigating, she sees Kola on a ship and que love struck
I loved book one. Reading it knowing it's a duet, I was anticipating that the second book will shed more light on what happened and why and how the characters developed especially the Romance between Simi and Kola because she was obsessed with him
Kola this Kola that Kola Kola Kola
So the book begins were book 1 ended
Simi is now bound by her word to Okulun to stay with him in the Land of the Dead
And for a bitter Orisa, I thought he treated her quite fine
Her friend Folasade finds her and informs her that Esu probably wasn't returned to the Supreme God and because of that Chaos erupted because someone was trying to free the anti-gods whom were bound by Esu
While on the surface I vestigating, she sees Kola on a ship and que love struck
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Writing: 4.75⭐️/5
The novel started off a bit rough, but it quickly cleaned up into some very clean and clear prose. She handles complex plot points with precision and foreshadows the progression clearly enough that you’re not caught off guard, even if you are still surprised.
Characters: 4.25⭐️/5
I felt like the characters suffered a bit when compared to the first novel. Now, don’t misunderstand me, the characters were still very well-written and well-developed, but they lacked a bit of development that I remember being so prevalent in the first book. Some of the twists and turns also felt a bit fast, happening without understanding the characterization that forced or pushed them in that direction.
Plot: 4.25⭐️/5
The overarching plot of the world and the novel is still stunning. I applaud how Bowen weaves serious topics with fantastical elements, maintaining levity at the right moments, and depth at others. Mostly, I felt the ending was a touch rushed in several spots. Again, I wanted a bit more time to understand the development, whereas everything felt so rushed towards a specific ending that certain sections definitely felt a touch forced. Overall, an enjoyable end to a series though, even if it was not perfectly happy.
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
**Spoilers**
I don’t want to hate that the characters didn’t end up immediately together, but I do. Felt like a bit of a forced ending to have them not together.
Who Should Read This?
- Those who read the first book in the series
- Fans of The Little Mermaid
- Fantasy readers
- Young adult readers 14+
- Fans of mythology-inspired stories
Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
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
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Not a romance, a mermaid who can fight, badass Orisha, and the world-building. I was hooked on book one, but the continuation of it was just mind-blowing. Of course, there were minor annoying things, but overall I thought the book was a new take on a lovely story about a character coming to terms with who she is and what she wishes for her future.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
