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daniellestarredpages's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
3.5 Stars.
Novellas can be very hit or miss for me. Either I love the story so much that I'm begging for more or I want more because I felt elements of the story could use more development.
In the case of "In The Shadow Of The Fall" by Tobi Ogundiraan, I felt there could've been more. I had a few issues with the pacing as the time between the MC learning something mind and belief-shattering and then finding out the information she had just learnt wasn't completely accurate was way too short. The author began to build a connection between secondary characters and the reader but I don't think there was enough before "emotional" things started happening to these characters. However, I did find the emotional turmoil the MC felt towards things that happened to the secondary characters to be believable and well done. I was quite interested in the mythology and the magic that was hinted at and wish we had seen or learnt more. If the author decides to write a full-length novel set in this world and follow this MC, I would be interested.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Novellas can be very hit or miss for me. Either I love the story so much that I'm begging for more or I want more because I felt elements of the story could use more development.
In the case of "In The Shadow Of The Fall" by Tobi Ogundiraan, I felt there could've been more. I had a few issues with the pacing as the time between the MC learning something mind and belief-shattering and then finding out the information she had just learnt wasn't completely accurate was way too short. The author began to build a connection between secondary characters and the reader but I don't think there was enough before "emotional" things started happening to these characters. However, I did find the emotional turmoil the MC felt towards things that happened to the secondary characters to be believable and well done. I was quite interested in the mythology and the magic that was hinted at and wish we had seen or learnt more. If the author decides to write a full-length novel set in this world and follow this MC, I would be interested.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Blood, Murder, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Blood
chaptersofmads's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Captivatingly vivid and beautiful written, this novella was so good.
I was concerned that the length would detract from my enjoyment of the story, but those fears were completely unfounded. Tobi Ogundiran used every single page to its fullest, somehow managing to weave a story that is both intricate and incredibly fast-paced in less than 200 pages. The characters, no matter how brief their appearance, were fleshed out and felt entirely real. Creating three-dimensional characters is something authors (reasonably) struggle with on a much larger canvas and yet this novella handled it with such ease, I felt like I was simply hearing about people that had once existed.
Pairing that with the use of African mythology and a cosmic war between the gods, this was one you're not going to want to miss.
Captivatingly vivid and beautiful written, this novella was so good.
I was concerned that the length would detract from my enjoyment of the story, but those fears were completely unfounded. Tobi Ogundiran used every single page to its fullest, somehow managing to weave a story that is both intricate and incredibly fast-paced in less than 200 pages. The characters, no matter how brief their appearance, were fleshed out and felt entirely real. Creating three-dimensional characters is something authors (reasonably) struggle with on a much larger canvas and yet this novella handled it with such ease, I felt like I was simply hearing about people that had once existed.
Pairing that with the use of African mythology and a cosmic war between the gods, this was one you're not going to want to miss.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Medical content and Child death
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