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corncake's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Violence, and Abandonment
Moderate: Gore, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident, Kidnapping, and Grief
shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Hate crime
Moderate: Classism, Child death, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Abandonment, Murder, and Grief
Minor: Cursing
bretagnereads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Drug use, Blood, Murder, Hate crime, and Racism
Minor: Car accident and Cursing
andromeda_1998's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
3.5
Wings of ebony is one of those books that you want to love but even though you still liked it you feel like something is missing. It least it’s one of those books for me. Before I go into the book any further I want to put in a disclaimer: “I’m European, I have lived my whole life in a country that might not be perfect but where we can still 95% of the time trust the government to look out for us. I’m not going into the representation of this book since I do not have the knowledge to talk about his subject.”
Okay, with that been said what are my thoughts about this book?
The plot
Wings of ebony is about Rue. After her mom was killed she found herself in a strange magical country (Ghizon) where she had to learn to embrace her magic and deal with a father she has never known. We meet Rue a year after her mothers death. She found her way back to America to give her sister a birthday present but she ends up having to save her sisters life. When her sister touches her, rue breaks one of many rules of Ghizon. This starts a manhunt for Rue and she has to travel dangerous waters to keep herself and her sister safe.
The books storyline focuses heavily one Racism and police brutality. The storyline is actually pretty amazing and I really wanted to love it but the book has some flaws. The plot never really goes into a lot of different plotpoints. It is a lot of telling instead of showing. Rue is constantly telling that the block she comes from us fam, but we never actually get to explore her connections to the home she used to live in. We meet just 3 characters she knows and one she vaguely knows since he is the popular boy in school. I would have loved to see more of the connections between the main character and her home to make the reader understand the bond she feels with her community. I understand this is heavily inspired from real life but in the book itself it has no real foundation. There are more instances this happens but those are heavy spoilers so if your interested you can find them further below.
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding is sloppy, we don’t actually get any worldbuilding about Ghizon. We just have to believe it exist but we don’t really get an explanation about who the world works. We also don’t really get to explore the magic. Magic was something the characters more really talked about than used and we never really got to see Rue grow into her powers or an explanation to the boundaries of the magic used in the book. We don’t even get an full explanation about how the magic works. Her is a piece of onyx, good luck! The history we do get doesn’t even cover the basics of the magic system.
Writing style
The writing is terrific! It’s fast paced and action pact. I’m not sure about the placing of the flash backs but some of the more emotional scenes have been done very well. I
Characters
Rue is a fun character she is a bit typical ya, she misses some major red flags but hé, she is young enough to learn. She is a really strong female character and I would have loved to she her grow.
Recommend, it’s a good book. I just miss a lot of explanation that could have made the book even better. I am a bit frustrated about that….
Other plot points that could have used more explanation:
1. The whole gang plot on the block… what does the chancellor and the governor win from selling drugs And power in a country they do not care for and don’t need to have controle over for there plans to actually work. They only endanger their ambitions with there connection with America. If it was only to hurt Rue than the did that in the most round about stupid way imaginable.
2. The father plot, we didn’t see them grow. She just hated his ass till he got killed. There is no relationship there and that’s her fault.
3. The romance plot, it basically was a case of: “o look, a dark skinned boy with dimples and magic, I’m willing to sell my soul for him now” we read one scene between them before the boy was willing to risk his life for his “queen”. This was a big case of telling and no showing. It’s a shame. Give us some bounding before making them randomly kiss. <spoilers>
Okay, with that been said what are my thoughts about this book?
The plot
Wings of ebony is about Rue. After her mom was killed she found herself in a strange magical country (Ghizon) where she had to learn to embrace her magic and deal with a father she has never known. We meet Rue a year after her mothers death. She found her way back to America to give her sister a birthday present but she ends up having to save her sisters life. When her sister touches her, rue breaks one of many rules of Ghizon. This starts a manhunt for Rue and she has to travel dangerous waters to keep herself and her sister safe.
The books storyline focuses heavily one Racism and police brutality. The storyline is actually pretty amazing and I really wanted to love it but the book has some flaws. The plot never really goes into a lot of different plotpoints. It is a lot of telling instead of showing. Rue is constantly telling that the block she comes from us fam, but we never actually get to explore her connections to the home she used to live in. We meet just 3 characters she knows and one she vaguely knows since he is the popular boy in school. I would have loved to see more of the connections between the main character and her home to make the reader understand the bond she feels with her community. I understand this is heavily inspired from real life but in the book itself it has no real foundation. There are more instances this happens but those are heavy spoilers so if your interested you can find them further below.
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding is sloppy, we don’t actually get any worldbuilding about Ghizon. We just have to believe it exist but we don’t really get an explanation about who the world works. We also don’t really get to explore the magic. Magic was something the characters more really talked about than used and we never really got to see Rue grow into her powers or an explanation to the boundaries of the magic used in the book. We don’t even get an full explanation about how the magic works. Her is a piece of onyx, good luck! The history we do get doesn’t even cover the basics of the magic system.
Writing style
The writing is terrific! It’s fast paced and action pact. I’m not sure about the placing of the flash backs but some of the more emotional scenes have been done very well. I
Characters
Rue is a fun character she is a bit typical ya, she misses some major red flags but hé, she is young enough to learn. She is a really strong female character and I would have loved to she her grow.
Recommend, it’s a good book. I just miss a lot of explanation that could have made the book even better. I am a bit frustrated about that….
Other plot points that could have used more explanation:
1. The whole gang plot on the block… what does the chancellor and the governor win from selling drugs And power in a country they do not care for and don’t need to have controle over for there plans to actually work. They only endanger their ambitions with there connection with America. If it was only to hurt Rue than the did that in the most round about stupid way imaginable.
2. The father plot, we didn’t see them grow. She just hated his ass till he got killed. There is no relationship there and that’s her fault.
3. The romance plot, it basically was a case of: “o look, a dark skinned boy with dimples and magic, I’m willing to sell my soul for him now” we read one scene between them before the boy was willing to risk his life for his “queen”. This was a big case of telling and no showing. It’s a shame. Give us some bounding before making them randomly kiss. <spoilers>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, Racial slurs, and Police brutality
yodareads12's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
that something someone else did in the past isn't anybody else's fault except the wrongdoers.
Now one big thing is that a lot of ignorant people will probably try to say that one of the characters couldn't possibly be so filled with hate he'd want to destroy any/all black people. Sadly, there really are people out there who feel that way. But, I honestly think all races/cultures have a few people with this extremist mindset. Some are just more set up (white privilege is a real thing) to try and make their wishes happen. I've met people who felt this way (didn't know until afterwards because they wouldn't talk about it around me) and it sickens me. I say this because there are people who will try to act as if that could never be the case and the reality is it can be. (Hello Hitler!) There are unfortunately some horrible people out there.
This book definitely made me feel a lot (as you can probably tell from the long review! Loa) and I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves even a little bit of fantasy (I forgot to mention there's ancient magic in it)! Even if you don't, it's still a good read, you just might not enjoy it as much. I will say it had somewhat of a contemporary feel because you do spend half of your time in Houston.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
stormywolf's review
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
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
4.0
I believe I found this one through Facebook and/or new release emails from my library. Since reading Legendborn last year I'm really interested in reading fantasy woven into and around Black traditions and experiences. Other than reading the summary blurb, I really had no idea what I was getting into, or just how much this book would dig its claws into me.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, I highly recommend this book. This was the first book about the Black experience and systemic racism that had me legitimately questioning my own views and prejudices by offering some conflicts in shades of gray. As a debut novel, there are some rough edges still to be worked out, but I'm trusting details (like with magic and the title of the book) will be further addressed in the upcoming sequel(s). If you're interested in or looking to get into YA fantasy, social justice reform, Afrofuturism, or other subjects concerning Black experiences, this one is definitely worth a read. I, for one, am definitely going to be returning to this series as soon as I can.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, I highly recommend this book. This was the first book about the Black experience and systemic racism that had me legitimately questioning my own views and prejudices by offering some conflicts in shades of gray. As a debut novel, there are some rough edges still to be worked out, but I'm trusting details (like with magic and the title of the book) will be further addressed in the upcoming sequel(s). If you're interested in or looking to get into YA fantasy, social justice reform, Afrofuturism, or other subjects concerning Black experiences, this one is definitely worth a read. I, for one, am definitely going to be returning to this series as soon as I can.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Blood and Genocide
Minor: Bullying, Child death, and Grief
books_and_mags's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Vomit
destdest's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
What a ride! Make this a movie (either animated or live action is fine)! I loved the strong sense of community Rue’s (neighbor)hood had and all the soul food references. Collard greens and neckbones and thick, lemony slices of pound cake? Yum!
I enjoyed Rue’s narrative. Girl got some spunk. She’s not just this magical brick wall of a girl who pushes everything down inside; she had vulnerability too. It was a great and needed balance.
Wings of Ebony was a breeze to read. The chapters passed by quickly and kept my interest. Shoutout to Ms. Leola you the real MVP!
I’ll read a book two for sure! we’re going to get that Jhamal vs. Julius love triangle, right? I don’t care if it’s a YA cliché. I WANT IT!
4.5
Ending thoughts:
the dad dying was a lil’ cliché. Yeah, Jhamal and Rue has those insta-lovey teas, but crushes don’t have rhyme or reason. I’m not like Rue I don’t need any explanations or apologies from racists. I just need their power taken away from them. But in the context of the story, yeah, the full confession was needed to help throw the book at him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Genocide, Death of parent, Cursing, and Blood
whysomanysams's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Car accident, Genocide, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Vomit
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Racial slurs, Grief, and Gun violence
Minor: Cursing, Kidnapping, and Genocide
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