Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - Wings of Ebony

Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

nightwing's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

"Wings of Ebony" follows Rue who lost her mother and gained a father, and inherited her father's mysterious magical world along with all of its lovely problems.

Rue is a great character and is fleshed out very well throughout the book, all her motivations wear clear and completely understandable. Unfortunately, the side characters lost the development. Still, Rue carries the book on her shoulders and it's so fun to see her journey and feeling trapped between two different worlds with completely different expectations of her.

I think this book would've been even better had it been longer and had more time to flesh out the characters and world-building. It's really great otherwise, especially the connections with real-life events that hit hard but in a good way.

I can't wait for the next one!

Content Warnings

queer_bookwyrm's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

"Moms raised a diamond. And diamonds don't crack."

I was gifted an arc copy of Wings of Ebony by J. Elle. Wow. Just wow. This book is the perfect blend of urban fantasy and social justice novel. I devoured this book in two days.

We follow Rue in East Row, where we see the desolation that gang and drug activity can reduce a hood to. Rue is trying to see her younger sister Tasha from a distance on the anniversary of their mother's death. Rue isn't supposed to touch any human now that she lives and Ghazan and has magic. Tasha is almost in a car accident until Rue intervenes, touching Tasha.

A whole bunch of problems ensue for the sisters, but we get to see Rue grow and learn about her abilities and her true history in Ghazan. It was so nice that romance was a main piece of the plot! There were hints of maybe romance to come, but this story was about getting justice.

This book was also about the importance of family; sticking together. And just blood family. "The whole block fam." I loved the way Elle depicted Bri struggling with her privilege, and the nuance she brought to the conversation without apologizing for it. We also see the ill effects of colonialism depicted in Ghazan along with an oppressive caste system.

It was also refreshing to have a book that ends with the racist getting exactly what he deserves. I loved this book so much, but I don't want to say much more for fear of spoilers. Just read this book! I seriously hope there is a second book coming!

The only thing I didn't like was the way the author made everyone stutter all the time. It took me out of it every time. Such a minor issue that it didn't impact my rating. I would have liked to see more of the world building, but maybe that happens in a later book?

Content Warnings

stormywolf's review

Go to review page

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.

Content Warnings

leahsbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark 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

4.5

This is one of the 2021 debuts that I was really looking forward to, and I’m glad to say that it did not disappoint. You know when you start reading a book and know right away that it’s just going to be amazing? Yep. That’s what happened here.

It’s a crossover between urban fantasy, taking place in the hood of Houston, and fantasy, in Ghizon, which is an incredibly well-crafted world. The world building is done beautifully, with an entire caste-based society, history, language, magic system, and holidays/customs all described in such a clear and intriguing way. Just like any other society, Ghizon has a dark side to it as well, and involves discrimination.

J. Elle doesn’t shy away from portraying Rue’s Houston neighborhood realistically either, displaying both the good and the bad. While it’s clear that there is no trust between the people and law enforcement, media doesn’t show any interest in what happens to the residents of East Row, and the people living there are no strangers to drugs, violence, and death, the community is more than just neighbors — they’re family.

I loved the emotional impact this book had. Rue dealt with some heavy emotions throughout the entire story, but her feelings were all so realistic. She was dealing with grief, fear, anger, frustration, hurt, and loneliness. Rue is angry but channels it to create positive change for herself, her family, and her community, and even brings that change to wider circles. She faced an uphill battle, leaving a predominantly Black community that functioned as a supportive family after a traumatic event, and then being transported to a society where she’s basically an outcast and one of two Black people.

Rue wasn’t the only character who showed growth during the book. So many of the main characters had amazing growth arcs over the course of the story, and that wasn’t even the best part! The story itself was exciting, and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I was actually disappointed when I had to adult and put the book down, and would count the time down until I could start reading again. The author wasn’t afraid to discuss racism, empowerment, hate, social justice, family dynamics, and forgiveness, and I can only hope that the next book in this series come out soon, because I’m here for it!

Content Warnings

daniellestarredpages's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I think this book could've shone better if it was longer. Which would've given more time for the story to develop. The beginning of the story was rushed and the pacing was off for the entire book. Towards the middle of the book when the story began to get intriguing, that's when they pacing issues became really prominent. The setting kept switching from one place to another and there was no cool of time between one action scene that ended in disaster for the characters to another scene. The resolution was also very rushed and unbelievable. The way Rue just handed out Ghizon technology to the people on her row and used that to solve the problem was one of the most unbelievable things. And I don't think the casual way that Rue exposed the magic at the end to the entire world was a good idea, considering the fact that her people at Ghizon worked so hard to hide themselves originally. 

However, Rue's dedication to her family was very admirable and her drive was really easy to root for. The other characters while not fleshed out entirely was enjoyable for the time they were on the page. The themes of racism, and white people making themselves the victim in the Ghizoni setting were well handled.

Content Warnings

effy's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.25

It took me longer than I would have liked to settle into this book although that was possibly because I was only able to listen to an hour or so at a time initially. I found Rue difficult to love but I also understood the way that she was acting.

The latter half of this book was much, much stronger and I really enjoyed the reveal of this book.

I found the reveal that the magic was stolen from the black tribes to be very clever and also really confronting to read. This was an exceptional revelation and made me feel exactly as it should have made me feel.

I really enjoyed this author's perspective and hope that there will be further books to continue the story but I will gladly read more books from the author regardless.

Content Warnings

books_and_mags's review

Go to review page

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

ronniereadsbooks's review

Go to review page

challenging dark 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

5.0

I don’t think I’ve related so much to a book in a long time. It reminded me of home in so many ways. The description of East Row felt like my neighborhood growing up. The whole block is family. The girls playing double Dutch. Eating kool-cups (or icebergs as we call them in New Orleans). The neighborhood grandma in Ms. Leola. The teenage boys that helped everybody out for either a plate of food or some cash. The block looked out for each other.

Then we get to Rue. I knew her. I grew up with her. She lost her mother and is now in a world that she never wanted away from everything she knew. She just wanted to protect her sister. Her world was turned upside down by a father she never knew and moving to a place she never wanted to be. Her refusal of her Ghizoni heritage is a huge part of the story. But shows how often we as Black people are forced to compartmentalize ourselves based on our environments. When she finally accepts her Ghizoni heritage that is when she truly taps into her potential. I will admit that there were times when I felt like Rue was being a brat. But I get it. I understand her motivations because again I grew up with plenty of people like Rue. She had to harden herself.

Another thing I enjoyed was the commentary on the real world experiences of Black people.

The colonization of Ghizon and the erasure of the Black Ghizoni people by the Grays. The appropriation and bastardization of what makes the Black Ghizoni people special.

The reality of racism and drugs being pumped into the poor neighborhood of East Row. The overlooking of Black trauma by the police and media. These themes got me in such a real way.

The scene where Rue tells her Gray Ghizoni friend Bri about the plight of the Black Ghizoni people and Bri made the whole situation about her got me good! Not to mention how I lived for Rue calling Bri out especially after she tried to whitesplain a solution that did nothing to help the Black Ghizoni people because she was uncomfortable.</spoiler.

There were many notable phrases and quotes that I could easily hear my mother or grandmother saying. Like "make a way out of no way" or "mama raised diamonds". The entirety of this book felt real and authentic. The use of AAVE. The descriptions of locations. The realities of what it's like to be a Black person and deal with racism and the repercussions of colonialism. The belief that you can be nothing more than where you grow up. I personally felt that one. I felt so seen and heard.

I can go on and on about this book. I highly recommend. If you haven’t read it, read it! If it’s not on your TBR, add it. My sole gripe is that it ended with one plot point unresolved. But that means a sequel is hopefully on the way.

I will also say that I am still a bit unclear about Rue's relationships with both Julius and Jhamal. </spoiler.

J. Elle has made a fan out of me and I can't wait to read whatever comes next.

Content Warnings

destdest's review

Go to review page

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

booksthatburn's review

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

WINGS OF EBONY is about family, home, and belonging, and the journey to embrace two worlds and help make them better instead of being torn between them.

This has a “keep running, I’ll explain on the way” kind of style, the book drops the reader straight into the middle of a very tense sequence then establishes the relevant backstory piecemeal through narration and alternating chapters between present and past. It works well, pulling me into the story quickly without getting too bogged down in details, then emphasizing the details later once I had a framework to anchor them. It prompted me to have questions then answers them just in time. I liked this style a lot, and it suits the story well.

For the first half of the book I didn’t really get what it was doing. The flashback scenes were fun and informative, the pacing was fine, and I liked the MC, but I didn’t get “it”, where the book was going, why this story cared about itself and what I’d say to convey to someone why they should read it...and then just past halfway through it gets to the cave and the fire and it hooked me instantly. The first half sets up the MC as having been pulled from her home and everyone she loves to learn magic with a father she doesn’t know and people who see her as an outsider and a curiosity. It was harder to get into because (like the MC) I didn’t get why she should care about being there: she wanted to be home, they begrudged teaching her but also seemed to want something from her, so it needed something more, some piece which explained why she should care about anything in this place. There's some coercive structures keeping her there, but it felt like we were waiting to find out what she could possibly want from the magic world other than to just go home. And then... the cave happens (the actual cave is incidental, it’s just a spoiler-free way to note a before and after in the book). It starts a series of events and revelations which set up an actual reason for her to care about the magic world that doesn’t replace or retract all the reasons she felt displaced before, it validates them while also giving her something new. It turned her journey from one where she didn’t want what was happening but didn’t have a goal into one where she has the information she needs to choose what she cares about and what she’ll fight for.

The secondary characters are distinct without cluttering the story, I was able to track the most important three or four people in each world and have a general sense of the rest. The narrative felt very focused on the MC and how she was reacting, which makes sense for this book but also meant that there were only a couple of secondary characters where I had a sense of who they were beyond what they literally did in the story. What this does very well is establish a sense of who the main groups are as communities, there isn't space in this book to infodump the MC's history with everyone as individuals (nor should it have attempted that), but it was very clear who the MC was in relation to those communities, whether and why she felt like she fit in, and then using that alternating discomfort and ease to propel her actions. I didn't need to know her whole history with any one person in her neighborhood because how she related to them conveyed immediately who they were to each other in a way that anchored everyone. We got a bit more history in the magic world via the flashbacks because it's newer to her and she's still learning about it.

Content Warnings

More...