Reviews

Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett

Only show reviews with written explanations

cass_lit's review against another edition

3.5

First off, please read the content warnings. I know that’s self-explanatory, but I think it’s especially true here. Among other things, there are two scenes depicting child rape that almost made me stop reading. While I don’t agree with using this as plot points, I understand it’s the atrocities of war that the author was trying to portray. I ended up continuing reading, and I’m glad I did. I picked this up at the bookstore not having heard about it, but I’m always looking for more modern sci-fi by authors of Color. And I love a good Persephone retelling - though I now honestly wouldn’t market it as that, I didn’t pick up on it at all.

The novel switches in between three different timelines following three different characters, and you don’t find out how they’re all connected until the last quarter of the book (although I’d guessed at a few of them). The Twins’ story was probably my favorite, but maybe only because Stefonie and her mom’s were so depressing. There was also a sentient software POV occasionally, which I love! The aliens were unique and their relationship with humans is, unfortunately, easy to grasp. The underlying questions of who’s responsible for war and what constitutes “justice” for the harm done are definitely applicable to real life.

I wish we’d gotten a little more about the world they were living in. I couldn’t picture it at all, but the idea of the four areas of the planet were so interesting. I would’ve liked to know what made Day, Dawn, Dusk, and Night so different!

goldenluck's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This wasn't really a Persephone retelling. It was kinda just edgy trauma porn. The bad guys in the end made no sense. The actual bad guys (the racist rapists) got no ending and no punishment. The main character didn't get any justice and never left her abusive relationship. It just kinda started sad, got sadder, ended sad. It sucked.

Content Warnings

rachelguthro's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

literaturesciencealliance's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is a very dark sci-fi retelling of Persephone. There are on page graphic depictions of child abuse, there are children soldiers and the world itself is very dark. None of these things bothered, my issue was that although I found the world intriguing and the narrative structure compelling (although very convoluted and confusing) I was kept at a distance from the characters so I was never truly immersed in the story. I really appreciated the project of this work and wished it was the start of a series instead of a standalone to flesh out the global/intergalactic conflict a bit more. I did like this enough to try more works by this author because the ideas and world were extremely interesting to me and it was like nothing I have read before, which I am always looking for.

quirkycatsfatstacks's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

I hate to say it, but Destroyer of Light will be one of my (very) rare DNF's for the year. I really wanted to read it, as the mere description of “Matrix meets Afro-futuristic retelling of Peresphone' was more than enough to grab my attention. However, this book is simply too graphic for me. I hate backing out of this read, but sometimes self-care has to take priority.

kyetaku_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

jerseyfemme's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Interesting

kndavis's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Content Warnings

leitnerkev's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is a really good book - beyond the 3.5 rating I gave it - the writing is crystal clear and engaging and the story is very interesting. I was disappointed in the non-chronological structure. It bounces back and forth from the past to the near present for much of the story, and to little purpose in my view. That jumping def hindered the momentum of the story and had me pulled out of the narrative numerous time. I think if it was told "in order" this book could've been a near 5 for me.

mybooknookandme's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.5

Bipoc author.
Sci-fi - humanity trying to co-exist on a new planet with aliens that once destroyed earth

Content Warnings

More...