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booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
TRAIL OF LIGHTING is a bright light in my reading life, a book with urban fantasy feels but nary a city in sight. Maggie is conflicted and messy, with a supernatural ability to bring death (helped by her gun and very large knife) and not much help reconciling that with the rest of herself.
It's about legacies of trauma and the nature of monstrosity, as Maggie grapples with her understanding of herself. Is she a person who kills monsters? Or a monster who's trying to take other monsters down with her/ Part of this is shown early on when she deliberately withholds her expected part of a culturally important greeting, not wanting to show this part of herself to people she is technically in community with. She feels alienated from them by her deeds. Complicating this is the fact that she's useful to them for the very thing that makes them feel uncomfortable around her, i.e. her talent for death which she uses for monster hunting and retribution.
I love the worldbuilding and setting, blending real climate change fears with Indigenous (specifically Diné) mythology to create a new world from the remains of our own. Some things are directly explained, especially if they relate to her personal history or the particular quirks of this particular dystopian existence, but a lot of specific definitions are left to context clues.
I enjoyed this portrayal of Coyote, Maggie's interactions with him are interestingly tense. I like Kai, he seems like a good counterbalance for Maggie. My few complaints about him have excellent in-story justifications which come together in the end and turn them from annoying to appropriately mysteriously and foreshadow-y.
The big reveal is excellent, I'm very pleased by that part of the ending. This was great and I'm excited for the next one!
It's about legacies of trauma and the nature of monstrosity, as Maggie grapples with her understanding of herself. Is she a person who kills monsters? Or a monster who's trying to take other monsters down with her/ Part of this is shown early on when she deliberately withholds her expected part of a culturally important greeting, not wanting to show this part of herself to people she is technically in community with. She feels alienated from them by her deeds. Complicating this is the fact that she's useful to them for the very thing that makes them feel uncomfortable around her, i.e. her talent for death which she uses for monster hunting and retribution.
I love the worldbuilding and setting, blending real climate change fears with Indigenous (specifically Diné) mythology to create a new world from the remains of our own. Some things are directly explained, especially if they relate to her personal history or the particular quirks of this particular dystopian existence, but a lot of specific definitions are left to context clues.
I enjoyed this portrayal of Coyote, Maggie's interactions with him are interestingly tense. I like Kai, he seems like a good counterbalance for Maggie. My few complaints about him have excellent in-story justifications which come together in the end and turn them from annoying to appropriately mysteriously and foreshadow-y.
The big reveal is excellent, I'm very pleased by that part of the ending. This was great and I'm excited for the next one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism
redus_reuse_recycle's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault
griffinthief's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
mortonsspoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Zombie-like creaturesamandaquotidianbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
5.0
I loved the development of Maggie and Kai’s relationship. The exploration of how Maggie’s trauma affects her was really well done. The post-apocalyptic world was realistically and subtly drawn. I also enjoyed learning about the mythos and magic system. Even though it was really dark, it was a fun, fast read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Cannibalism
thenowofmylife's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Gun violence
zoe_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This was awesome. It took me about 100 pages to get fully on board (until Coyote showed up, pretty much) but then I really was all the way on board.
I really enjoyed the fighting scenes, though I would have read a lot more of those or longer scenes (unfortunately, Maggie is either op or up against literal gods, which hardly seems fair). In general, Roanhorse knows how to write some good action scenes. She also knows how to put the reader into the mind/position of her protagonist (it might have helped that I'm socially almost as inept as Maggie). Both of these factors are very potent elements in supporting my emersion into the story. I pretty much read this book in two bursts and completely lost myself in it during each.
The elements of character building and progression were also pretty nicely done. Sadly, I was least interested in Maggie's romantic endeavors which meant that the main relationship-aspects rushed past me, but I did enjoy the moments with the other characters all the better.
The one factor that has lowered my rating the most significantly was, sadly, that I saw the ending coming from a couple of miles away. I don't think everyone will have the same experience as I did, in this regard, but if you're decently well-versed in certain tropes it's rather predicable what will happen at the end. Luckily, I got over it pretty quickly (there's still a lot to learn and to do in the second book) so I'm really looking forward to continuing the story.
I really enjoyed the fighting scenes, though I would have read a lot more of those or longer scenes (unfortunately, Maggie is either op or up against literal gods, which hardly seems fair). In general, Roanhorse knows how to write some good action scenes. She also knows how to put the reader into the mind/position of her protagonist (it might have helped that I'm socially almost as inept as Maggie). Both of these factors are very potent elements in supporting my emersion into the story. I pretty much read this book in two bursts and completely lost myself in it during each.
The elements of character building and progression were also pretty nicely done. Sadly, I was least interested in Maggie's romantic endeavors which meant that the main relationship-aspects rushed past me, but I did enjoy the moments with the other characters all the better.
The one factor that has lowered my rating the most significantly was, sadly, that I saw the ending coming from a couple of miles away. I don't think everyone will have the same experience as I did, in this regard, but if you're decently well-versed in certain tropes it's rather predicable what will happen at the end. Luckily, I got over it pretty quickly (there's still a lot to learn and to do in the second book) so I'm really looking forward to continuing the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Cannibalism
glauxgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I almost put this one down after Maggie’s first encounter with a monster—the description was so vividly gruesome. But I’m glad I stuck with it because apart from the horror elements I really enjoyed this read! One criticism: I think Maggie should’ve been faster on the uptake regarding Kai’s clan powers, but she’s been through a lot so I’ll give her a break.
I’d like to try the next one in the series if I can get over the gore. I don’t suppose Roanhorse would consider releasing a “for sensitive stomachs” edit, eh?
I’d like to try the next one in the series if I can get over the gore. I don’t suppose Roanhorse would consider releasing a “for sensitive stomachs” edit, eh?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
audreyloopy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I'm a total sucker for the "gift I didn't ask for" and "secret softie" tropes, and Maggie Hoskie is a perfect combination of the two. She's like Veronica Mars meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but Diné. I'm really digging this series, and I'm looking forward to continuing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore