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annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.25
4.25 stars
I enjoyed this a LOT more than Tracker's perspective - Sologon the Moon Witch was a compelling character who was consistent in her characterization - stubborn, quick to anger, violent, intense in all emotions, and unwilling to take anyone's shit (or advice, to her own detriment).
I was impressed with how James wrote her - she was a lot more realistic than many male fantasy writer's female characters. She actually talks about her period (moonblood), expresses frustration with how stupid men are and how unfair and unjust the world is to women, and has her own interests outside of a husband and children (both of which she does have). She's not perfect - frustrating, sometimes veers towards homophobic in her comments/thoughts about Tracker, violent, rude, but always compelling.
The world is just as violent, misogynistic, and brutal - rape, witch hunts, and murder are still common, everyday occurrences. We follow Sogolon through at least 170+ years of her life, with a more sequential story than BLRW. Characters from the first book really only show up 500 pages in, and as expected, there are discrepancies between Tracker's versions of events and Sogolon's. Particularly around the Aesi - who is only slightly less mysterious in this novel and altogether more terrifying as you learn more his backstory (mostly through interactions with our protagonist).
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and it flew by in comparison to BLRW. Sogolon had so many great moments of insight and power, and her impact on the woman of this fantasy world is undeniable. There's still a lot left to uncover across the main plot, which I hope will be revealed in the final book, whenever that's published.
CW: rape, torture, sexism and misogyny, slavery/enslavement, domestic and child abuse, blood and gore, witch hunts, bestiality (consensual this time, for what that's worth...), child death, grief, pregnancy and birth, pedophilia, and I'm sure others that I can't remember after 650 pages.
I enjoyed this a LOT more than Tracker's perspective - Sologon the Moon Witch was a compelling character who was consistent in her characterization - stubborn, quick to anger, violent, intense in all emotions, and unwilling to take anyone's shit (or advice, to her own detriment).
I was impressed with how James wrote her - she was a lot more realistic than many male fantasy writer's female characters. She actually talks about her period (moonblood), expresses frustration with how stupid men are and how unfair and unjust the world is to women, and has her own interests outside of a husband and children (both of which she does have). She's not perfect - frustrating, sometimes veers towards homophobic in her comments/thoughts about Tracker, violent, rude, but always compelling.
The world is just as violent, misogynistic, and brutal - rape, witch hunts, and murder are still common, everyday occurrences. We follow Sogolon through at least 170+ years of her life, with a more sequential story than BLRW. Characters from the first book really only show up 500 pages in, and as expected, there are discrepancies between Tracker's versions of events and Sogolon's. Particularly around the Aesi - who is only slightly less mysterious in this novel and altogether more terrifying as you learn more his backstory (mostly through interactions with our protagonist).
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and it flew by in comparison to BLRW. Sogolon had so many great moments of insight and power, and her impact on the woman of this fantasy world is undeniable. There's still a lot left to uncover across the main plot, which I hope will be revealed in the final book, whenever that's published.
CW: rape, torture, sexism and misogyny, slavery/enslavement, domestic and child abuse, blood and gore, witch hunts, bestiality (consensual this time, for what that's worth...), child death, grief, pregnancy and birth, pedophilia, and I'm sure others that I can't remember after 650 pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Slavery, Blood, Gore, Grief, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Child death, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Pedophilia, Homophobia, and Torture
tonybz's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Sexual content, Gore, and Kidnapping
jessthanthree's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Body horror, Gaslighting, Murder, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Violence, Classism, Death, Sexism, and Rape
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Pedophilia, Police brutality, and War
funcharge's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Violence
kkelley18's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Death, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child death, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Child abuse
bbpettry's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Lesbophobia and Transphobia
deedireads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-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? It's complicated
4.25
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Moon Witch, Spider King is a rich, complex novel with an indomitable protagonist. It’s an easier read than BLRW (though still not easy), and it widens the plot in super interesting ways.
For you if: You like very literary fantasy (and read Black Leopard, Red Wolf).
FULL REVIEW:
Hurray for the next installment of Marlon James’ Dark Star Trilogy, which started with Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I liked BLRW, but like many, also found it very dense and challenging. I’m happy to report that MWSK presents an easier read (although I would still not go so far as to call it easy).
You may have heard the MWSK tells the same story as BLRW, but from the Moon Witch Sogolon’s perspective. This is actually only part of the story — the novel actually goes back much further than that, to when Sogolon was a girl, all through her life, how she became the Moon Witch, and how she got tangled up with the search for the boy. The events of BLRW only come into play in the last third or so of the book.
I tell you this so you don’t spend as much time as I did wondering when all that was going to start. But even so, by the end, I understood exactly why James set it up this way; the story BLRW drops us into is so much bigger, so much older, than we knew before. MWSK shows us what’s at stake here — and sets us up for an epic trilogy conclusion, I think.
Part of what makes MWSK more readable is that we’re prepared for the trilogy’s episodic storytelling style (which doesn’t settle into the shape of a traditional plot until deep into the book), not to mention the world the story takes place in. But I also really, really loved Sogolon as a protagonist. Her voice is so strong, her desires so pointed. She tells you like it is, unlike Tracker. And she takes absolutely NO shit from anyone. Such a badass. The audiobook narrator did an incredible job bringing her to life, too, and I highly recommend listening along on audio as you read the print version (especially given that it’s still relatively long and challenging).
If you liked BLRW enough to consider continuing with the series, even if you’re feeling a bit intimidated, I say pick this up. I think chances are good that you will like it.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Moon Witch, Spider King is a rich, complex novel with an indomitable protagonist. It’s an easier read than BLRW (though still not easy), and it widens the plot in super interesting ways.
For you if: You like very literary fantasy (and read Black Leopard, Red Wolf).
FULL REVIEW:
Hurray for the next installment of Marlon James’ Dark Star Trilogy, which started with Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I liked BLRW, but like many, also found it very dense and challenging. I’m happy to report that MWSK presents an easier read (although I would still not go so far as to call it easy).
You may have heard the MWSK tells the same story as BLRW, but from the Moon Witch Sogolon’s perspective. This is actually only part of the story — the novel actually goes back much further than that, to when Sogolon was a girl, all through her life, how she became the Moon Witch, and how she got tangled up with the search for the boy. The events of BLRW only come into play in the last third or so of the book.
I tell you this so you don’t spend as much time as I did wondering when all that was going to start. But even so, by the end, I understood exactly why James set it up this way; the story BLRW drops us into is so much bigger, so much older, than we knew before. MWSK shows us what’s at stake here — and sets us up for an epic trilogy conclusion, I think.
Part of what makes MWSK more readable is that we’re prepared for the trilogy’s episodic storytelling style (which doesn’t settle into the shape of a traditional plot until deep into the book), not to mention the world the story takes place in. But I also really, really loved Sogolon as a protagonist. Her voice is so strong, her desires so pointed. She tells you like it is, unlike Tracker. And she takes absolutely NO shit from anyone. Such a badass. The audiobook narrator did an incredible job bringing her to life, too, and I highly recommend listening along on audio as you read the print version (especially given that it’s still relatively long and challenging).
If you liked BLRW enough to consider continuing with the series, even if you’re feeling a bit intimidated, I say pick this up. I think chances are good that you will like it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
queenmackenzie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
5.0
The first word that comes to mind when I come to describe Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James is ‘ambitious’. It is so multifaceted and so complex in the story it weaves that I am still wrapping my head around it all. I am, quite frankly, in awe of Marlon James’ skill with words and especially the way his writing is so hypnotic even when you’re a bit lost within the plot and the grammar isn’t the standard English you’re accustomed to. I am also very impressed at the way James has created two characters that are so compelling from their own perspective and so antagonistic from the other’s point of view.
In the first book in this trilogy, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, the story of a missing boy and a group of mercenaries hired to find him is told by Tracker, a man with a wolf’s eye who ‘has a nose’ and can sniff something out from the slightest scent even months after it has disappeared. I loved Tracker’s story and being inside his head, so I was curious to find out what it would be like to read about the same events from the perspective of one of his rivals: the witch Sogolon. Though, if you read her story, you’ll see that the word witch doesn’t truly describe her. Her story begins many years before that of Tracker, and my worry about reading the same exact story told by someone else evaporated very quickly; Sogolon, in her meandering way, takes us to her childhood living in a termite hill, abused by her brothers because her birth killed their mother. Hers is a sorry existence, but you can feel the strength coming off of her even during her miserable times.
And those are many… she endures many masters, escaping one only to be taken up by the next, forced to grow up before her time, trying to understand the world and the mysterious force she sometimes exhibits. Through one of her masters she is taken to the court of Fasisi, the seat of the King of the North, and gifted to the King’s Sister. For me, this was the moment things truly kicked off – though the build up was necessary – as I loved the intrigue of the court and all the political schemes regarding the true Line of Kings and the mysterious chancellor that shadows the throne rang a bell from my time reading Black Leopard, Red Wolf. It was really interesting to be able to see all the politics from the front row, because Tracker always gets the information second hand, but Sogolon was there. Reading her story was like shining a bright torch onto the plot of Tracker’s story, but his side was necessary before everything could be peeled back and revealed. As I said, the complexity and the way its handled is truly impressive.
The other impressive thing about this book is the world-building. Marlon James has created such an inactivate world that feels so real, and each city has its own personality. The cool thing about following Sogolon, a woman who lives much longer than the average lifespan, is seeing how the kingdoms and cities change as well. It all feels very organic and probably part of the reason why both Tracker and Sogolon’s stories have lingered with me long after I turn the last page. The world of the Dark Star Trilogy is a cruel one, with monsters, power-hungry kings, and men ready to take advantage of any girl or woman they can. But it is also incredibly fascinating, with floating cities, shapeshifters, magic portals, and even a dragon. There is always some new facet to uncover, and I can’t wait to discover which direction the third book in the series will take.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Pregnancy and Pedophilia
ronpayne's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexism, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Murder, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Physical abuse, Cursing, Classism, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Vomit
bkwrm1317's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Second installment in the Dark Star trilogy. Pretty sure James can’t write anything I am not challenged by/don’t enjoy.
A very different perspective than Black Leopard, Red Wolf but in a way that serves the overarching narrative. Challenging (as all James novels are, really), but in a totally satisfying way.
A very different perspective than Black Leopard, Red Wolf but in a way that serves the overarching narrative. Challenging (as all James novels are, really), but in a totally satisfying way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Violence