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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pretty disappointing, thought I wanted to like it so bad. First off I didn't care for much of the plot, and there were a loooot of plot points flotting around. I liked the board meeting and the god-politics and the antiimperialist sentiment that Shigibi felt in the museum and I was hoping we'd get to know more about those plot points. I liked Shigidi's backstory, he almost felt human, hating his job like that. On the other hand the smut was almost unbearable, it was too much, it was so out of place and also it gave off rapey vibes. The seduction element could have been done better and it would have done justice to both the mythology and the succubus character. The ending was romantic and stuff but I couldn't give a shit about the main characters' relationship. There wasn't anything you can take with you after having read this book.
Overall I would improve the structure of the story and focus on the character's relationships and the world building, to make stuff make Sense.
Overall I would improve the structure of the story and focus on the character's relationships and the world building, to make stuff make Sense.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is hard to rate. So much about it was enjoyable, don’t get me wrong.
on one hand, the writing is sensational. The world delved into was delicious and nuanced and incredibly refreshing.
The chapters featuring the mythical characters were my favourites solely because their ambitions, alliances and interests were marvellously written.
I really enjoyed Shigidi and Neoma.
All in all, Talibi’s characters had such distinct voices and thought that it was easy to imagine their appearances in every era.
I also admit that I don’t often read fantasy and science fiction so I don’t always get into the stories as easily as I do literary fiction.
the issues are a bit unfortunate :
- your promised a fantasy heist novel, but it isn’t really. I’d say it’s more mythology politics mixed with smut that has a heist in it. And this isn’t a bad thing - I loved the politics within the story but the publishers did a disservice focusing on one aspect of the entire story to promote it
- a more accurate synopsis of the book would allow readers to know what they’re reading instead of wondering when the premise promised will begin
- they were too many plot jumps. I really wanted to understand it as a new way to tell a story but unfortunately it was hard to stay connected to the characters and the stakes that they faced when you’d have to figure out how one chapter connected to the grand story. Very well attempted because the backstories were enticing and placed within historically poignant settings. It just wasn’t for me.
- as much as I understand the character of Neoma there were aspects of her that were incredulously male gaze-y. Not her being a succubus as much as the repetitive descriptions of her body. I feel like what was understood didn’t need to continuously be reiterated. She was a dynamite character, however. Very well detailed and fleshed out as an entity and a heartfelt being. An absolute stand out
I did enjoy this however for a lot of reasons. Yoruba mythology is as nuanced and multilayered as the author depicted. I loved the inclusion of Jewish and Christian myths along the way. The political system was my favourite part and I was enamoured by the concept of God’s dying without worship and the competition between cultures to capture subjects to pay worship.
The author also sensationally details the power of artefacts captured in museums. Heart throbbing and painful to always remember how much of ours is sitting beneath Europe and Australia’s museums.
on one hand, the writing is sensational. The world delved into was delicious and nuanced and incredibly refreshing.
The chapters featuring the mythical characters were my favourites solely because their ambitions, alliances and interests were marvellously written.
I really enjoyed Shigidi and Neoma.
All in all, Talibi’s characters had such distinct voices and thought that it was easy to imagine their appearances in every era.
I also admit that I don’t often read fantasy and science fiction so I don’t always get into the stories as easily as I do literary fiction.
the issues are a bit unfortunate :
- your promised a fantasy heist novel, but it isn’t really. I’d say it’s more mythology politics mixed with smut that has a heist in it. And this isn’t a bad thing - I loved the politics within the story but the publishers did a disservice focusing on one aspect of the entire story to promote it
- a more accurate synopsis of the book would allow readers to know what they’re reading instead of wondering when the premise promised will begin
- they were too many plot jumps. I really wanted to understand it as a new way to tell a story but unfortunately it was hard to stay connected to the characters and the stakes that they faced when you’d have to figure out how one chapter connected to the grand story. Very well attempted because the backstories were enticing and placed within historically poignant settings. It just wasn’t for me.
- as much as I understand the character of Neoma there were aspects of her that were incredulously male gaze-y. Not her being a succubus as much as the repetitive descriptions of her body. I feel like what was understood didn’t need to continuously be reiterated. She was a dynamite character, however. Very well detailed and fleshed out as an entity and a heartfelt being. An absolute stand out
I did enjoy this however for a lot of reasons. Yoruba mythology is as nuanced and multilayered as the author depicted. I loved the inclusion of Jewish and Christian myths along the way. The political system was my favourite part and I was enamoured by the concept of God’s dying without worship and the competition between cultures to capture subjects to pay worship.
The author also sensationally details the power of artefacts captured in museums. Heart throbbing and painful to always remember how much of ours is sitting beneath Europe and Australia’s museums.
I was excited about this one, but really felt like I was slogging my way through a Skinamax PNR ripoff of Ocean's 11, except the main characters didn't have any of the charisma and did a lot more (SA) rape
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Violence