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for_esme_with_love's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Blood and Child death
obviousthings's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I really liked the first 80% of the book, especially the worldbuilding. However, the ending kind of fell flat for me. Major spoilers:
The big final battle was really anticlimactic. It felt like Sunny didn't even try to help in the fight with Black Hat, and then she defeated Ekwensu with hardly any effort.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Misogyny
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Cannibalism
abbie52923's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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? No
4.0
I started reading this book without knowing the intended audience - middle school/young adult. Once I realized, the book was easy to read. The writing felt slightly choppy at times and the characters felt 2 dimensional. However the overall plot was unique and enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Child death
Minor: Child abuse and Kidnapping
poffalina's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This is a really solid story of magic and coming into your own. The introduction to the world along with the main character works really well, and there are plenty of threads to unravel along the way. While the story feels very much like a young adult novel, it was still enjoyable as someone older than that age and there are lessons in it that can be useful to anyone at any stage of life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, Bullying, and Child death
windsinger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
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: Bullying, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Kidnapping and Torture
bethlovescake's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? N/A
5.0
If I could give this more than 5 stars I would. Words cannot fully describe how much I adored this book. It has the coziness, friendship and magic element of Harry Potter but based in Africa with a mix of African characters. The magic system is really interesting, there are cute moments and and there are tense moments. Even though it is aimed at a young adult target audience I still felt there was so much content and intrigue that as a late 20 something I still fully enjoyed it. This book from start to finish was a pleasure to read and it's been a while for a book to excite me as much as this one did. I wish it could be the first of a multiple book series, I guess you never know. It would make a great movie franchise too.
I will 100% be reading the next book as soon as it arrives in the post.
I will 100% be reading the next book as soon as it arrives in the post.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Torture, and Child death
There is an abusive father too but its more verbal and alluded to than any acts actually being literally described in detail.jsoakes's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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? Yes
4.5
Honestly felt like I was a kid reading Harry Potter for the first time again, just in Nigeria. I couldn't help but draw parallels. The magic world is hidden from lambs (muggles), the bad guy is somehow linked to the protagonist, they travel to a secret city to get supplies including a magical implement (knife vs wand), they travel through a dangerous forest, they study and have to pass "levels", the protagonist has no idea she has magic and so everything she learns is new and exciting for the reader, she can understand a special language, she is athletically gifted, and while not famous, extremely recongizable. And so on. This wasn't the deepest story, but it was definitely magical and hit all the right notes for me. There are definitely parts that were inexplicable, but they felt right for the story and didn't feel cheap.
I also loved the emphasis on knowledge and learning. Learning is expected as a lifelong endeavour and not just a one-time schooling effort, so each student gets a teacher and a mentor, but they also are expected to read and learn and practice on their own. Excited to continue the series.
I also loved the emphasis on knowledge and learning. Learning is expected as a lifelong endeavour and not just a one-time schooling effort, so each student gets a teacher and a mentor, but they also are expected to read and learn and practice on their own. Excited to continue the series.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and Kidnapping
lonelytourist's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
i mainly read this because i had a "ya book not set in the us or uk" requirement to fill, and i think my ya days are behind me, but this book was SO GOOOOD ... like, so much better than all of the starts of every popular ya fantasy series i can think of? so if that's your thing, please do read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Child death
f18's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Violence and Bullying
Minor: Child abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Excrement, Gore, Murder, Child death, Death, and Suicide
colorism (ableism?) toward Sunny, some pretty unsettling descriptions of insect swarms321zeggy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Kidnapping, and Violence