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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
3.5 Stars
This book featured a richly drawn world and complicated characters trying to save themselves and a teetering Empire.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the prose, but I almost never felt deeply moved by this book. It also dragged at times and made me wish the plot would move just a little faster.
I will very likely read give books by this author a try.
This book featured a richly drawn world and complicated characters trying to save themselves and a teetering Empire.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the prose, but I almost never felt deeply moved by this book. It also dragged at times and made me wish the plot would move just a little faster.
I will very likely read give books by this author a try.
A fantasy set around West African style mythology. It has a strong environmental message, but tells it extremely poorly.
The two main characters are Djola, a whiny man exiled by a cartoonish emperor, and Awa, a young woman learning the magical ways. The book is unrelentingly dour, filled with idiots and a-holes, and the plot moves exceedingly slowly. I read a little past Djola reaching the floating cities and the emporer's wife (also pirate queen) telling him all the idiotic things she and the emperor have done are Djola's fault, then finally gave up. A poor novel.
The two main characters are Djola, a whiny man exiled by a cartoonish emperor, and Awa, a young woman learning the magical ways. The book is unrelentingly dour, filled with idiots and a-holes, and the plot moves exceedingly slowly. I read a little past Djola reaching the floating cities and the emporer's wife (also pirate queen) telling him all the idiotic things she and the emperor have done are Djola's fault, then finally gave up. A poor novel.
This book was written so well! Im not gonna lie, I was pretty confused for most of the book and had to go back and reread the entire thing. High recommend.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
slow-paced
I enjoyed the writing style of this, but was bored by the somewhat difficult to follow plotline. If I wasn't reading this for a book club, I probably would have dnf-ed it.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Poison deserts eat farmland. Water turns foul. The only solution is magic but a good conjure is hard to find. Djola is the righthand man and spymaster of the empire and is determined to save it even in exile. Meanwhile, Awa trains to be a powerful griot and comes into her own in floating cities and sorcery.
You might be thinking that that blurb doesn't explain a whole lot about the actual story and don't worry the book also barely explains anything. I felt so lost in this book because it felt like I was watching a play but they didn't want me the audience to understand what was happening. There are a million characters and an immensely unsatisfying and rushed conclusion. I feel like I have immediately already forgotten everything that happened. Like a 2/5 becausethe author clearly spent time worldbuilding.
You might be thinking that that blurb doesn't explain a whole lot about the actual story and don't worry the book also barely explains anything. I felt so lost in this book because it felt like I was watching a play but they didn't want me the audience to understand what was happening. There are a million characters and an immensely unsatisfying and rushed conclusion. I feel like I have immediately already forgotten everything that happened. Like a 2/5 becausethe author clearly spent time worldbuilding.