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bamfling's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Self harm, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Sexual content
aformeracceleratedreader's review
medium-paced
4.25
Did love this as much as the first but still thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved all the side characters and liked how it ended.
Def read trigger/content warnings especially if you struggle with mental health.
Def read trigger/content warnings especially if you struggle with mental health.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Child death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm
toy_masterpiece's review
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
⭐️🎧Audiobook Listener🎧⭐️
*Spoilers for the first book*
Dude, if the first book was a 5/5, this one is a 6/5. In this book, we get to see our heros seriously grapple with their internal demons as the world falls apart around them. Karina with her inferiority complex, her loneliness, her self-destructive tendencies, her grief and Malik with his anxiety, his trauma from childhood, his very negative sense of self, and his loneliness.
First and foremost, the voice actors continue to put their whole chests into this performance. Oh my god. We're back with Jordan Cobb (Karina), A.J. Beckles (Malik), and surprise, Bahni Turpin. Like not only do they deliver in drawing you into their world and into their minds, but the dialogue delivery goes so hard. Most notably, Beckles' performance of Fareed (the antagonist) is excellent. Makes me want to slap something. And Cobb really made me fall in love with Karina, more of which I'll discuss later. Like all the performances go so well with Brown's quirky dialogue, and emotive writing style.
Don't even get me started on the writing. The world-building, the magic system, the stakes! So expertly choreographed to form this story.
My fav parts have to be Karina battling with the concept of her sister being alive and resurrected, the absolute manipulative trip Fareed goes down, Afua choosing a life of eternal guardianship over imprisonment and so so much more.
On the less fantastic side of things, Brown tackles some themes of suicical ideation, generational trauma, having a faith crisis, and grooming to name a few, like how do you juggle all that in a duology? Idk, but Brown did it.
Also a sprinkling of autistic rep, queer rep, diversity in hair texture/style, culture and food, gender, and sexuality.
Lastly, these characters, Karina and Malik, so flawed, so compelling, lemme talk about it. Karina: she always has to have the last word, she is resilient to a fault, she is so so caring and that really comes through in the voice. Malik: constantly battling with his inner demon who isn't even as bad as his actual inner demon while being subject to the expert manipulation of Fareed. They make mistakes, they doubt themselves, each other, their friends. It's good stuff, I assure you.
5/5
*Spoilers for the first book*
Dude, if the first book was a 5/5, this one is a 6/5. In this book, we get to see our heros seriously grapple with their internal demons as the world falls apart around them. Karina with her inferiority complex, her loneliness, her self-destructive tendencies, her grief and Malik with his anxiety, his trauma from childhood, his very negative sense of self, and his loneliness.
First and foremost, the voice actors continue to put their whole chests into this performance. Oh my god. We're back with Jordan Cobb (Karina), A.J. Beckles (Malik), and surprise, Bahni Turpin. Like not only do they deliver in drawing you into their world and into their minds, but the dialogue delivery goes so hard. Most notably, Beckles' performance of Fareed (the antagonist) is excellent. Makes me want to slap something. And Cobb really made me fall in love with Karina, more of which I'll discuss later. Like all the performances go so well with Brown's quirky dialogue, and emotive writing style.
Don't even get me started on the writing. The world-building, the magic system, the stakes! So expertly choreographed to form this story.
On the less fantastic side of things, Brown tackles some themes of suicical ideation, generational trauma, having a faith crisis, and grooming to name a few, like how do you juggle all that in a duology? Idk, but Brown did it.
Also a sprinkling of autistic rep, queer rep, diversity in hair texture/style, culture and food, gender, and sexuality.
Lastly, these characters, Karina and Malik, so flawed, so compelling, lemme talk about it. Karina: she always has to have the last word, she is resilient to a fault, she is so so caring and that really comes through in the voice. Malik: constantly battling with his inner demon who isn't even as bad as his actual inner demon while being subject to the expert manipulation of Fareed. They make mistakes, they doubt themselves, each other, their friends. It's good stuff, I assure you.
5/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Violence, Sexual harassment, Death, Grief, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Trafficking, Confinement, and Domestic abuse
grooming, nice guy syndromebibliorama's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.25
(I didn't read through this after writing it. It's all rapid fire thoughts, so excuse any spelling or grammar issues.)
Enjoyment - 4.5
Well here we are. This may seem like a surprise considering my review of the first book where I go into how it put me into a reading slump. But I have to say, this is a full star more than the first and that's not usually how this goes. The characters, world, and story felt so much more settled into themselves. It feels like this was the story that was always meant to be told and the first book was just one big setup to get us here.
For how much ground was covered in this book, I have to say the writing is so skillfully done. I just want to give Roseanne A. Brown a round of applause because the emotional journey these characters went on was heavy, but it was well done. It's only a 4.5 and not a 5 because I started to speed through the audiobook at the end during the wrap-up, partially because all the major moments and beats were done but also because my library loan was almost up and that's on me CX.
OH ALSO how could I forget to mention the plagues! I love a good wrathful god raining down some plagues. Can't beat the foreboding that adds to a story.
Start - 4.5
We started strong with Hyena giving us a little more backstory about Farid which I found interesting and it added to the emotional depth of who he was as a character. I also appreciated that Karina and Malik's stories intersected right off the bat. You could see their plots interweaving more from the start than you could in the first book. Since I listened to the audiobook, I have to add that all three of the narrators are fantastic and brought each of their characters to life with nuance.
Characters - 5
I loved that the focus settled itself on our main characters and it didn't waiver much from them. The mains/most important/most interesting characters to me are this group: Malik, Karina, Farid, Hanane, Nadia, and Leia. This core is where all the emotional beats hinge, and when they cross and hurt each other it's a knife that cuts deep. There were some really nice interior moments that we got with Karina and Malik as individuals. They felt very real, and there never was a moment where they acted out of character. The only thing I wish we got more of at the back half of the book is Malik with his sisters cause there is some real shit that goes down with them that I would like to see resolved. One more thing before going into individual characters, I loved how these characters all did some bad things and the book doesn't let them off the hook for that, it makes them have to reconcile their actions in their mind and work towards fixing things.
Listen Spoilers, Beware:
Farid:Farid and Hanane's relationship is definitely one of the darker YA relationships I have read, and that's not because other books don't try to do this kind of relationship, but it's because it doesn't shy away from showing how scary it is for Hanane. The book also doesn't waiver in who Farid is as a character nor doesn't it overshoot who he is to where he becomes a caricature. There were many moments where he was in a scene and I could see him manipulating those around him, but it was so subtle.
Chapter 31 with Malik, that was real and I felt it, but I also have to say it was beautifully written. To me, that chapter was the most emotional.
Karina:I loved Karina's growth in this book and how we got to see her interact with her family towards the end.
Hanane: Man poor Hanane. She never really got a chance at life because of Farid, and even though it feels like she got some justice towards the end, she still is dead and that can't change. It's tragic to think about how young she was and she felt young in the scenes that we saw her in.
Atmosphere - 4
I loved getting to see more of the world and the little details it holds. I could have done with some more, but I think the characters felt so real and had such great details to them that they made the world feel real.
Plot - 4
Okay, so the actual plot is another fetch quest -ish. That's not my favorite. But lets be real, the story was always way more about the characters and their emotional journeys which I enjoyed very much.
Ending - 4
Hits all the satisfying beats and I have to say what a great job Brown did wrapping this all up because not a thread was dropped. The wrap up part of the story might be a bit long for my preference, but I also know there are people who like that so to each their own.
Style - 4
The Hyena narrator interludes were gripping and Hyena's voice was so strong. The background info she gives us and the meta addresses were some of my favorite parts.
Overall - 4.25
There's so much in this story that I enjoyed but just didn't fit into this review. I will say I'm happy that I picked up the second book and give the ending a shot because it was well worth it.
Enjoyment - 4.5
Well here we are. This may seem like a surprise considering my review of the first book where I go into how it put me into a reading slump. But I have to say, this is a full star more than the first and that's not usually how this goes. The characters, world, and story felt so much more settled into themselves. It feels like this was the story that was always meant to be told and the first book was just one big setup to get us here.
For how much ground was covered in this book, I have to say the writing is so skillfully done. I just want to give Roseanne A. Brown a round of applause because the emotional journey these characters went on was heavy, but it was well done. It's only a 4.5 and not a 5 because I started to speed through the audiobook at the end during the wrap-up, partially because all the major moments and beats were done but also because my library loan was almost up and that's on me CX.
OH ALSO how could I forget to mention the plagues! I love a good wrathful god raining down some plagues. Can't beat the foreboding that adds to a story.
Start - 4.5
We started strong with Hyena giving us a little more backstory about Farid which I found interesting and it added to the emotional depth of who he was as a character. I also appreciated that Karina and Malik's stories intersected right off the bat. You could see their plots interweaving more from the start than you could in the first book. Since I listened to the audiobook, I have to add that all three of the narrators are fantastic and brought each of their characters to life with nuance.
Characters - 5
I loved that the focus settled itself on our main characters and it didn't waiver much from them. The mains/most important/most interesting characters to me are this group: Malik, Karina, Farid, Hanane, Nadia, and Leia. This core is where all the emotional beats hinge, and when they cross and hurt each other it's a knife that cuts deep. There were some really nice interior moments that we got with Karina and Malik as individuals. They felt very real, and there never was a moment where they acted out of character. The only thing I wish we got more of at the back half of the book is Malik with his sisters cause there is some real shit that goes down with them that I would like to see resolved. One more thing before going into individual characters, I loved how these characters all did some bad things and the book doesn't let them off the hook for that, it makes them have to reconcile their actions in their mind and work towards fixing things.
Listen Spoilers, Beware:
Farid:
Chapter 31 with Malik, that was real and I felt it, but I also have to say it was beautifully written. To me, that chapter was the most emotional.
Karina:
Hanane:
Atmosphere - 4
I loved getting to see more of the world and the little details it holds. I could have done with some more, but I think the characters felt so real and had such great details to them that they made the world feel real.
Plot - 4
Okay, so the actual plot is another fetch quest -ish. That's not my favorite. But lets be real, the story was always way more about the characters and their emotional journeys which I enjoyed very much.
Ending - 4
Hits all the satisfying beats and I have to say what a great job Brown did wrapping this all up because not a thread was dropped. The wrap up part of the story might be a bit long for my preference, but I also know there are people who like that so to each their own.
Style - 4
The Hyena narrator interludes were gripping and Hyena's voice was so strong. The background info she gives us and the meta addresses were some of my favorite parts.
Overall - 4.25
There's so much in this story that I enjoyed but just didn't fit into this review. I will say I'm happy that I picked up the second book and give the ending a shot because it was well worth it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Self harm, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
Minor: Slavery, Blood, Colonisation, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, and Xenophobia
This book doesn't shy away from its themes and the way it discusses them is nuanced and never feels like the story is using them for shock value. I would think an older teen would be able to handle these topics and possibly find solace in this story if they've experienced some of these in their own life.bookishplantmom's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
This was much darker and more emotional than I expected or recall book 1 being. We pick up a short while after the events of book 1. Our characters are pursuing new goals and realize that the aftermath of their actions are far reaching and extremely impactful. The plot was engaging and the characters fleshed out in a satisfying way. I think this books greatest strength is its discussion of toxics relationships, depression and trauma. I thought the author did a fantastic job of tackling these issues without being overly prescriptive or heavy handed. I wish they had been more explicit in some places to make clearer to readers that these moments are ones of abuse though I appreciate that they trust that young readers will be able to identify this. Overall a strong conclusion to this duology!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Torture
lady_valhella's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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
4.75
Picking right up where Hyena left of we continue on the path of Malik and Karina’s story. We learn what happens after Solstasia and where that leads Malik and all the adventures Karina goes on. I also think the Ms. Brown handles the darker themes of grooming and self harm well without delving into triggering topics graphically. I would love to read some stories about the side character also, specifically Afua, Ife, and Leia and Nadia. Malik has a good heart but alas they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Confinement, Torture, Trafficking, and Physical abuse
aseel_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-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? Yes
2.75
I liked how the ending came about, it was a good plot, not unrealistic but it was quite slow and I just didn't care or connect with any of the characters but I liked their arcs
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Trafficking, Violence, War, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Death, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
tak_everlasting's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death and Vomit
strawberrytheauthor's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book was fabulous! An upper YA fantasy book and the second in A Song of Wraiths and Ruin duology. This duology is full of African mythology and a setting similar. The prose is wonderfully written and concludes the story of Karina and Malik in a way that, while somewhat disappointing, makes sense for the way their characters have developed.
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, untimely ascension, Found Family, assassinations.
I loved the magic system and how Roseanne A. Brown made it all fit within a set mythology of the world. Nothing about the magic system seemed out of place or like it didn’t make sense.
There is wonderful disability representation with anxiety, depression, and what seems to me to be autism. There is also a lot of LGBTQ+ representation and I think every character is a person of color (don’t quote me on that I don’t see pictures when I read I have no idea what these characters look like).
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, untimely ascension, Found Family, assassinations.
I loved the magic system and how Roseanne A. Brown made it all fit within a set mythology of the world. Nothing about the magic system seemed out of place or like it didn’t make sense.
There is wonderful disability representation with anxiety, depression, and what seems to me to be autism. There is also a lot of LGBTQ+ representation and I think every character is a person of color (don’t quote me on that I don’t see pictures when I read I have no idea what these characters look like).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Child abuse, Classism, Grief, Racism, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Kidnapping
Groomingsunlit_music's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
A fitting and triumphant end to a marvellous duology!!
Plot - 5/5. The plot is original, easy to follow, makes sense, was exciting and full of tension and action, and kept me engaged from start to finish.
Characters - 5/5. All characters are believable, complex, act in character. They're all distinct and easy to tell apart. All of them are so interesting - not just the major characters, but also the minor ones! I love Yaema, Driss' and Tunde's relatives. I love Malik's sisters Leila and Nadia. Nadia is so freaking adorable!! The way she comforts Hanane by saying, "You look like a princess! You look normal!" Was so cute!
Caracal is funny and delightful, and Karina is badass and vulnerable. Afua is lovely and sweet, Hanane is fierce and lovable, and Malik has an incredible character arc. There's so many great characters to read about!
Pacing - Pacing was fast during action scenes, while still easy to follow, and that's when you know you're reading a great book. Pacing slowed down during thoughtful scenes where characters are resolving disputes, goofing off, supporting each other, which helped me understand and appreciate them more. Pacing was great, in short. :)
Representation - representation is INCREDIBLE! There's Ife, who is autistic and non binary, has a great sense of humour and so much charm. Malik has depression and self harms, and isn't portrayed as a saint or villain, but a real, flawed human being who is sometimes kind and at other times ruthless. He redeems himself in the end and what I appreciate about him is that he admits redemption is an ongoing thing, not a one off action.
Characters are BIPOC (Black, from different nations) and portrayed in a nuanced, thoughtful manner. There's plenty of interesting, strong and brave characters of all genders and ages.
World building - the history and mythology of the story's world is rich, detailed, lush and immersive. I love reading about the necropolis and pharaohs, and learning about the complex and painful history between Karina's and Malik's ancestors. I appreciate how this isn't a simple story of people who are purely good and evil, but flawed people trying to do what they think is right. I love how the story shows that some people can change for the better.
The scenes about the omens are vivid, spine chilling and I didn't see the scenes with the last omen coming! It was a totally unexpected plot twist, but made sense.
Ending - I love the ending, it's hopeful, uplifting while still being realistic. The way Karina solves her problems is inventive and clever, and feels hard won.
The narrators are all amazing, they're so talented! They all added humour, pathos and emotion to the characters they voiced. The e-book is wonderful, but if you can do it, buy the audio book - because the narrators/voice actors all make the characters and story come to life!
Plot - 5/5. The plot is original, easy to follow, makes sense, was exciting and full of tension and action, and kept me engaged from start to finish.
Characters - 5/5. All characters are believable, complex, act in character. They're all distinct and easy to tell apart. All of them are so interesting - not just the major characters, but also the minor ones! I love Yaema, Driss' and Tunde's relatives. I love Malik's sisters Leila and Nadia. Nadia is so freaking adorable!! The way she comforts Hanane by saying, "You look like a princess! You look normal!" Was so cute!
Caracal is funny and delightful, and Karina is badass and vulnerable. Afua is lovely and sweet, Hanane is fierce and lovable, and Malik has an incredible character arc. There's so many great characters to read about!
Pacing - Pacing was fast during action scenes, while still easy to follow, and that's when you know you're reading a great book. Pacing slowed down during thoughtful scenes where characters are resolving disputes, goofing off, supporting each other, which helped me understand and appreciate them more. Pacing was great, in short. :)
Representation - representation is INCREDIBLE! There's Ife, who is autistic and non binary, has a great sense of humour and so much charm. Malik has depression and self harms, and isn't portrayed as a saint or villain, but a real, flawed human being who is sometimes kind and at other times ruthless. He redeems himself in the end and what I appreciate about him is that he admits redemption is an ongoing thing, not a one off action.
Characters are BIPOC (Black, from different nations) and portrayed in a nuanced, thoughtful manner. There's plenty of interesting, strong and brave characters of all genders and ages.
World building - the history and mythology of the story's world is rich, detailed, lush and immersive. I love reading about the necropolis and pharaohs, and learning about the complex and painful history between Karina's and Malik's ancestors. I appreciate how this isn't a simple story of people who are purely good and evil, but flawed people trying to do what they think is right. I love how the story shows that some people can change for the better.
The scenes about the omens are vivid, spine chilling and I didn't see the scenes with the last omen coming! It was a totally unexpected plot twist, but made sense.
Ending - I love the ending, it's hopeful, uplifting while still being realistic. The way Karina solves her problems is inventive and clever, and feels hard won.
The narrators are all amazing, they're so talented! They all added humour, pathos and emotion to the characters they voiced. The e-book is wonderful, but if you can do it, buy the audio book - because the narrators/voice actors all make the characters and story come to life!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Toxic relationship, and Torture
Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm