Reviews

Written by Tomi Adeyemi, an author I haven’t read before. So, I went into this book without the least impression of what it has to offer. I hope it surprises me.

୧ ׅ𖥔 ۫ summary ⋄ 𓍯

Magic had died in the lands of Orïsha. For Zélie Adebola, it has been eleven years that magic died & also took away her Mama. But with a fateful encounter with Amari, a rogue princess, hopes of bringing back magic comes back. But with the crown hot on her trail, blood spews far more darker than the night. Will magic have her back or burn the world before it’s too late?

୧ ׅ𖥔 ۫ final thoughts ⋄ 𓍯

Like many fantasy fiction, this book uses a fairy tale, flow like the sand, & dreamy style of writing. As a sucker for beautiful descriptions, this one ticked it off. But the magic system in it wasn’t that greatly explained, neither did many of the elements sprinkled through the story. For example, we are told Tzain plays a game. But we’re never explained even a tiny bit, even if it doesn’t contribute to the story. Also, there were many such examples.

The story is told through the POV of three characters, Zélie (a magi), Amari (rogue princess) & Inan (crown prince). Amari won my heart through it all. Zélie, though started out strong lost a bit of her grip in the story in the later part. Also, I feel Tzain would make a better POV character than Inan. I didn’t feel resolutely for him as much I did for Tzain & Amari.

All in all, I did tear up a bit in the middle, felt the characters’ helpless, fear, anger. It was a great read.

tashaseegmiller's review against another edition

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5.0

Stunning book. The complexities of character, the beauty of narration, the total immersion into a world full of tragedy and awe. There were scenes where I had chills.

thenerdbrox's review against another edition

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5.0

I found the characters enjoyable to follow, and the plot line was gripping.

xoxo_kae's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

4.5

bubblybelle's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

this book truly altered my brain chemistry. the world building and characters are so rich and complex. the magic system is captivating, and the plot had me enthralled from start to finish. but beyond that, this book was so much more. the parallels between this novel and the realities of our world are stark and heartbreaking. so many of my emotions about the injustices i see were captured in what these characters went through. as i sobbed for the maji of Orisha, i sobbed for the people of Palestine, Congo, and so many others taken too soon through oppression and genocide. this is now my favorite book of all time. reading the sequel immediately.

Content Warnings

rachelfaye's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

awxblue's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

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