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rieviolet's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? No
4.5
I picked up this book at my library on a whim and I ended up pleasantly surprised. It is a really engaging story and it also feels very fresh, like nothing I've read before.
It is told in a dual POV and I have to admit I was particularly drawn to Darwin's chapters (compared to the ones in Yejide's perspective). His narrative voice is just so strong and captivating, it was honestly beautiful to witness his character development.
The writing is very atmospheric and the author does a great job of building and breathing life into the spaces that these characters inhabit.
I didn't like a short segment in Yejide's POV where the writing got a bit too experimental for my liking, it felt too fragmented and stream of consciousness-like. Also, I would have liked a bit more of exploration into Yejide's character and the gift connected to her lineage.
However, these are minor grievances, overall I really enjoyed the reading experience and I look forward to Ayanna Lloyd Banwo's future projects.
It is told in a dual POV and I have to admit I was particularly drawn to Darwin's chapters (compared to the ones in Yejide's perspective). His narrative voice is just so strong and captivating, it was honestly beautiful to witness his character development.
The writing is very atmospheric and the author does a great job of building and breathing life into the spaces that these characters inhabit.
I didn't like a short segment in Yejide's POV where the writing got a bit too experimental for my liking, it felt too fragmented and stream of consciousness-like. Also, I would have liked a bit more of exploration into Yejide's character and the gift connected to her lineage.
However, these are minor grievances, overall I really enjoyed the reading experience and I look forward to Ayanna Lloyd Banwo's future projects.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Blood, Slavery, Bullying, and Body horror
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Sexism, Drug use, Cursing, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Child death, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Torture
rokinjaguar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Interesting! Had some cool ideas and was well done, but didn’t fully live up to its potential, I felt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment and Cursing
Minor: Child death, Bullying, and Slavery
amandalorianxo's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Spell binding debut novel set in Trinidad & Tobago where we encounter two people who interact with death in ways you don’t see everyday. Darwin has grown up under the rules of his Rastafarian mother, however, since she has gotten older, it’s fallen to him to help keep the two of them from going under. He is essentially forced to take a job as a gravedigger, something he know his mother would disapprove of but it pays the bills. Yejide is doing her best to come to terms with her mother’s recent death and also the fact that it’s now her responsibility to shepherd the city’s souls into the afterlife. Yet, similar to how Darwin sheds his locs to prepare for his new job, Yejide is looking for a way to remove herself from the St. Bernard responsibility. The pair eventually meet at the cemetery and sparks slowly burst. This is more than just a casual love story. This also involves intrigue, murder suspicions and being a part of Caribbean life that we don’t get to experience in the book world.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content and Cursing
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