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quinnyquinnquinn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, and Physical abuse
gellyreads's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't bring myself to care very much about anything that was happening. Maybe it's the mood I'm in (and that I'm more of a mood reader than I thought), but I struggled with the point of views and tracking what all was happening. This book reminds me of the Dark Shade of Magic Series, which I also didn't really care for either, especially the Captain reminding me of the thief girl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Murder
barbarella85's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Murder, and Blood
alichan459's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Violence, Confinement, Death, Gore, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexism
sarahweyand's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.25
How wonderfully surprising! I didn't know much about this book going in but I had a great time and am looking forward to reading the sequel. I thought the worldbuilding was well done and I really loved the characters and the range of emotions Roanhorse made me feel about each of them. Normally I'm more of a hard magic system girlie, but I enjoyed the ways the author incorporated different types of magic into the world; it really enhanced the story instead of being the focus of it. I also really liked the influence of the precolonial Americas on her worldbuilding and plot, I found it to be unique and compelling.
I will say I felt like Black Sun took me longer to finish than I expected, and I think the book dragged slightly in the middle, but that did little to lessen my enjoyment of an overall wonderful start to a trilogy.
I will say I felt like Black Sun took me longer to finish than I expected, and I think the book dragged slightly in the middle, but that did little to lessen my enjoyment of an overall wonderful start to a trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism and Blood
nerodyne's review against another edition
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
5.0
I genuinely adored this book. The world building was phenomenal and felt vibrant in a way that I've never read before. The way that each perspective change was balanced to never lose the tension that was being built up was masterful, I can't think of any other book that handles POV changes quite as well as this one does. Even the plot points that I don't particularly care for never weighed down the story or made my opinion of it lessen. It's a story that deals with themes that I already am fond of and I feel it handled them well and I can't wait to see how they're expanded on in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child abuse, Violence, and Murder
caidyn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
Loved the queer characters and a world that, finally, wasn't English based or some other European culture. It was wonderful and I cannot wait to start the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide and Child abuse
ameliabee33's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Easily this is going to become my new high fantasy obsession. There is depth to the characters that we get pov chapters from, Xiala, Serapio, Okoa, and Naranpa. I would literally protect all of them with my life, like oh my God the author makes all of their individual life struggles and goals easy to root for. This book is great if you're looking for a new take on high fantasy, as the author states in the author's note the setting for fantasy is typically a rendition of England and various western European countries. It is another book that has multiple pov's in chapters- which I have always liked having more than one character tell a story because you can get more depth about the world and context the book is set in (I think it's a remnant of my Warrior Cats days 😋).
Xiala, I would die for Xiala. She is a boat captain, a lover of beautiful things and people, and with a hidden past that readers just get a glimpse of. She is also a Teek, legendary women known to use their Song to manipulate the sea and men alike. She was such a strong, resilient chatacter throughout the book that I just kept wanting more and more chapters about her.
Serapio is the avatar for the crow god. Grandfather Crow. Blinded by his mother at a young age, he has grown up and taught that his purpose is to be the vessel for the crow god, which will emerge during the Convergence. I just wanted to protect Serapio this entire time 😠He wanted human connection and love and so much was standing in his way. I will support him always.
Naranpa is the Sun Priest from the wrong side of the tracks, for lack of a better phrase. As a part and leader of the religious order of Watchers, Naranpa tries to implement institutional change in the order, which has a bloody past and prejudice riddled everywhere. I was left wanting more from her chapters, just more history of her ascension to Sun Priest as well as a more in depth description of her tried and failed changes.
Okoa is the head of the Shied for the matron of clan Carrion Crow. He is a fighter and rider of a raven named Benunda. While he grieves the murder of his mother he gets involved with Grandfather Crow cultists, which want the Watchers killed and their power stripped from them. We had the least amount of chapters from this character, but I have a feeling he will play a more important role in the upcoming books.
Overall there was rich storytelling and great world building inspired by cultures in the pre-Columbian Americas as well as Polynesian. I am so glad I picked this one up for Native American Heritage Month 😊
Xiala, I would die for Xiala. She is a boat captain, a lover of beautiful things and people, and with a hidden past that readers just get a glimpse of. She is also a Teek, legendary women known to use their Song to manipulate the sea and men alike. She was such a strong, resilient chatacter throughout the book that I just kept wanting more and more chapters about her.
Serapio is the avatar for the crow god. Grandfather Crow. Blinded by his mother at a young age, he has grown up and taught that his purpose is to be the vessel for the crow god, which will emerge during the Convergence. I just wanted to protect Serapio this entire time 😠He wanted human connection and love and so much was standing in his way. I will support him always.
Naranpa is the Sun Priest from the wrong side of the tracks, for lack of a better phrase. As a part and leader of the religious order of Watchers, Naranpa tries to implement institutional change in the order, which has a bloody past and prejudice riddled everywhere. I was left wanting more from her chapters, just more history of her ascension to Sun Priest as well as a more in depth description of her tried and failed changes.
Okoa is the head of the Shied for the matron of clan Carrion Crow. He is a fighter and rider of a raven named Benunda. While he grieves the murder of his mother he gets involved with Grandfather Crow cultists, which want the Watchers killed and their power stripped from them. We had the least amount of chapters from this character, but I have a feeling he will play a more important role in the upcoming books.
Overall there was rich storytelling and great world building inspired by cultures in the pre-Columbian Americas as well as Polynesian. I am so glad I picked this one up for Native American Heritage Month 😊
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, Violence, and Gore
Minor: War and Sexual content
enchantressreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Suicide, Murder, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia and Bullying
oodles17's review against another edition
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Gore, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse and Classism
Minor: Alcohol and Suicide