Scan barcode
jenabest's review
4.0
Sun of Blood and Ruin is a debut, and sometimes it shows. I absolutely loved the premise and the cover is to die for. With as rich and deep Indigenous Central American folklore is, I cannot believe it's not used in fantasy settings more. That being said, sometimes Lares jumps into the next plot point without any connective tissue, or characters have strange developments with their relationships. Critique aside, this was an awesome debut, with a great setting, and I look forward to reading more from Lares.
Graphic: Colonisation and War
bluejayreads's review
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Death of parent
Execution, arranged/forced marriageblakeandbooks's review against another edition
- 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 had such high hopes for this book. A fantasy novel set in 16th century New Spain with Mexican history and Mesoamerican mythology?! Along with the stunning cover?? I had to know! Sadly, it didn’t live up to my hopes. The pace felt very confusing, and the plot holes made it even more difficult to follow. I also felt that the romance was… nonexistent? They had no compatibility or connection whatsoever that it felt forced. I will say I really enjoyed Leonora as the FMC, and I felt like she was definitely a badass that fit her role well.
Graphic: Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, and Violence
belleanndthebook's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Death, and Violence
Moderate: War
Minor: Colonisation
vexatiousbird's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
My only complaint is Leonora’s brother- his character is a little too flat to have as big an impact on the resolution as he does in the end, and his part of the plot wrapped up too neatly and suddenly. I think there could have been another chapter or two to get there more realistically.
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Animal death
carrykyrie's review against another edition
3.0
There’s obviously quite a bit of Mesoamerican mythology that is included in this book (it really starts to come into play a little after half way) and I wasn’t too familiar with a lot of it, but this led me to researching into the mythology a little bit, which I really enjoyed too, since I’m a big mythology nerd. I worry that may discourage some people from reading it though, cause it’s a lot of information. But if you are willing to try something new and learn some new mythology, I think you would enjoy that part! I really started to enjoy it when the mythology picked up. I will admit I had to reread some areas where I got a little lost on what was going on. Again, I think the author may have been trying to do too many things in the book. I feel like this book could have benefited from actually being two books.
Overall, there were things that worked well and things that didn’t. I still think the setting was a bit refreshing, and I do appreciate that it was based off a place we don’t see a lot of in fantasy books. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Colonisation
tonisecelecticlibrary's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Colonisation and War
rowanhill's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
- Gender bent retelling
- Indigenous mythology and folklore
- Realistic historical setting with a magical twist
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Religious bigotry, Blood, and Racism
stevienotnicks's review against another edition
- 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
Everything in Sun of Blood and Ruin happens along the backdrop of the Spanish colonization of Mexico. I loved how the author weaved in true history with her beautifully created interpretation of Mesoamerican mythology. She gave life to the deities we read about during the type of the Aztec and Mayan empires & showed the devastating effect of colonization on indigenous traditions & way of life.
The world building was near perfectly done. Instead of info dumping for pages like many fantasy authors are wont to do, Lares instead presents knowledge as dialogue or inner monologues. In this way, it doesn’t feel removed from the main storyline or slow down the pacing.
My only critique is with the ebb & flow of the overall story. Many interesting subplots were introduced only to never be mentioned again. Just as the story would seemingly be reaching its crescendo, the tension and excitement would plummet, staying unresolved while another plot line is explored. I felt a jolt of disconnection each time, but in truth, all of these subplots were so gripping that I was quickly appeased.
If you’re looking for a captivating, unique fantasy with lovable characters, political intrigue, and the always loved “chosen one” trope, this one will not let you down!
Graphic: War, Colonisation, and Racism
Moderate: Gore