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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
DNF around 50%
One star for the African settling and diversity in fantasy, one for the social commentary.
No other good could be said about this. I may write a long detailed rant later but who knows? Maybe my mind will be kind to me and make me forget this story, the events and the horrendous characters.
One star for the African settling and diversity in fantasy, one for the social commentary.
No other good could be said about this. I may write a long detailed rant later but who knows? Maybe my mind will be kind to me and make me forget this story, the events and the horrendous characters.
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
I have read many books of the “chosen one” sort in my 22 years and I’m obviously not tired of them yet, we’ll see in another 20 years or so.
For me what really resonated with the book was the world building and also that I’m a HUGE sucker for angry girls. (Onye (our protagonist) was a truly fascinating character that was as angry as she was described (I’ve been burned before))
As for the world, even though I’m Scandinavian most YA dystopian style books I read are very clearly based on America, and after awhile you almost stop seeing the Americanness of what you are reading. Especially the view of sex and the lack of periods are bumming me out lately. In Who Fears Death the world was a dystopian Sudan and it was so wonderful to read something that tasted so different.
The portrayal of women and their place throughout the book seen through the eyes of someone breaking many of the rules but still lives within that society and exists within its borders was extremely well done.
I feel like I have nothing bad to say, it really was a super book.
For me what really resonated with the book was the world building and also that I’m a HUGE sucker for angry girls. (Onye (our protagonist) was a truly fascinating character that was as angry as she was described (I’ve been burned before))
As for the world, even though I’m Scandinavian most YA dystopian style books I read are very clearly based on America, and after awhile you almost stop seeing the Americanness of what you are reading. Especially the view of sex and the lack of periods are bumming me out lately. In Who Fears Death the world was a dystopian Sudan and it was so wonderful to read something that tasted so different.
The portrayal of women and their place throughout the book seen through the eyes of someone breaking many of the rules but still lives within that society and exists within its borders was extremely well done.
I feel like I have nothing bad to say, it really was a super book.
adventurous
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really extraordinary post-apocalyptic fantasy set in Sudan. A lot of elements here are taken from - I don't really want to say "inspired by", as horror never strikes me positively as a source of inspiration - the ethnic warfare experienced in the Sudan today, so there's a lot of violence, particularly sexual violence. That makes this a difficult read in places, but it's never, I think, an exploitative one. Rape is so frequently and poorly used in fantasy as a shorthand for evil, a sort of continual nasty background, but here it's not simply there to provide a lazy impression of badness. The effects of sexual assault - on the individual woman, on her resulting child, on the society around them, are explored in what is genuinely compassionate detail. If this story is about anything, it's about recovery after evil, and how to make choices that prove you different to what's gone before. As such it's a quietly empowering read, strength and purpose and responsibility all tied up together with hope. I've been reading a library copy and I'm going to have to get one of my own, because I'll certainly be wanting to read this book again.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There's an industry practice of blasting sand at metal to clean it, right? This book is like that - like I imagine it might be to be caught in a sandstorm. It stings relentlessly and at times you'll rally against it - the characters go from children to youths, and are as self-sabotaging as they are heroic - but when it's over, you're left raw in a way that feels spiritual - like you've come away with something new.