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peachani'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
4.25
I appreciated getting to see a fantasy world set in Mesoamerica. I am not any more than superficially knowledgeable about the people that lived in that world, so I wasn't able to recognize specific tribes in the writing, but I did notice little details like pyramids and such.
I found myself being totally drawn into the love story between two main characters and was truly heartbroken when there was no way for them to be together... so technically, you could say this book is better than Romeo and Juliet in that sense.😂
These days, the true test of whether I really enjoyed a book is if I want to buy a physical copy of it. I absolutely want Black Sun in my personal, physical library.
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Pedophilia, Racism, and Trafficking
genny'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
5.0
The first chapter is one of the best openings I've ever read. The worldbuilding is lush, immersive, and yet never confusing. I think this would be a great starting point for beginners to adult fantasy! Because we're counting down to the solstice, there's this constant heavy feeling in the background, like the characters are being pushed faster and faster towards an inevitable...Something. It makes for a great atmosphere, and I personally had no problem with the somewhat open ending. It just felt right to me. But if you hate cliffhangers, get your hands on the sequel ASAP. 😉 All of the major characters have their flaws, but IMO they're all likable and I felt invested in each POV. I absolutely love Xiala and Serapio, individually and together. They have my whole heart!!!
To summarize: Black Sun has great characters, great worldbuilding, and a great plot. This is a criminally underrated series and I can only hope it draws a bigger following as it continues.
Graphic: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Animal death, Alcohol, Murder, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement and Genocide
Minor: Death of parent
mikki_9'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual content
achingallover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Xenophobia
ehmannky'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
4.5
Among the many things that I appreciated about this book, beyond it just being a really good epic fantasy, is that the world is so effortlessly queer.
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Death of parent, Blood, Child abuse, Genocide, Violence, Death, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Biphobia, Drug use, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Sexism, Animal death, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Vomit
christalbotheindl'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexism
melissajohnson2017'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Gore
Minor: Genocide
kristenelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I was super looking forward to this one mostly because it is set in the pre-Columbian americas and also because the cover is quite stunning. I ended up feeling a little let down. It was fine and had some things going for it, but I didn't feel very attached to the story or characters. The pace was slow at times and the character development was boring. The world is the most interesting part of this story. I wish I loved it more. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series.
Sexual violence? I don't remember any. Other triggers? Child abuse, animal abuse, murder.
Graphic: Child abuse and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Animal death, and Death of parent
aclaman'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
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Self harm, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death
mezzarella's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was drawn to a reimaging of what fantasy could be, and was rejuvenated by concepts which were foreign to me. I was a visitor in Roanhorse's world, and it was easy to be sucked in within it. Multiple main characters and a shifting perspective between the past and present provided a deep understanding of the world and what was occurring from many different perspectives. While action is not as frequent as other examples of the genre, it makes up for it in deep characterization and complex relationships which grow naturally throughout the story. The prose is beautiful. The story, although predictable, was enjoyable and engaging.
Roanhorse is Native American and an "Own Voices" author, but it is important to consider she there are tribes which she is not related to by blood represented in the novel. Additionally, her reviews have been mixed in indigenous circles, including reviews for Black Sun and earlier work highlighting Navajo cultures. It is important to mention that while Roanhorse is Native American by blood, she is not a citizen of the nationally recognized tribe she belongs to. Additionally, she has appropriated and represented herself as an Own Voices author for Navajo nations in novels such as The Trail of Lightning and Race to the Sun. To date, she still has not written a book about her own people or culture (Ohkay Owingeh of New Mexico). In addition to the already present controversies, Black Sun is rich with outsiders, rather than loved participants of the culture they reside in. This may also add to the tension between this particular "Own Voices" author and "Own Voices" reviewers.
Due to the mixed reviews of authentic representation written by Roanhorse's work, it feels odd to call Black Sun an Own Voices narrative. And although the book is thrilling and beautiful, the controversy mars this inclusive story with a problem which has long been ingrained in fantasy: cultural appropriation. Readers specifically looking for an authentic Own Voices fantasy may want to look through the TBR list a little more before choosing this one to read and learn from.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Genocide, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, and Self harm
This story's most central main character is a man who as a boy was created and trained to be a holy figure for his nation. Child abuse: His mother