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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
dark
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was going camping for a long weekend and wanted a trashy sci-fi/fantasy and found this on my shelf. I don’t remember why I got it; probably some random internet recommendation. And it fit the spot for what I needed. Post-apocalyptic, set on Dinétah (Najavo) land and monsters are now roaming the earth, so you need a monster hunter, obviously. Enter Magdalena, and kind of one-note killing machine. The Diné legends and background are the most interesting parts of the book, but it moves fast and was exactly what I needed. I guess it’s part of a series. I don’t think I’ll read anymore, unless maybe I need another something quick and mindless.
“You’re an angry elf.” Me to Maggie
3.75 (rounded up)/5
This book kept popping up in my goodreads “readers also enjoyed” recommendations.
And I totally understand bc it follows one of favorite formula: A bunch of diverse misfits are forced to work together for a ridiculously hard task.
And though I may have had some frustrations with the inner voice repetition and confusing world building, this book is a vortex of creativity. I feel like Hollywood picked this up, it would turn into a cult film. I mean you can see it in the reviews, people are already pretty divided on this concept deployment.
I think the best thing about this book was Kai. So, I’m curious to see where Roanhorse is taking this plot. I have a feeling this is the tip of her talent iceberg.
3.75 (rounded up)/5
This book kept popping up in my goodreads “readers also enjoyed” recommendations.
And I totally understand bc it follows one of favorite formula: A bunch of diverse misfits are forced to work together for a ridiculously hard task.
And though I may have had some frustrations with the inner voice repetition and confusing world building, this book is a vortex of creativity. I feel like Hollywood picked this up, it would turn into a cult film. I mean you can see it in the reviews, people are already pretty divided on this concept deployment.
I think the best thing about this book was Kai. So, I’m curious to see where Roanhorse is taking this plot. I have a feeling this is the tip of her talent iceberg.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This one was a bit boring. Partly because the main heroine only had two character traits: traumatized and good at fighting. Partly because the fighting bit was her magically being good at it. So a lot of her martial achievements were explained away by magic. The martial arts scenes at times didn't follow the laws of physics (not in a magical way, in an anatomy doesn't work like that way). I couldn't understand the villain's objective. Also, like other reviewers noticed, our main heroine is pretty passive. The Kai's magical powers were telegraphed too strongly, so that by the time of the big reveal it makes Maggie look gullible that she didn't push the issue or guess earlier. Oh, and the trick of something dramatic happening JUST as Maggie was about to figure something out or say something important was way overused.
I did enjoy the worldbuilding and Kai's and Tah's characters. I also appreciate having a main character with symptoms of PTSD. I will continue this series in hopes hat it gets better.
I did enjoy the worldbuilding and Kai's and Tah's characters. I also appreciate having a main character with symptoms of PTSD. I will continue this series in hopes hat it gets better.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a little cliche at times but so much fun and still a fresh spin in the genre :-)
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dystopian paranormal story, I guess one could label it. The world has been flooded, and the survivors try to make a life of it. The characters in this novel are Diné, or Navajo, and the main character is Maggie, a monster hunter with rather violent clan powers. She's on the trail of someone creating monsters and thinks it's her former partner and demigod. She is joined by a Medicine Man, and they travel to find the source of the threat, which turns out unexpectedly.
The plot was paper-thin, Maggie was very unlikeable, and yet I kept turning pages and am considering picking up the sequel.
The plot was paper-thin, Maggie was very unlikeable, and yet I kept turning pages and am considering picking up the sequel.
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
Rebecca Roanhorse built a great dystopian fiction here! This book has fabulous world-building and lovely culture. It leans into Native American culture and uses some of my favorite storytelling techniques to pull the reader in. I love the characters, the leads are just *chef's kiss* and Coyote is so fun. I love the level of detail and respect that the fantasy aspects lend to the real world. Gimme the second one!
This book has so many great elements (fantastic and unique world building, a culturally based magic system that had me yearning to learn more, and invigorating plot points) but in the end I just didn't like the main characters, Maggie and Kai. If I can't connect to the characters, I don't care about the story. It's crazy because the side characters were all so good. I think this book fell victim to something I've seen many times, which is directing the emotional unavailability of a character towards the reader. This isolates the reader from the inner world of the character and makes it hard to emotionally connect or engage with them. As a reader, you're supposed to get a different version of them then the characters around them do, especially if it's told in first person POV.
I was also frustrated by the trope of "female protagonist in sci-fi or fantasy who is strong and stand-offish and an outsider but who's one weakness (physically and emotionally) is some man that happens to be the only person in the world who's stronger than her." She had almost no drive or personality or source of strength apart from him, and every time I thought she did she ended up moping about him by the end of the scene anyways. Maybe she resolves this by the end of the book, and her journey through that was the point of the story, but I couldn't make it far enough to find out.
I was also frustrated by the trope of "female protagonist in sci-fi or fantasy who is strong and stand-offish and an outsider but who's one weakness (physically and emotionally) is some man that happens to be the only person in the world who's stronger than her." She had almost no drive or personality or source of strength apart from him, and every time I thought she did she ended up moping about him by the end of the scene anyways. Maybe she resolves this by the end of the book, and her journey through that was the point of the story, but I couldn't make it far enough to find out.
Interesting. This is a post-apocalypse, Native American mythology infused take on a dystopian urban fantasy novel.
Maggie, our heroine, has one of the best introductions of an action movie star since Mad Max: Fury Road, but after that blazing introduction I struggled to care deeply about her and her quest. She has a complicated relationship with her mentor that is slowly revealed throughout this book - but it leaves enough story hooks to be explored on down the road as well. This book didn't give me enough emotional investment to truly care about her or her companions - in particular Kai needed more depth sooner, as it is I felt like he was just a pretty boy despite his development.
I loved the mythology - clan powers, Coyote, the gods contrasted with the mortals. Roanhorse gets huge worldbuilding plusses from me.
Worth checking out for its badass heroine and fresh take on urban fantasy, but by the end of it I had gone from "Let me buy the sequel!" to "I'll get around to the sequel some day".
Maggie, our heroine, has one of the best introductions of an action movie star since Mad Max: Fury Road, but after that blazing introduction I struggled to care deeply about her and her quest. She has a complicated relationship with her mentor that is slowly revealed throughout this book - but it leaves enough story hooks to be explored on down the road as well. This book didn't give me enough emotional investment to truly care about her or her companions - in particular Kai needed more depth sooner, as it is I felt like he was just a pretty boy despite his development.
I loved the mythology - clan powers, Coyote, the gods contrasted with the mortals. Roanhorse gets huge worldbuilding plusses from me.
Worth checking out for its badass heroine and fresh take on urban fantasy, but by the end of it I had gone from "Let me buy the sequel!" to "I'll get around to the sequel some day".
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This had a slow start. It felt like the first book in a series. I found the post-apocalyptic setting and the focus on Native American culture and mythology a nice change. The plot was a bit fuzzy but I always love a strong female lead and gray characters. I’m not quite sure I understood all that happened but there was enough here for me to continue the series.