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rayofhope's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was absolutely enamored by this book. I don't know if I'm going to be able to adequately express my feelings about it.
I think it's important to acknowledge that this is the kind of book that feels "important." It's telling stories of marginalized people, set during a part of history that doesn't often get taught in-depth in the United States. I'm certain many beautiful and engaging essays could, and will, be written about it.
And also, the characters just kick ass!
I fell in love with Gbessa, Norman, and June-Dey as soon as they were introduced. Each of them had such unique backgrounds and upbringings from each other, and the way they fell into each other's lives and fought against oppressive forces was so wonderful to watch. I don't often imagine things when I read, but the scenes of Norman and June-Dey fighting to protect people were vivid and epic action scenes in my mind. These three felt like superheroes, and I have an urge to draw them in formation as if they were on the cover of a comic book.
I enjoyed the way the book was formatted, with their three stories happening in separate countries, seemingly so unrelated, but tied together by the voice of the wind, June-Dey's mother. I also appreciated the nuanced way everything was handled: the formation of Liberia and the conflict with the indigenous peoples and everything. The way it's clear that the Black Americans needed to escape America, and also the ways in which they brought the oppressive society with them. The joy that Gbessa found when she was taken in by Liberians, and also the sorrow she feels for changing. It touched on a lot of very difficult and human themes. Every decision made was understandable. And every decision had consequences.
I would recommend this book to truly anybody. It's exciting, it's magical, it's terrifying, it's complex.
I think it's important to acknowledge that this is the kind of book that feels "important." It's telling stories of marginalized people, set during a part of history that doesn't often get taught in-depth in the United States. I'm certain many beautiful and engaging essays could, and will, be written about it.
And also, the characters just kick ass!
I fell in love with Gbessa, Norman, and June-Dey as soon as they were introduced. Each of them had such unique backgrounds and upbringings from each other, and the way they fell into each other's lives and fought against oppressive forces was so wonderful to watch. I don't often imagine things when I read, but the scenes of Norman and June-Dey fighting to protect people were vivid and epic action scenes in my mind. These three felt like superheroes, and I have an urge to draw them in formation as if they were on the cover of a comic book.
I enjoyed the way the book was formatted, with their three stories happening in separate countries, seemingly so unrelated, but tied together by the voice of the wind, June-Dey's mother. I also appreciated the nuanced way everything was handled: the formation of Liberia and the conflict with the indigenous peoples and everything. The way it's clear that the Black Americans needed to escape America, and also the ways in which they brought the oppressive society with them. The joy that Gbessa found when she was taken in by Liberians, and also the sorrow she feels for changing. It touched on a lot of very difficult and human themes. Every decision made was understandable. And every decision had consequences.
I would recommend this book to truly anybody. It's exciting, it's magical, it's terrifying, it's complex.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Gun violence, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual assault
antoniac's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Colonisation, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, and Death
ktrecs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gun violence, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
blessing_aj's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
My goodness! What a grand imagination some writers have! 🤩 Wayetu Moore went over and beyond for this book and I cannot believe it took me this long to pick it up.
In this book, magical realism meets historical fiction to deliver one of the most brilliantly written stories I have ever read.
Admittedly, it’s a bit tedious to read. Then again, isn’t it a popular saying that nothing good comes easy? A little patience and a mind that appreciates the art of writing is all it takes to enjoy this work.
I rated it 4.5 because it’s not the easiest book to read and I wanted more from the ending. 😞 I appreciate the fact that writers are not magicians; yet I couldn’t believe I came all the way through to the end and I didn’t get closure.
Despite how beautiful and appetizing the storytelling is in this book, I know that not everyone will enjoy reading this book.
So who should bother?
If you have read and enjoyed Kintu by Jennifer Makumbi and The Old adrift by Namwali Serpell, then this should be right up your alley.
The author narrated the audiobook herself and she did such a great job. A piece of advice if you intend listening to the audiobook is to have it handy in written format (digital/physical) because the nature of the story is such that will throw you off at the beginning of a new part. It will also help you understand what is being said in the native and Jamaican accents, in case you have a hard time with it as I did.
In this book, magical realism meets historical fiction to deliver one of the most brilliantly written stories I have ever read.
Admittedly, it’s a bit tedious to read. Then again, isn’t it a popular saying that nothing good comes easy? A little patience and a mind that appreciates the art of writing is all it takes to enjoy this work.
I rated it 4.5 because it’s not the easiest book to read and I wanted more from the ending. 😞 I appreciate the fact that writers are not magicians; yet I couldn’t believe I came all the way through to the end and I didn’t get closure.
Despite how beautiful and appetizing the storytelling is in this book, I know that not everyone will enjoy reading this book.
So who should bother?
If you have read and enjoyed Kintu by Jennifer Makumbi and The Old adrift by Namwali Serpell, then this should be right up your alley.
The author narrated the audiobook herself and she did such a great job. A piece of advice if you intend listening to the audiobook is to have it handy in written format (digital/physical) because the nature of the story is such that will throw you off at the beginning of a new part. It will also help you understand what is being said in the native and Jamaican accents, in case you have a hard time with it as I did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
bexi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Child death, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Abortion, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Gun violence, and Confinement
Minor: Rape, Sexism, and Misogyny
unfiltered_fiction's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
She Would Be King is an absolutely phenomenal story that interrogates the concept of power - in its magical, social, political, martial, physical, emotion, and spiritual manifestations - in a very sophisticated way. The book is not without its flaws, and it is likely to appeal more to readers who prefer character-driven stories, but it is filled with gorgeous writing and intricate metaphors which capture some very difficult and complicated themes. It is important to note that this book deals with some very distressing themes, and I would recommend checking content warnings if you feel that you may be affected.
She Would Be King contains some of the most beautiful nature writing I have ever read. The relationships between the three characters and the landscapes they move through are incredibly compelling, and captured in staggeringly beautiful prose. This was my favourite aspect of the entire book. The personification of the wind, the sun, and the moon weaves together the two major themes of nature and ancestral power, creating an atmosphere which feels vibrant and stunning, yet fresh and authentic - a difficult feat for fantasy writing.
The writing is very metaphor heavy. This is done incredibly skilfully, but may not be for all readers; this is a book with very intricate layers. It is difficult to do justice to the many complexities of the different themes and the way they are represented; Moore writes so insightfully about so many enormous issues, including but by no means limited to: sexism, superstition, religion, racism, slavery, colonisation, colourism, culture, classism, nationhood, romantic love, friendship, and family. I did not feel that any of these themes were brushed over; each was dipped into with real compassion and consideration. The influence of real world history and politics creates a very strong foundation for the more fantastical elements of Moore's story, and these two aspects are blended together with incredible artistry.
For me, this book's main shortcoming is the plotting. It is certainly more character than plot driven. Gbessa's story is fascinating and heartbreaking; the one part of her character which I struggled with was her subservience to various male characters. The reasons for this are completely fair and clear, but those reasons are worked through a little too slowly and I found it frustrating that her moment of real liberation and empowerment was dependent on her first love being finally and thoroughly removed from her world. It was fantastic to see her finally come into her own power; however I felt that this moment came a little late in the narrative for her character to bloom into its absolute full potential. This character development could have been better paced.
I was a little frustrated by other elements in the second half of the book; I had hoped to see the stories of the three main characters weave together a little more closely. Although the sections introducing June Dey and Norman were very, very strong, their role in the rest of the story feels a little lacklustre compared to Gbessa's. Overall, I would definitely consider the first half a five star read, but the second half settles just under four stars for me. It's still good (with some excellent aspects), but not as incredibly charged after the first three sections.
The ending felt strangely paced. It is important to remember that this is a book about a beginning. As a reader, you're not working towards a conclusion, but a new start; this was a little jarring for me, but the more I dwell on it, the more I understand the author's choice.
Overall, this is an excellent read that I would recommend to fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike. It is not easy to read, and it is not for everyone; again, I encourage readers anxious about difficult content to check the content warnings. However, this book is compelling, magical, frank, difficult, excellent, and beautiful, all in its turns.
She Would Be King contains some of the most beautiful nature writing I have ever read. The relationships between the three characters and the landscapes they move through are incredibly compelling, and captured in staggeringly beautiful prose. This was my favourite aspect of the entire book. The personification of the wind, the sun, and the moon weaves together the two major themes of nature and ancestral power, creating an atmosphere which feels vibrant and stunning, yet fresh and authentic - a difficult feat for fantasy writing.
The writing is very metaphor heavy. This is done incredibly skilfully, but may not be for all readers; this is a book with very intricate layers. It is difficult to do justice to the many complexities of the different themes and the way they are represented; Moore writes so insightfully about so many enormous issues, including but by no means limited to: sexism, superstition, religion, racism, slavery, colonisation, colourism, culture, classism, nationhood, romantic love, friendship, and family. I did not feel that any of these themes were brushed over; each was dipped into with real compassion and consideration. The influence of real world history and politics creates a very strong foundation for the more fantastical elements of Moore's story, and these two aspects are blended together with incredible artistry.
For me, this book's main shortcoming is the plotting. It is certainly more character than plot driven. Gbessa's story is fascinating and heartbreaking; the one part of her character which I struggled with was her subservience to various male characters. The reasons for this are completely fair and clear, but those reasons are worked through a little too slowly
I was a little frustrated by other elements in the second half of the book; I had hoped to see the stories of the three main characters weave together a little more closely. Although the sections introducing June Dey and Norman were very, very strong, their role in the rest of the story feels a little lacklustre compared to Gbessa's. Overall, I would definitely consider the first half a five star read, but the second half settles just under four stars for me. It's still good (with some excellent aspects), but not as incredibly charged after the first three sections.
The ending felt strangely paced. It is important to remember that this is a book about a beginning. As a reader, you're not working towards a conclusion, but a new start; this was a little jarring for me, but the more I dwell on it, the more I understand the author's choice.
Overall, this is an excellent read that I would recommend to fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike. It is not easy to read, and it is not for everyone; again, I encourage readers anxious about difficult content to check the content warnings. However, this book is compelling, magical, frank, difficult, excellent, and beautiful, all in its turns.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abortion and Alcoholism
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