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chronicacademia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
5.0
This was a reread for me, and I think it’s safe to say that Beasts of Prey is one of my favorite books of all time.
During my first read, I was not aware that Ekon was written to have OCD and PTSD. While I cannot speak to the OCD rep, as someone who has PTSD, I absolutely loved the way Ayana Gray wrote his character and arc. He is such a lovable character with so much depth and heart. The amount of times my annotations were just “I love him,” is too many to count.
And Koffi. I think she’s my favorite. I just love her courage and spunk so much. I think she’s easily one of the most relatable characters I’ve read. The same goes for Adiah.
I remember aspects of the story being predictable the first time around—the Shetani and Fedu’s identity specifically. And I never fault a book for predictability (it doesn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. But I will say, predictability makes for a fun second read because I loved that I could see the groundwork being laid from the start. The plot was masterfully crafted.
The world-building is expansive and incredible. From the lush descriptions to the west African mythology to the characters’ education levels, you can tell Ayana Gray put so much thought into every aspect of Lkossa. This is a world I would never tire reading about.
I highly recommend this one (and I recommend rereading it before diving into BoR, as I had forgotten a lot about the story).
During my first read, I was not aware that Ekon was written to have OCD and PTSD. While I cannot speak to the OCD rep, as someone who has PTSD, I absolutely loved the way Ayana Gray wrote his character and arc. He is such a lovable character with so much depth and heart. The amount of times my annotations were just “I love him,” is too many to count.
And Koffi. I think she’s my favorite. I just love her courage and spunk so much. I think she’s easily one of the most relatable characters I’ve read. The same goes for Adiah.
I remember aspects of the story being predictable the first time around—the Shetani and Fedu’s identity specifically. And I never fault a book for predictability (it doesn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. But I will say, predictability makes for a fun second read because I loved that I could see the groundwork being laid from the start. The plot was masterfully crafted.
The world-building is expansive and incredible. From the lush descriptions to the west African mythology to the characters’ education levels, you can tell Ayana Gray put so much thought into every aspect of Lkossa. This is a world I would never tire reading about.
I highly recommend this one (and I recommend rereading it before diving into BoR, as I had forgotten a lot about the story).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Ableism
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