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scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.5
Great world-building, a bit on the predictable side with a cliffhanger ending. Gripping enough that I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel eventually. It's pretty enjoyable, though not mind-blowing IMO, and the African lore was intriguing and great to read. If there are YA tropes that grate your nerves like miscommunication, you might cringe through some parts like I did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
Minor: Animal cruelty
meghansarmiento97's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Grief, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Trafficking
chrilovyl's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse
nannahnannah's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Beasts of Prey came to me very highly recommended, and I've been looking forward to reading it. The book is a solid debut, with fantastic world building, and even though some aspects of it left me cringing, I think Ayana Gray is a promising new voice!
Representation:
- every character is African
- one MC has OCD and/or possibly autism
Representation:
- every character is African
- one MC has OCD and/or possibly autism
Koffi is an indentured worker of the Night Zoo, a place full of dangerous and magical creatures, to help pay off her family’s debts. Ekon is a boy who longs to be one of the Sons of the Six warriors like his brother and father. But a fire at the Night Zoo interrupts his final test. During the chaos, he sees the Shetani, the demon who killed his father ... he also sees Koffi, who sends the Shetani away with only a few words. Ekon lets Koffi run from the Night Zoo’s and its bonds of servitude, but it costs him a position as a Son of the Six.
Both Koffi and Ekon need the Shetani: Koffi to pay off her mother's debts, and Ekon to prove himself. They reluctantly team up and hunt the demon, but soon it’s not clear whether they’re the hunters or the prey.
I have to begin by saying the maps before the endpaper are gorgeous! They’re some of the most beautiful maps I’ve seen in a book for a long time. They really helped me get into that thrilled and ready mindset to begin reading. Even if I don’t quite think they were necessary, because I never needed to flip back to them once I got into the book itself. Still cool, though--I’ll never say no to a gorgeous map.
Initially, the writing makes a really good impression. It’s at a much higher quality than a lot of YA I’ve been reading this year. The author’s strengths definitely lie within crafting the world building, and then describing beats and actions. I can picture everything perfectly and vividly. As the book progresses past the halfway mark and beyond, though, there’s a marked decline in the writing (and editing) quality. And the overuse of italics gets old very fast. They take me out of the story and almost make the text sound melodramatic when they’re in every other paragraph. The lines of dialogue or inner monologue by themselves are fine, but with the italics they have a whole different feeling.
Speaking of the dialogue, there are many times where wooden, almost unnatural-sounding lines are … awfully convenient. Meaning, upon a second glance it becomes clear that a certain line is said not because the character would actually say it in that situation, but because the plot or some element of conflict needs it. Like Koffi saying, after a completely unrelated conversation, “Thank god it’s just us going after [the Shetani]. I don’t know what I’d do if this were any more complicated.” The line is said to get a reaction from Ekon, who knows something she doesn’t at this point, but it’s jarring because she wouldn’t know to do that.
I’m not sure if I’ll read the second book. But I’m still so impressed with the story world here, the complexity of the religion and the world building, that I won’t miss whatever Ayana Gray writes next outside of the duology.
(one more thing: why must the villain do that thing where they tell the MC the reason they've done all these evil things ... by outright saying, "You've [done this for me], so I will tell you." WHY?)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Addiction
adding to the above:book_loving_dragon's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence and Drug use
Minor: Animal cruelty
shortsweet123's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
This book can feel like it drags a bit in places but the pay off when you get to the end is worth the read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Drug use, Grief, and Slavery
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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? Yes
4.0
This book started really slow for me, but the last half definitely made up for it because it turned into a wild ride of a story!
I loved the world-building in this one—the book starts with two maps so you know it's gonna be good. There's no info-dumping but things are clearly explained, and the magic system was so interesting! I'm constantly impressed by fantasy authors that continue to come up with unique ways for magic to work in their worlds. I also really loved the jungle setting here—I was getting Catching Fire vibes which definitely had me more on the edge of my seat!
The characters were also great. We spend the most time with Koffi and Ekon of course, and they get the development and complexity they're due as main characters, but I'd say it's more plot-focused than character-focused. There are some interesting side characters I would've like to spend more time with, but maybe that'll happen in book two.
The plot, like I said, started out really slow, and I think I felt this way because it just took forever for the characters to actually meet and start their journey in the jungle. There were also some repeated scenes from a different POV that slowed the pace down. But once it picked up, the plot pretty much hit all the points I was expecting from a YA fantasy—which is a good thing!
Overall, definitely a good fantasy story and I'm looking forward to reading book two!
I loved the world-building in this one—the book starts with two maps so you know it's gonna be good. There's no info-dumping but things are clearly explained, and the magic system was so interesting! I'm constantly impressed by fantasy authors that continue to come up with unique ways for magic to work in their worlds. I also really loved the jungle setting here—I was getting Catching Fire vibes which definitely had me more on the edge of my seat!
The characters were also great. We spend the most time with Koffi and Ekon of course, and they get the development and complexity they're due as main characters, but I'd say it's more plot-focused than character-focused. There are some interesting side characters I would've like to spend more time with, but maybe that'll happen in book two.
The plot, like I said, started out really slow, and I think I felt this way because it just took forever for the characters to actually meet and start their journey in the jungle. There were also some repeated scenes from a different POV that slowed the pace down. But once it picked up, the plot pretty much hit all the points I was expecting from a YA fantasy—which is a good thing!
Overall, definitely a good fantasy story and I'm looking forward to reading book two!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Slavery and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty and Drug use
cemeterygay's review
adventurous
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I adored this book so deeply and in a way I didn't expect it. The worldbuilding is so detailed, well-integrated, and rich. The other aspect I adored was both of the main characters, their growth and their interactions. It is incredibly rare where I enjoy both point of characters but I really did in this book. I also thought the flashbacks were incredibly well-done. I also loved the different explorations of trauma and indoctrination.
It was just a phenomenal fantasy that I cannot recommend enough if you're looking for interesting worldbuilding with even better protagonists.
It was just a phenomenal fantasy that I cannot recommend enough if you're looking for interesting worldbuilding with even better protagonists.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Drug use, Physical abuse, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, and Murder
CW: Non-consensual drug use and abuse, Anxiety, Manipulation, Manipulative relationshipajthequeen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Classism, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment, Slavery, Grief, and Drug use
Minor: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Genocide
queergoth_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.75
This book was so well crafted! It was an amazing read. The world was beautiful and the characters had so much to them. The plot kept me guessing throughout.
I did find it a little slow to begin with but it didn't take long to pick up the pace and draw me in.
I did find it a little slow to begin with but it didn't take long to pick up the pace and draw me in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Confinement, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Police brutality