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lavenderhimbo's review
- 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
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Animal death, Violence, Kidnapping, and Child abuse
Moderate: Suicide, Racism, Xenophobia, and Self harm
Minor: Sexual content, Sexism, and Homophobia
kirchnerkd's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Confinement, Racism, Suicide, Slavery, Child abuse, and Death of parent
ebp'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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Alcohol, Murder, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: War
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Drug use, Murder, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Gore, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Classism and Racism
Minor: Trafficking, Sexual content, Suicide, Sexual violence, and Slavery
bookycnidaria's review
- 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
4.0
This was a really interesting read. If there's one thing I want to read more of, it's pre-Columbian fiction/nonfiction/fantasy/what have you, (1) because pre-Columbian cultures and histories are fascinating and (2) because I know very little about said cultures and histories and would like to learn more.
Black Sun is the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, an epic fantasy set in a world inspired by the pre-Columbian Americas. This is a world where music has power and mermaids are real, where giant crows are bred as warrior mounts and no one is disturbed by the idea of a third gender. They do have a lot of problems based on class and race, but, well, nobody's perfect. The story is narrated by turns by Xiala, a Teek ship captain who can manipulate the sea with her Song; Naranpa, the reigning Sun Priest, who bootstrapped her way to the top but now finds her life under constant threat; Serapio, a blind man burdened with glorious purpose; and Okoa, a crow-riding warrior from Serapio's mother's clan, who finds himself in the middle of a religious uprising despite his best attempts to avoid it. Along with the chaos of their everyday lives, they have to deal with the Convergence, an upcoming solar eclipse that will affect all of them in different ways.
One of the most wonderful things about this book is its sheer diversity. Though it takes place on one continent, there are several different ethnic groups, orientations, and identities, including a nonbinary gender called bayeki, which uses the pronouns xe/xir. This whole world was incredibly detailed, but the world-building never distracted from the story. Overall this was a really intriguing first installment, and I am now in wait mode for book two, particularly as Black Sun ended on a rather cruel cliffhanger. I am seriously considering reading it again. Now that we've been introduced to the characters and the world, I fully anticipate that books two and three will be even better than book one, and I can't wait to see what they have in store.
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Child abuse, Classism, Genocide, and Violence
caidyn'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
Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide and Child abuse
krishnak'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror and Violence
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
sohva'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Animal death, Death, Blood, Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, and Racism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Homophobia, War, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Sexual violence
maxxdangers's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, Classism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Racism, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Misogyny, Suicide, Sexual content, Slavery, and Transphobia
solenekeleroux'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Xenophobia, Genocide, Violence, Gore, Body horror, Death, Suicide, Child abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Confinement