A review by j2024
The Smoke That Thunders by Erhu Kome

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? No

5.0

The Smoke That Thunders hooks you right from the beginning and drops you into the plot which I love! It's such an adventure filled ride, with a loving take on the Urhobo people highlighting girl power, that I wish I could read a million more stories like this! In particular, the first few chapters hone in on a claustrophobic, smothered feeling of wanting to branch out and live your dreams and all I wanted was for Naborhi to leave her village! The first half of the book had me itching to know how Naborhi was going to get out from under her family and go on the mythical adventure she deserved. However, I liked the intricacies of the rights and rituals described throughout the book, particularly in Naborhi's village. During the adventure scenes, every mishap was quickly resolved, a bit too quick for my liking, as the group was always in and out of danger without a true feeling of high stakes, but that was fine because it was understood that every little adventure was taking place on top of their big mission. I loved that Naborhi got to be a leader and show everyone how capable and cunning she was, and I liked that the book acknowledged that both with her family and the kingdom honoring and respecting her in the end. I thought the happy ending was well deserved and I enjoyed learning each of Naborhi's family members' reasonings for their paths and perspectives. Overall, this is a great YA book and exploration into a Urhobo tale that had a little bit of everything for everyone including family (both found and born into), love (romantic, platonic, and familial), adventure, and a happy ending. I look forward to reading more from Erhu Kome and I can't wait to introduce her books to everyone I know!