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A review by writeronherway
Lionheart Girl by Yaba Badoe
4.0
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love Yaba Badoe's writing and I really hope this book gets the recognition it deserves! A shapeshifting lioness, a boy with his dead-departed and a village kept hidden, safe as a sanctuary for the desperate. What more do you want? Lionheart Girl is powerful, expressive, full of heart and soul.
Sheba is a fantastic character. You love her from the beginning with her headstrong charge into the forest to find her father, then as she begins to explore the power in her touch that reveals people's inner truths to her and even more as she unearths her shapeshifting heritage. Her relationships with Nana, Grandma Baby and her aunts are full of unspoken understandings, tender moments, support and unconditional love. Her friendship with Maybe is full of warmth and mutual respect. They see things in each other no one else can see.
Sheba's mother is pretty terrifying! I completely understood Sheba's need to withdraw but also her growing need to escape. I really liked how Sheba followed her own intuition and was compassionate even when faced with dark truths.
My only criticism is that at times major reveals or turning points were dropped in rather casually and I found myself flicking back to check I understood correctly as the character didn't have much reaction to a reveal. At one point I felt a little lost because I think we skipped several years and the ending was quite abrupt. That said I loved the setting and atmospheric quality of the story as a whole. I felt like I was in a liminal space with Sheba somewhere between her reality and a more spiritual realm of existence amongst a pride of shapeshifting lions.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
I love Yaba Badoe's writing and I really hope this book gets the recognition it deserves! A shapeshifting lioness, a boy with his dead-departed and a village kept hidden, safe as a sanctuary for the desperate. What more do you want? Lionheart Girl is powerful, expressive, full of heart and soul.
Sheba is a fantastic character. You love her from the beginning with her headstrong charge into the forest to find her father, then as she begins to explore the power in her touch that reveals people's inner truths to her and even more as she unearths her shapeshifting heritage. Her relationships with Nana, Grandma Baby and her aunts are full of unspoken understandings, tender moments, support and unconditional love. Her friendship with Maybe is full of warmth and mutual respect. They see things in each other no one else can see.
Sheba's mother is pretty terrifying! I completely understood Sheba's need to withdraw but also her growing need to escape. I really liked how Sheba followed her own intuition and was compassionate even when faced with dark truths.
My only criticism is that at times major reveals or turning points were dropped in rather casually and I found myself flicking back to check I understood correctly as the character didn't have much reaction to a reveal. At one point I felt a little lost because I think we skipped several years and the ending was quite abrupt. That said I loved the setting and atmospheric quality of the story as a whole. I felt like I was in a liminal space with Sheba somewhere between her reality and a more spiritual realm of existence amongst a pride of shapeshifting lions.
I look forward to reading more by this author.