tahliapearl 's review for:

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

4.0

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book was an engaging and fast paced read from start to finish, and had me hooked in a way only YA fantasy has done before. The characters are compelling and complex and the relationship build up between the two mc’s is delightable. I especially loved Maggie and being able to read a complex and emotionally tough and stand offish main character without that making her less worthy of love or powerful. Learning about Navajo mythology and culture in a dystopian / futuristic america was fascinating, and there was many themes that reflect upon today’s social issues. I found it balanced jokes or references to the past without getting lost in it. There was definitely some pacing issues with the story overall, the ending was slightly rushed and the antagonist characters motivations were left slightly underdeveloped, making the stakes of the ending underwhelming. The growth of the MC and relationship development also felt slightly rushed, but I was also totally committed and rooting for them so I didn’t mind this as much, and can tell that book 2 is going to challenge this as well. If this book centred white characters and author it is likely that it would be far more popular than it is, and so I can forgive these slight issues as it was such a joy to engage with a perspective that I never have before and see a Native American woman  as the main character of a sci-fi dystopia that is coloured by Navajo mythology. And there’s superpowers! That is my favourite. Overall, I am so excited to jump into book 2 and hope that the world and characters are developed further!