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A review by stephanieridiculous
Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron
2.0
Unfortunately this was pretty underwhelming. My review is, admittedly, in the spirit of an adult reading a book targeted for kids, so keep that in mind. I don't think most of my complaints would register with a younger audience, but I read plenty of MG that doesn't struggle where this one did, so it's harder for me to look past.
The writing here is fairly underdeveloped. The language is simple and repetitive, and the physical actions of characters often don't line up or contradict. Maya must have been damp the entire time for how often she tells us about how sweaty she is. We are often given a summary sentence of events or conversations instead of Maya sharing what happened, and the unfolding of events is very convenient.
Writing aside, I have a couple of gripes with the story itself. 1) I will basically never be pro human/immortal relationships. I will always find that dynamic creepy, unsettling, and highly suspicious - and I especially can't cosign it when an entire world and society of immortal creatures exists. There's just no reason for an immortal to marry a human in this case, and its highly suss to me how it happened in this story. 2) We aren't given enough for it to actually be believable that Maya can not only hold her own but win out in physical fights with immortal beings. Kids being able to kick ancient-creatures butts COULD be buyable, but that wasn't accomplished here and I spent a lot of the book having to actively suspend disbelief. 3) One day I'll find some fantasy that doesn't include lying to kids about literally the most important aspect of themselves/their family. I'm super over hiding the truth from kids until their lives are in danger and then watching them having to choose between "obeying their parents" and surviving the literal end of the world. It's such a common trope that I really feel like we have seen it just isn't a good parenting strategy and we can let it go, and write more compelling family dynamics.
Anyway, all that said. I have no hardship imagining young folks would thoroughly enjoy this, and I did really enjoy the portrayal of Orisha's and a non-western myth system being explored. I'm giving it 2 stars because I found it weak overall, but I appreciate it all the same.
The writing here is fairly underdeveloped. The language is simple and repetitive, and the physical actions of characters often don't line up or contradict. Maya must have been damp the entire time for how often she tells us about how sweaty she is. We are often given a summary sentence of events or conversations instead of Maya sharing what happened, and the unfolding of events is very convenient.
Writing aside, I have a couple of gripes with the story itself. 1) I will basically never be pro human/immortal relationships. I will always find that dynamic creepy, unsettling, and highly suspicious - and I especially can't cosign it when an entire world and society of immortal creatures exists. There's just no reason for an immortal to marry a human in this case, and its highly suss to me how it happened in this story. 2) We aren't given enough for it to actually be believable that Maya can not only hold her own but win out in physical fights with immortal beings. Kids being able to kick ancient-creatures butts COULD be buyable, but that wasn't accomplished here and I spent a lot of the book having to actively suspend disbelief. 3) One day I'll find some fantasy that doesn't include lying to kids about literally the most important aspect of themselves/their family. I'm super over hiding the truth from kids until their lives are in danger and then watching them having to choose between "obeying their parents" and surviving the literal end of the world. It's such a common trope that I really feel like we have seen it just isn't a good parenting strategy and we can let it go, and write more compelling family dynamics.
Anyway, all that said. I have no hardship imagining young folks would thoroughly enjoy this, and I did really enjoy the portrayal of Orisha's and a non-western myth system being explored. I'm giving it 2 stars because I found it weak overall, but I appreciate it all the same.