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A review by shanndelier
The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
I received an ARC of this book for free and truly enjoyed it from start to finish. This was a really engaging book that blended fantasy with West African civilization in a way that felt very natural and that was honestly, very fun. Often, with YA fantasy, I find myself unable to move past glaring plot holes. This book was so well-rounded in every aspect that I didn't really notice any plot holes that kept me from moving forward.
There's a genuine sweetness to be found in this book - from the romance to the found family aspects - and it really buoyed my heart along. What stops this book from being overly saccharine are the very real world problems that the author weaves in, like abuse of power and child labor.
I was rooting for the main character while also being invested in all the secondary characters, which is a hard balance to strike. My only real criticism of this book is that parts of the ending felt like it wrapped up a little too neatly (and easily) for some characters but that's a personal preference.
There's a genuine sweetness to be found in this book - from the romance to the found family aspects - and it really buoyed my heart along. What stops this book from being overly saccharine are the very real world problems that the author weaves in, like abuse of power and child labor.
I was rooting for the main character while also being invested in all the secondary characters, which is a hard balance to strike. My only real criticism of this book is that parts of the ending felt like it wrapped up a little too neatly (and easily) for some characters but that's a personal preference.