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cemoine 's review for:
Trail of Lightning
by Rebecca Roanhorse
Overall major props for representation in this book. I find myself wondering if I’d recommend this to my nephew who has little to no knowledge of Diné culture. I found the world building and Navajo concepts to be either too complex or too brief. I struggled to have a good mental picture of the world and how it worked by the end. However, the world building and characters definitely were something that pushed me through the story (arguably more than the plot). The Coyote character especially was a lovely way to tie a Diné element in a way that felt “in-world” in this context. He was a charming character and I enjoyed the way he pushed the story forward.
I struggled to figure out what I would’ve taken away from this book as a teen. It’s quite gruesome. Even though the conflict seems focused on Maggie’s relation with violence, it definitely makes no secret that she loves it and the writing glorifies it. As a teen I think I would’ve walked away feeling that violence is beautiful and powerful and (when used in the right way) can be a way of shaping ones identity. I probably would have go full on Mad Max teen rage after reading this book. Women might be able to relate to the deeper moral of creating your own path, no matter what others say you are or should be. However, I might steer my nephew clear of this one.
That being said, I look forward to reading the next one and reading more about the world Roanhorse has set up in these books.
I struggled to figure out what I would’ve taken away from this book as a teen. It’s quite gruesome. Even though the conflict seems focused on Maggie’s relation with violence, it definitely makes no secret that she loves it and the writing glorifies it. As a teen I think I would’ve walked away feeling that violence is beautiful and powerful and (when used in the right way) can be a way of shaping ones identity. I probably would have go full on Mad Max teen rage after reading this book. Women might be able to relate to the deeper moral of creating your own path, no matter what others say you are or should be. However, I might steer my nephew clear of this one.
That being said, I look forward to reading the next one and reading more about the world Roanhorse has set up in these books.