A review by bluehairedlibrarian
Compass, Vol. 1: The Cauldron of Eternal Life by Dave Walker, Robert MacKenzie

adventurous challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

While I enjoyed much of this book, it took a lot of effort to make it past the first ten or twenty pages that are full of long, hard to pronounce names of towns, tribes, and historical elements. I felt disoriented and unsure what was truly going on until mid-way through the book. Afterward, the book seemed to go full steam forward without taking much room to breathe. Shahidah is an interesting character, who I would enjoy going on more adventures with, but something about this book doesn't make me feel inclined to read further. The mcguffin wasn't very special and the mystical elements not fully explored. Some how this book is too short and too long at the same time. It's fine, but not for me.