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A review by booksthatburn
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
ELATSOE is a thoughtful and vibrant story about grief, truth, and life, as Ellie tries to fulfill her cousin’s last wishes and stop his murderer (with the help of her ghost dog). It's a coming-of-age story, where Ellie is figuring out the bounds of what she can do, and what responsibilities come with her heritage (spiritual, magical, and mundane).
I love how this feels to read. It’s kind of a murder mystery, except Ellie is trying to prove how the murder happened since she’s been told who did it. I like the way that stories and memories are woven into Ellie’s narration. It makes them feel like part of her thoughts, as they so clearly are. She’s so full of stories that her point of view wouldn’t feel complete without them. She’s deeply connected to her family, and looks up to her Six-Great Grandmother as example and inspiration. The worldbuilding is good, it’s shown through Ellie’s perspective in a way that feels effortless. It’s a world where ghosts, vampires, and fairy ring teleportation coexist but don’t all follow the same guidelines, and this does some pretty cool things with adherence to the clashing rulesets.
A moving read that blends small joys with slow mourning, don't miss ELATSOE
I love how this feels to read. It’s kind of a murder mystery, except Ellie is trying to prove how the murder happened since she’s been told who did it. I like the way that stories and memories are woven into Ellie’s narration. It makes them feel like part of her thoughts, as they so clearly are. She’s so full of stories that her point of view wouldn’t feel complete without them. She’s deeply connected to her family, and looks up to her Six-Great Grandmother as example and inspiration. The worldbuilding is good, it’s shown through Ellie’s perspective in a way that feels effortless. It’s a world where ghosts, vampires, and fairy ring teleportation coexist but don’t all follow the same guidelines, and this does some pretty cool things with adherence to the clashing rulesets.
A moving read that blends small joys with slow mourning, don't miss ELATSOE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Murder, Grief, and Blood
Minor: Racism, Animal death, and Child death