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A review by purely_romantic
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
5.0
⭐️ Trans Rights Readathon Review ⭐️
CWs and CNs at the end.
What a perfect first book to kick off my #TRR24 reading! After reading *Cemetery Boys*, I was excited to read Thomas’ other book. And friends, this did NOT disappoint. I was immediately sucked into the incredible world Thomas has built that melds mythology and action and quests and the big feelings of teenage protagonists.
I love a good underdog story and throughout the novel we see Teo flounder in a competition that he has not really prepared for and one that he’s not even sure he wants to be involved in. The dynamic between Teo and the rest follows familiar patterns in narratives like this–you have the friends, the bullies, the cool kids and of course, the broody boy who is just so annoying and yet somehow so captivating. And yet Thomas makes each character distinct and not just because they have different powers. They way this story functions both as an ensemble and yet very clearly also offers up Teo as the protagonist was masterful and I found myself captivated by every single character and even rooting for all of them at times.
Thomas also writes some of the best teenagers I’ve read. All these characters captured the big feelings we have as teens and somehow these fit in perfectly with their godly personalities. They were goofy and funny and dramatic and scared and angsty and I just adored how real and messy they were. The palpable chemistry between Teo and Aurelio that is riiight on the precipice of exploding was such a delicious example of this and I’m loving seeing the beginning of their relationship.
The lore and worldbuilding in this novel might also be among the best I’ve read. Drawing on familiar mythological tropes, Thomas crafts an incredible set of divine figures and somehow seamlessly embeds them in a contemporary setting. Each facet of the world only added to the action and the high stakes and I found it impossible to put this book down. With some amazing twists that I did NOT see coming, I was hooked from start to finish, and can’t wait for the sequel. A fiery set of 5 stars for this one!
CWs: mild violence and blood; brief mentions of body dysphoria
CNs: This is a YA fantasy MM novel featuring a transmasc teenage demigod. It is the first book in a duology. At this stage in the novel there is no romance but it is building up to one that will manifest in the sequel. There are no romantic scenes and no on-page sex scenes in this novel.
CWs and CNs at the end.
What a perfect first book to kick off my #TRR24 reading! After reading *Cemetery Boys*, I was excited to read Thomas’ other book. And friends, this did NOT disappoint. I was immediately sucked into the incredible world Thomas has built that melds mythology and action and quests and the big feelings of teenage protagonists.
I love a good underdog story and throughout the novel we see Teo flounder in a competition that he has not really prepared for and one that he’s not even sure he wants to be involved in. The dynamic between Teo and the rest follows familiar patterns in narratives like this–you have the friends, the bullies, the cool kids and of course, the broody boy who is just so annoying and yet somehow so captivating. And yet Thomas makes each character distinct and not just because they have different powers. They way this story functions both as an ensemble and yet very clearly also offers up Teo as the protagonist was masterful and I found myself captivated by every single character and even rooting for all of them at times.
Thomas also writes some of the best teenagers I’ve read. All these characters captured the big feelings we have as teens and somehow these fit in perfectly with their godly personalities. They were goofy and funny and dramatic and scared and angsty and I just adored how real and messy they were. The palpable chemistry between Teo and Aurelio that is riiight on the precipice of exploding was such a delicious example of this and I’m loving seeing the beginning of their relationship.
The lore and worldbuilding in this novel might also be among the best I’ve read. Drawing on familiar mythological tropes, Thomas crafts an incredible set of divine figures and somehow seamlessly embeds them in a contemporary setting. Each facet of the world only added to the action and the high stakes and I found it impossible to put this book down. With some amazing twists that I did NOT see coming, I was hooked from start to finish, and can’t wait for the sequel. A fiery set of 5 stars for this one!
CWs: mild violence and blood; brief mentions of body dysphoria
CNs: This is a YA fantasy MM novel featuring a transmasc teenage demigod. It is the first book in a duology. At this stage in the novel there is no romance but it is building up to one that will manifest in the sequel. There are no romantic scenes and no on-page sex scenes in this novel.
Content Warnings
Minor: Dysphoria and Injury/Injury detail