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A review by bondracstudios
A Pride of Lions by Yvonne Nartey
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Summary
Eshe is plagued with dreams of herself in the form of a lioness, fighting a lion of great power. Her rage, her desires, her strength-- they emerge in her lioness form as she takes on the powerful male lion each night.
Adeben, a lion shifter, is struck each night with the same dream. The dream that depicts him fighting, and then killing, a lioness. But female lion shifters don’t exist and the Pride he belongs to is convinced these tales of a female mean danger for the way of life they’ve fought hard to protect.
Tasked with finding the female he dreams of each night, their dreams become reality as they confront the connections between their inner lions and the world they live in. They must decide which battles are the real danger-- the fight within, the fight between them, or the fight to choose their own paths.
Adeben, a lion shifter, is struck each night with the same dream. The dream that depicts him fighting, and then killing, a lioness. But female lion shifters don’t exist and the Pride he belongs to is convinced these tales of a female mean danger for the way of life they’ve fought hard to protect.
Tasked with finding the female he dreams of each night, their dreams become reality as they confront the connections between their inner lions and the world they live in. They must decide which battles are the real danger-- the fight within, the fight between them, or the fight to choose their own paths.
What We Like
The Magic - This tale of magical realism opens an unknown world of very specific magic to the FMC. A small group of men in Africa have been infused with the soul of a lion upon birth. When they come of age, they gain the ability to transform into the form of their inner lion. When the ability is identified, they are brought to a secret compound where the shifters are trained to bond with their lions and control the ability. What is considered a powerful gift for the men, is called an abomination when bestowed upon a woman. We, the readers, are gifted with an empowering story of perseverance and identity reclamation through Eshe’s journey into exploring her connection with the lioness.
The Slow Burn - Eshe & Adeben have a gritty enemies to lovers arc that is so very satisfying. She is stubborn but forthright with her emotions, he is stubborn and reserved-- and watching these two butt heads is the best kind of romantically charged conflict!
The Cultural Rifts - Nartey artfully delves into the internal conflict of reconciling cultural identities following emigration. Eshe’s family originates from an African country (non-specific, but possibly Ghana since Nartey possibly shares her British-Ghanaian heritage with Eshe?), however her mother and aunt were coercively moved to England by her grandfather to seal the marriage between her mother & father, and secure more opportunities for their family. So many of the struggles Eshe faces in confronting her inner-lioness can easily parallel the complicated relationships between familial and regional cultures endured by second-generation immigrants. Especially in regional cultures where the majority of the population is white/Caucasian with a long history of colonization. But more on that when we discuss the FMCs...
The FMCs - Eshe • Olivia • Grace
These women have our whole hearts! Strong, fiercely loving, dynamic FMCs are everything! Olivia & Grace are wonderful foils to each other. With Olivia’s stoic, reserved personality and Grace’s warm, demonstrative approach, we see how each can have their moments of both connection and distance with Eshe. They both struggle to get things right, but they both come from a place of love and concern for their family. In a (predominantly white) society where Black women are often stereotypically portrayed as angry, lower socio-economic status, and/or uneducated-- we love to see representation of unapologetically complex and fully defined, Black, female characters whose diverse personalities are given space to bloom in all their imperfect glory and push back on those stereotypes.
Eshe is a given the perfect amalgamation of personality traits from the two important women in her life, while still retaining her own personality and journey of discovery. Chef’s kiss, Yvonne!!
The MMCs - Adeben • William
These two represent shifting tides in long-held social constructs. With very different personalities, they compliment each other’s desires and efforts to make positive change within their community. William’s affable nature is easy to love, but his connection with Adeben is what gives him the space to be himself. Adeben gives broody, tortured vibes but the glimpses into unburdened Adeben are the layers to the grumpy, enemy-as-romantic-lead cake that we love!
The Slow Burn - Eshe & Adeben have a gritty enemies to lovers arc that is so very satisfying. She is stubborn but forthright with her emotions, he is stubborn and reserved-- and watching these two butt heads is the best kind of romantically charged conflict!
The Cultural Rifts - Nartey artfully delves into the internal conflict of reconciling cultural identities following emigration. Eshe’s family originates from an African country (non-specific, but possibly Ghana since Nartey possibly shares her British-Ghanaian heritage with Eshe?), however her mother and aunt were coercively moved to England by her grandfather to seal the marriage between her mother & father, and secure more opportunities for their family. So many of the struggles Eshe faces in confronting her inner-lioness can easily parallel the complicated relationships between familial and regional cultures endured by second-generation immigrants. Especially in regional cultures where the majority of the population is white/Caucasian with a long history of colonization. But more on that when we discuss the FMCs...
The FMCs - Eshe • Olivia • Grace
These women have our whole hearts! Strong, fiercely loving, dynamic FMCs are everything! Olivia & Grace are wonderful foils to each other. With Olivia’s stoic, reserved personality and Grace’s warm, demonstrative approach, we see how each can have their moments of both connection and distance with Eshe. They both struggle to get things right, but they both come from a place of love and concern for their family. In a (predominantly white) society where Black women are often stereotypically portrayed as angry, lower socio-economic status, and/or uneducated-- we love to see representation of unapologetically complex and fully defined, Black, female characters whose diverse personalities are given space to bloom in all their imperfect glory and push back on those stereotypes.
Eshe is a given the perfect amalgamation of personality traits from the two important women in her life, while still retaining her own personality and journey of discovery. Chef’s kiss, Yvonne!!
The MMCs - Adeben • William
These two represent shifting tides in long-held social constructs. With very different personalities, they compliment each other’s desires and efforts to make positive change within their community. William’s affable nature is easy to love, but his connection with Adeben is what gives him the space to be himself. Adeben gives broody, tortured vibes but the glimpses into unburdened Adeben are the layers to the grumpy, enemy-as-romantic-lead cake that we love!
Real Talk
Some Rough Edges - The technical aspects of the writing can have some rough edges. We give some grace for indie authors, but be forewarned- there might be a few things that catch your eye.
Some Mental Health Precautions - Eshe’s initial signs of being a shifter include mood changes and behavior that is interpreted as self-harm. She is institutionalized for a period, and claims to be institutionalized as a cover story after she is aware of her shifter status. Her mother convinces her to take mood-stabilizing medications, which cause a numbness to her lioness and end up being an inadequate solution to her symptoms. Readers should be aware that some aspects of this story may be difficult for those with a history of poorly supported mental health. It’s important to contextualize the conditions around Eshe’s choice to not continue her medication regimen: the main takeaway is that they were treating the wrong problem. This should not be seen as an endorsement of stopping meds without consulting a professional, or negative commentary on conditions that require medication.
Some Mental Health Precautions - Eshe’s initial signs of being a shifter include mood changes and behavior that is interpreted as self-harm. She is institutionalized for a period, and claims to be institutionalized as a cover story after she is aware of her shifter status. Her mother convinces her to take mood-stabilizing medications, which cause a numbness to her lioness and end up being an inadequate solution to her symptoms. Readers should be aware that some aspects of this story may be difficult for those with a history of poorly supported mental health. It’s important to contextualize the conditions around Eshe’s choice to not continue her medication regimen: the main takeaway is that they were treating the wrong problem. This should not be seen as an endorsement of stopping meds without consulting a professional, or negative commentary on conditions that require medication.
Book Dragon Rating
‘A Pride of Lions’ rates a 4.5 on the Book Dragon Scale and we are eagerly awaiting a sequel!
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Mental illness, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Self harm, Violence, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment