A review by thenovelmaura
Wings of Ebony by J. Elle

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 I wish I hadn't waited so long to write my review, because I'm afraid I won't be able to do this book justice! Wings of Ebony was a magical debut novel with a protagonist who is full of life. Unlike when characters wish they could be whisked away to a magical world, this exact thing happened to Rue and she wasn't having any of it. She'd rather be with her sister and the tight-knit community in her Houston neighborhood than learning how to wield magic in Ghizon. For this reason, East Row felt much more real to me than the fantastical Ghizon, especially since Rue chose to ignore most of what she was taught there. J. Elle was generous enough to attend our book club's discussion and said that the sequel will be based almost entirely in Ghizon, so I'm looking forward to learning more about this world in that book.

There were quite a few great character arcs in this book that I can't talk about without spoiling anything, but Rue's friend Bri and her father were the standouts for me. Even when their choices were painful to read about, Rue was both honest with them and gave them room to change, which I loved. The ending makes a powerful statement about restorative justice that was appropriate for a YA audience. I'm in awe of Elle's ability to address issues of racism, colonization, cultural appropriation and performative allyship in the context of an action-packed urban fantasy novel, and I can't wait to read more from her! 
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