A review by 1quillb
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

adventurous emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.5

cw for review: mentions of blood

This was so good! Teo is an amazing character, one that’s really relatable (especially for me) and funny. The other characters were all really well-written as well, and I really wish I could meet some of them (Dezi😩). 
The plot is basically: A long time ago, Sol (sun god) sacrificed themself to protect their people when the Obsidian gods rose up and tried to send the world into eternal darkness. From then on, every ten years “The Sunbearer Trials” are held for kids (because of course it’s kids) ages 13-17. The winner of the trials gets the grand honour of knifing the loser and using their blood as a sacrifice to Sol, which keeps the Obsidian gods locked away and the general population safe from them. Teo, the main character, gets chosen to compete in the trials, even though he’s not super powerful, and so he and the other competitors compete and visit other cities in Reino de Sol. It’s basically a Hunger Games scenario, except they get to travel around in a luxurious boat. It ends on a semi-major cliffhanger, with the promise of a second book. 
Overall it was amazing. It has excellent rep (obviously hispanic/latine characters, but also nonbinary/gay/trans/deaf characters as well), and the plot makes senses once you get past the fact that every ten years a child is stabbing another child and pouring their blood over a rock. 
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