A review by justgeekingby
Lionheart Girl by Yaba Badoe

3.0

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Content warnings:
SpoilerThere are scenes of emotional abuse, domestic abuse, animal abuse, alcoholism, and a character suffers loss of vision.


I wanted to like Lionheart Girl a lot more, however, it’s another book listed as fantasy when it is more accurately magical realism. The fantasy elements are wrapped up within realism, hidden in word play rather than just coming out and saying exactly what is happening. It’s exhausting to read at times because I had to try to work out exactly what was being said.

I had thought that this was a book about shapeshifters, or at the very least, witches that could change shape. It’s not, which was disappointing. I enjoyed the folklore and the world building, I just wish the author had come out and said this was this and that was that. It’s explained that there is an evil, yet the evil is never given a name. It’s just danced around.

For more of my reviews please visit my blog!