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bloodmaarked's review
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-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? Yes
4.5
4.5* rounded up. gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. i can’t believe i only very recently came across she would be king, but i’m very glad i wasted little time in getting around to reading it. in part motivated to make progress on my personal ‘read around the world challenge’, i thought a fantastical retelling of the foundation of liberia would be the perfect addition, and i have to say that i’m very much encouraged to further expand my knowledge of the country after having read this book.
✧ full review on my tumblr ✧
✧ full review on my tumblr ✧
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Cursing and Pregnancy
blessing_aj's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.5
My goodness! What a grand imagination some writers have! 🤩 Wayetu Moore went over and beyond for this book and I cannot believe it took me this long to pick it up.
In this book, magical realism meets historical fiction to deliver one of the most brilliantly written stories I have ever read.
Admittedly, it’s a bit tedious to read. Then again, isn’t it a popular saying that nothing good comes easy? A little patience and a mind that appreciates the art of writing is all it takes to enjoy this work.
I rated it 4.5 because it’s not the easiest book to read and I wanted more from the ending. 😞 I appreciate the fact that writers are not magicians; yet I couldn’t believe I came all the way through to the end and I didn’t get closure.
Despite how beautiful and appetizing the storytelling is in this book, I know that not everyone will enjoy reading this book.
So who should bother?
If you have read and enjoyed Kintu by Jennifer Makumbi and The Old adrift by Namwali Serpell, then this should be right up your alley.
The author narrated the audiobook herself and she did such a great job. A piece of advice if you intend listening to the audiobook is to have it handy in written format (digital/physical) because the nature of the story is such that will throw you off at the beginning of a new part. It will also help you understand what is being said in the native and Jamaican accents, in case you have a hard time with it as I did.
In this book, magical realism meets historical fiction to deliver one of the most brilliantly written stories I have ever read.
Admittedly, it’s a bit tedious to read. Then again, isn’t it a popular saying that nothing good comes easy? A little patience and a mind that appreciates the art of writing is all it takes to enjoy this work.
I rated it 4.5 because it’s not the easiest book to read and I wanted more from the ending. 😞 I appreciate the fact that writers are not magicians; yet I couldn’t believe I came all the way through to the end and I didn’t get closure.
Despite how beautiful and appetizing the storytelling is in this book, I know that not everyone will enjoy reading this book.
So who should bother?
If you have read and enjoyed Kintu by Jennifer Makumbi and The Old adrift by Namwali Serpell, then this should be right up your alley.
The author narrated the audiobook herself and she did such a great job. A piece of advice if you intend listening to the audiobook is to have it handy in written format (digital/physical) because the nature of the story is such that will throw you off at the beginning of a new part. It will also help you understand what is being said in the native and Jamaican accents, in case you have a hard time with it as I did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, and Death of parent