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serenedancer's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Very well interesting and well written. I liked learning about the various characters and then seeing how they came together. I was a little worried when Christianity started becoming more prominent in the story but I think it was handled well and it made sense for the characters.
Overall I would recommend the book.
Overall I would recommend the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Moderate: Rape
bloodmaarked's review against another edition
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
antoniac's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Blood
javafenn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book got a little confusing because I was listening to it so I couldn’t go back as easily and clarify what was going on. This book was also very difficult because of the brutality of being a Black person in history. I really loved the magical realism and how the stories all wove in and out of each other ending where it began.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Classism
mmefish's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, and Colonisation
ktrecs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
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
unfiltered_fiction's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
She Would Be King is an absolutely phenomenal story that interrogates the concept of power - in its magical, social, political, martial, physical, emotion, and spiritual manifestations - in a very sophisticated way. The book is not without its flaws, and it is likely to appeal more to readers who prefer character-driven stories, but it is filled with gorgeous writing and intricate metaphors which capture some very difficult and complicated themes. It is important to note that this book deals with some very distressing themes, and I would recommend checking content warnings if you feel that you may be affected.
She Would Be King contains some of the most beautiful nature writing I have ever read. The relationships between the three characters and the landscapes they move through are incredibly compelling, and captured in staggeringly beautiful prose. This was my favourite aspect of the entire book. The personification of the wind, the sun, and the moon weaves together the two major themes of nature and ancestral power, creating an atmosphere which feels vibrant and stunning, yet fresh and authentic - a difficult feat for fantasy writing.
The writing is very metaphor heavy. This is done incredibly skilfully, but may not be for all readers; this is a book with very intricate layers. It is difficult to do justice to the many complexities of the different themes and the way they are represented; Moore writes so insightfully about so many enormous issues, including but by no means limited to: sexism, superstition, religion, racism, slavery, colonisation, colourism, culture, classism, nationhood, romantic love, friendship, and family. I did not feel that any of these themes were brushed over; each was dipped into with real compassion and consideration. The influence of real world history and politics creates a very strong foundation for the more fantastical elements of Moore's story, and these two aspects are blended together with incredible artistry.
For me, this book's main shortcoming is the plotting. It is certainly more character than plot driven. Gbessa's story is fascinating and heartbreaking; the one part of her character which I struggled with was her subservience to various male characters. The reasons for this are completely fair and clear, but those reasons are worked through a little too slowly and I found it frustrating that her moment of real liberation and empowerment was dependent on her first love being finally and thoroughly removed from her world. It was fantastic to see her finally come into her own power; however I felt that this moment came a little late in the narrative for her character to bloom into its absolute full potential. This character development could have been better paced.
I was a little frustrated by other elements in the second half of the book; I had hoped to see the stories of the three main characters weave together a little more closely. Although the sections introducing June Dey and Norman were very, very strong, their role in the rest of the story feels a little lacklustre compared to Gbessa's. Overall, I would definitely consider the first half a five star read, but the second half settles just under four stars for me. It's still good (with some excellent aspects), but not as incredibly charged after the first three sections.
The ending felt strangely paced. It is important to remember that this is a book about a beginning. As a reader, you're not working towards a conclusion, but a new start; this was a little jarring for me, but the more I dwell on it, the more I understand the author's choice.
Overall, this is an excellent read that I would recommend to fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike. It is not easy to read, and it is not for everyone; again, I encourage readers anxious about difficult content to check the content warnings. However, this book is compelling, magical, frank, difficult, excellent, and beautiful, all in its turns.
She Would Be King contains some of the most beautiful nature writing I have ever read. The relationships between the three characters and the landscapes they move through are incredibly compelling, and captured in staggeringly beautiful prose. This was my favourite aspect of the entire book. The personification of the wind, the sun, and the moon weaves together the two major themes of nature and ancestral power, creating an atmosphere which feels vibrant and stunning, yet fresh and authentic - a difficult feat for fantasy writing.
The writing is very metaphor heavy. This is done incredibly skilfully, but may not be for all readers; this is a book with very intricate layers. It is difficult to do justice to the many complexities of the different themes and the way they are represented; Moore writes so insightfully about so many enormous issues, including but by no means limited to: sexism, superstition, religion, racism, slavery, colonisation, colourism, culture, classism, nationhood, romantic love, friendship, and family. I did not feel that any of these themes were brushed over; each was dipped into with real compassion and consideration. The influence of real world history and politics creates a very strong foundation for the more fantastical elements of Moore's story, and these two aspects are blended together with incredible artistry.
For me, this book's main shortcoming is the plotting. It is certainly more character than plot driven. Gbessa's story is fascinating and heartbreaking; the one part of her character which I struggled with was her subservience to various male characters. The reasons for this are completely fair and clear, but those reasons are worked through a little too slowly
I was a little frustrated by other elements in the second half of the book; I had hoped to see the stories of the three main characters weave together a little more closely. Although the sections introducing June Dey and Norman were very, very strong, their role in the rest of the story feels a little lacklustre compared to Gbessa's. Overall, I would definitely consider the first half a five star read, but the second half settles just under four stars for me. It's still good (with some excellent aspects), but not as incredibly charged after the first three sections.
The ending felt strangely paced. It is important to remember that this is a book about a beginning. As a reader, you're not working towards a conclusion, but a new start; this was a little jarring for me, but the more I dwell on it, the more I understand the author's choice.
Overall, this is an excellent read that I would recommend to fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike. It is not easy to read, and it is not for everyone; again, I encourage readers anxious about difficult content to check the content warnings. However, this book is compelling, magical, frank, difficult, excellent, and beautiful, all in its turns.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism and Abortion