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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
asl4u's review against another edition
5.0
good story! it was a little weird in the beginning but it was eventually a very nice blend of what might be -what could be… what probably isnt … but it might!
excellent!
excellent!
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
harryk26's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.25
lyssaczernek's review against another edition
3.5
3.5 stars - I enjoyed reading She Would Be King; the plot was interesting and kept me rooted in the story. I liked the magical realism Moore brought to the origin story of Liberia and think it added a layer that the book would have suffered without. One of my favorite aspects of the magical realism in the book was the personification of nature. Moore did such a fantastic job weaving in elements of whimsy by making the narrator the wind and giving free will, emotions, and action to elements of nature. The wind talks to the characters and is a reassuring presence that helps the characters continue on their chosen paths. Nature plays a huge role in the book by raising Gbessa; the animals and sun become their own characters and provide a feeling of comfort. I think this style choice really added to the atmosphere of the story and did a lot of heavy lifting with the setting.
However, there were a couple of decisions that I did not love toward the end of the book. I wish June Dey and Norman were explored more as characters in the second half of the book, I think Gbessa took center stage and while her story was interesting, we did lose out on character development for the other two because of it. The last three and a half pages of the book are when the trio is finally reunited again. Before this, there are a few short chapters that focus on either Norman or June Dey, but Gbessa is definitely the main focus. As a reader invested in the stories of these men, I felt I lost something by Moore advancing time four years and only telling us what had happened to Gbessa in that time. There is a line in the last chapter that states June Dey is nearly unrecognizable to Gbessa and Norman because of how much he has changed and I felt similarly. I didn’t feel like I knew Norman or June Dey by the end in the same way I knew Gbessa. It was unbalanced considering we got lengthy origin stories for each character.
Finally, I don’t mind ambiguous endings and often I’m excited to make my own inferences as to what happened. But this story ended in the middle of the “final” battle between the slave traders and the oppressed group of people Gbessa, Norman, and June Dey were fighting for. It left the ending unresolved in my opinion and I was hoping to see the action wrapped up before the ambiguous ending was introduced.
However, there were a couple of decisions that I did not love toward the end of the book. I wish June Dey and Norman were explored more as characters in the second half of the book, I think Gbessa took center stage and while her story was interesting, we did lose out on character development for the other two because of it. The last three and a half pages of the book are when the trio is finally reunited again. Before this, there are a few short chapters that focus on either Norman or June Dey, but Gbessa is definitely the main focus. As a reader invested in the stories of these men, I felt I lost something by Moore advancing time four years and only telling us what had happened to Gbessa in that time. There is a line in the last chapter that states June Dey is nearly unrecognizable to Gbessa and Norman because of how much he has changed and I felt similarly. I didn’t feel like I knew Norman or June Dey by the end in the same way I knew Gbessa. It was unbalanced considering we got lengthy origin stories for each character.
Finally, I don’t mind ambiguous endings and often I’m excited to make my own inferences as to what happened. But this story ended in the middle of the “final” battle between the slave traders and the oppressed group of people Gbessa, Norman, and June Dey were fighting for. It left the ending unresolved in my opinion and I was hoping to see the action wrapped up before the ambiguous ending was introduced.
fuzzyhebrew's review against another edition
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? Yes
5.0
The characters will draw you in. I loved June Dey's story. Would love to see a sequel.
jesspoemape's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
3.5
lottie1803's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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
3.75
jason_alexander's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
sad
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? No
3.5
Struggled with this a bit.
Loved some of the lyrical descriptions and loved learning about Liberia’s history in this very unique way, but I felt like the book didn’t totally feel connected sometimes.
Sometimes June Dey and Norman felt shoehorned in, though I appreciated their original stories.
I thought the ending raised my opinion of the book as it all came together very beautifully but I struggled to understand and piece things together at points before that.
Loved some of the lyrical descriptions and loved learning about Liberia’s history in this very unique way, but I felt like the book didn’t totally feel connected sometimes.
Sometimes June Dey and Norman felt shoehorned in, though I appreciated their original stories.
I thought the ending raised my opinion of the book as it all came together very beautifully but I struggled to understand and piece things together at points before that.
seasidefaye13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0