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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
katiepeach's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
“The girl with the biggest gift of us all. Life. If she was not a girl or if she was not a woman; if she was not a woman or if she was not a witch, she would be king.”
I spent all day yesterday reading this book. And, wow, it’s incredible. I started this last year, but in my struggle to focus on anything, couldn’t finish. I’m wishing I had finished it sooner! The writing is so, so good and the story is captivating! If you love literary fiction and/or magical realism and history, definitely pick this one up right now.
She Would Be King is a magical realism novel about Liberia’s beginning. Moore intertwines the story of a boy raised as a slave in the United States, a boy who is the son of a slave and a British man from Jamaica, and a girl from West Africa to tell the story of Liberia. In the 1800s, Blacks from the United States and the Caribbean began to settle in Liberia and create a country of their own. However, there were already people living there, which understandably created tensions between the indigenous population and the settlers. I won’t go into too much detail about the history, because I think this novel explains it beautifully and better than I ever could, and it is a key part of the storyline.
The three main characters—Gbessa, June Day, and Norman—have separate journeys to Monrovia, but eventually meet. All three have special powers that eventually play a role in the formation of Liberia and the protection of the new country from colonial powers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, and Trafficking
emilybolivia's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Some passages were really beautiful. As I was finishing and remembering the book as a whole I was impressed by the intricacies, especially the first half compared to the second. It was really easy for me to put down though and I was glad to be done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, and Violence
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