eve81's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Genocide, Racism, Murder, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
wends_nblw's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book is okay; it's fine. Nothing I would rave about, but something I would casually recommend.
I'm not sure if it's just me, but this felt like a middle school read rather than young adult? I don't know why, but I keep imagining the MC as like.. 12-14 years old. (Actually, I think this book could've been better if it had been a MG haha!)
I was a huge fan of the concept, but not the plot. I don't care about vampires or cults or anything else. I wanted so bad to read more about Elatsoe's gift and the Lipan Apaches. I found it so much more interesting than the murder mystery that was happening in the foreground.
However, I'm always rooting for representation as an asexual native myself LOL !
Would def recommend to a younger audience. Nice little murder mystery with fantasy elements.
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Murder, Violence, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, Animal death, Racism, and Colonisation
Minor: Kidnapping and Genocide
throwback682's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Spoiler
(One of the characters, whose life has been irreparably altered, ends the book by moving in with friends - a married couple of women.)Spoiler
The good guys: an indigenous girl with a strong talent for ancestral magic, a fae boy who travels through fairy rings and his psychic aunt, a vampire who is disliked by his future in-laws, a ghost dog, and a ghost mammoth, among others. The bad guys? A rich “miracle working” doctor (actually an evil wizard), an indigenous vampire, colonizers, and… Teddy Roosevelt?! I love it.Spoiler
I could tell that J had a crush on Ellie the entire book, and she was oblivious. I kept waiting for that to be a plot point, that he was going to confess his love to her despite knowing she’s asexual (and probably aromantic?). But he never did!! It was so refreshing.Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Gaslighting, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Sexual violence
some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Spoiler
how Abe Allerton should've just died like it does make sense for dying ppl to be extremely desperateGraphic: Racism and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Death of parent, Gore, Car accident, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, and Hate crime
Minor: Animal death, Ableism, and Blood
Ableism is specifically use of unchallenged ableist language: the word "h*ndicap"applezing's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, and Death of parent
melodyseestrees's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Racism, and Animal death
pansypantaloons's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
mia_difelice's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Really fun use of magic, myth, and legend in a world that is quite like our own but full of the stuff of fairytales. Interspersed with old stories of Elatsoe's Six-Great grandmother and how she used her powers in the past. Wholesome family and friendship dynamics that will make you smile. Thoughtful notes on grief and different folks' reaction to it. Mystery van-Scooby Doo-type shennanigans, with a rich villain masquerading as a hero but spoiler:
Spoiler
the whole town is in on it. Perhaps a symbol for complicity with colonizer/white supremacy?CW: some gruesome/violent scenes, not labored on but graphic.
Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Colonisation
katrinarose's review
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Car accident, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence, Kidnapping, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Xenophobia, and Genocide
mpbookreviews's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Colonisation, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Racism