meggits's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great read! I ran across it by accident but gladly put it in my top 5 books read so far this year!
teryn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lashette's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was really great. I like that it's not one size fits all with root magic. And not a story moralizing good vs evil. I wasn't expecting it to be set in the 60s. I admit I didn't read the synopsis recently. I loved these kids and watching them do kid things even with everything going on around them made me want to protect them. Jez and Jay. I wasn't expecting to identify with their sibling dynamics. Picking fights because you know you're getting older and may not be as close anymore was super relatable. Even now I'm almost 40. There are themes of violent racism in here but I like that they don't take over the plot. Black people living their lives. It's not all segregation and whippings and slurs. And the root work. Loved it. I don't know that I could call myself a rootworker but this is a great example of it in fiction. There were some fantastical elements but nothing too fancy. Most of what's here is realistic. Quite honestly I could've been reading this child's diary for how realistic and full this world building was. Younger me is happy.
ela_lee_'s review against another edition
3.0
Cute book. Lots of magic, eeriness, and nice scenic visuals of the outdoors. I enjoyed the educational references of the time period - 1960's South Carolina. Root Magic is technically a children's book so it was a bit slow for me, I trailed off after the second half and just wanted to wrap up. But it is a well-written book and great for the right audience.
donnakay's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.0
amh007's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This book takes on quite a lot: Gullah Geechee culture, black history, social justice and the creation of a supernatural universe based on rootworking mythology. It’s a fun book to read and a welcome addition to children’s literature, but I wish there had been a deeper exploration of fewer topics.
bountifulbrittany's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
notbrhymes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
jcarsrud's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book with social justice, history, and root magic. I didn’t know anything about Gullah or root magic, so this was a good introduction about the two with an interesting story!