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A review by idesofjaim
The Name-Bearer by Natalia Hernandez
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I really enjoyed this introduction to the series, and it’s very evident that a greater goal of this book was to set us up with world building. As someone with a beginner’s comfort level with Spanish, the bilingual nature wasn’t intrusive to me, and I thought it integrated fine. The mix of characters, their roles, their history and their beliefs kept me engaged, and I enjoyed the protagonist’s time with the women warriors especially.
Once she left the temple, the book started to slow down some, and this is where I had to go back and re-listen to chapters in the audiobook. It didn’t keep me as engaged, but again, I acknowledge that this book is the first one and has a job to do as it leads us into the rest of the series. The audiobook narrator did an alright job of differentiating each character vocally, but I had moments where it wasn’t perfectly clear whose dialogue I was listening to.
Once she left the temple, the book started to slow down some, and this is where I had to go back and re-listen to chapters in the audiobook. It didn’t keep me as engaged, but again, I acknowledge that this book is the first one and has a job to do as it leads us into the rest of the series. The audiobook narrator did an alright job of differentiating each character vocally, but I had moments where it wasn’t perfectly clear whose dialogue I was listening to.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape