A review by hdcamp
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

adventurous funny inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I loved this little urban fantasy! It's too overtly magical to be just magical realism, but it's treated as a normal part of life in much the same way. It's chock full of vampires, wizards, and magical powers. Ellie is a great narrator too - she's a little dry, and very funny, but she's also incredibly heartfelt. Her sense of right and wrong is stronger than many contemporary protagonists, and she shows a degree of selflessness and courage that was really nice to see. Maybe her wisdom comes as a result of her deep connection to her family - not only to her parents and cousin, but to her six-great grandmother, from whom she inherited her own powers.

Dude
I thought we were safe having the dog already dead, but the ending scared the HECK out of me, no thank you!
Luckily everything ended up fine but for a moment I was quite displeased.

My brain is boring today. I liked this, I liked the writing, I liked the fantastical elements. There were several moments that made me chuckle. Maybe it's because I read this as my "at work" read, and it took me like 3 months to read, but I don't have much to say 😔

"Last season, we sat three to a seat on the bus to Dallas," Jess added. "By the end of the trip, I was in Martia's lap."
"Good times," Martia said. "Until my legs fell asleep. How do mall Santas do it?"

*Okay, but the bit about how indigenous people can kill vampires by verbally claiming the land was pretty metal.
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