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A review by booksoversecondbreakfast
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
If I had read this book back in middle or high school, this very likely would have been my favorite book. The story features a teenage Lipan Apache girl, Elatsoe, living in an alternate U.S. where magic and mythical creatures exist. Elatsoe is the type of heroine I loved looking up to as a teen. She is smart, innovative, and passionate and is an all-around loveable character from the very beginning.
This is an Indigenous Futurism book that feels like a cross between Nancy Drew, Ghostbusters, and Netflix's Wednesday. The thoroughness of world-building made it very obvious to me why this book has made it onto Time's list of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. Every bit of lore revealed about this alternative U.S. society was interesting and believable when viewed with an imaginative lens. The magic system and the way it interweaves society as we know it feels plausible in the same way that the world's of Harry Potter did.
This book is incredibly heartwarming and interesting. It had a bit of a horror element to it, which I didn't expect, but it was done in a way that still didn't seem too intense. The plot and the lore hooked me from the very beginning and easily held my attention through the end.
My only critique of this is that there were some vampire parts that felt too cheesy for me, but I'm not letting it affect my rating because I have to remember that this was written for ages 12 through 18. Most of the book felt like it was good for teens and adults alike, but it was some of the vampire scenes towards the end that made it feel more middle-grades/YA.
All in all, this was a wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I read this as an audiobook I borrowed from my local library, but I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy for my personal collection because I anticipate reading this more throughout my lifetime and encouraging my friends and future kids to read it.
This is an Indigenous Futurism book that feels like a cross between Nancy Drew, Ghostbusters, and Netflix's Wednesday. The thoroughness of world-building made it very obvious to me why this book has made it onto Time's list of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. Every bit of lore revealed about this alternative U.S. society was interesting and believable when viewed with an imaginative lens. The magic system and the way it interweaves society as we know it feels plausible in the same way that the world's of Harry Potter did.
This book is incredibly heartwarming and interesting. It had a bit of a horror element to it, which I didn't expect, but it was done in a way that still didn't seem too intense. The plot and the lore hooked me from the very beginning and easily held my attention through the end.
My only critique of this is that there were some vampire parts that felt too cheesy for me, but I'm not letting it affect my rating because I have to remember that this was written for ages 12 through 18. Most of the book felt like it was good for teens and adults alike, but it was some of the vampire scenes towards the end that made it feel more middle-grades/YA.
All in all, this was a wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I read this as an audiobook I borrowed from my local library, but I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy for my personal collection because I anticipate reading this more throughout my lifetime and encouraging my friends and future kids to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Car accident, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Genocide