A review by delphine_
Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia

dark sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book drew me in immediately and I am happy it did.
I knew going in that there would be an established queer (wlw) relationship, and while it of course wasn't the focus of the book one bit, oh how their interactions made my heart soften and feel happy. The love they describe about each other. Perfect.
I loved the atmosphere. I loved Louise defying tropes and needing no one to save her but herself from the get-go. The prohibition, the speakeasies, the 20s, and all from the point of view of too forgotten Black people, but in a non-romanticised way, and still, very romantic. The book is beautiful, it's alive, it's people and pain and dancing until you forget everything at the Zenith, and it's familial issues led by a main character that's honest strong.
I'm a bit dissatisfied with the third act that I thought dragged on for way too long as there wasn't much else to figure out. A part of it hit me like a gut punch but I felt like it wasn't really in line with the rest of what we'd seen of the main character's spirit. I feel like more could have been done there so we reached a less heartbreaking and more interesting, more climactic ending.
That said I loved it, I'm just not sure I'll be in a hurry to pick up the next book because it didn't quite stick the landing for me. 
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