Book Review: Trail of Lightning

Trail of Lightning
by Rebecca Roanhorse
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Set in a future, post-apocalyptic world, Trail of Lightning has many of the hallmarks of classical, dystopian fantasy, with a few notable additions.

Centered around the remnants of Navajo communities surviving in a post apocalyptic world, Trail of Lighting tells the story of Maggie Hoskie, a young woman endowed with clan powers which make her a highly gifted killer. And in a world where monsters forged out of black magic and Native American myths are roaming free, a highly gifted killer can be a good thing to have.

The former protege of the immortal monster-killer Neizgwhání, Maggie must unearth the origins of a new breed of monster which is threatening her world.

For me, what made this book worthwhile was the character development, and the glimpses of Navajo tradition and culture. There were vivid characters throughout who, while they might not have been the leading protagonist or antagonist, were clearly drawn from the author’s personal experience. The quirks and individual mannerisms of these characters was a large part of the appeal of this book.

There were a couple of rough spots in the writing, where events appeared to be driven purely out of plot convenience. Taken as a whole, however, Trail of Lightning was a fun ride, with plenty of interesting characters to help carry the story.

I will add the usual (obvious) trigger warning: this is a dystopian fantasy, with all of the violence and bloodshed that we have come to expect from this genre. If someone's squeamish about that sort of thing, then this isn’t the book for them. But if you’re in the market for a dystopian world with a unique setting and characters to match, this novel can be a great place to start.

Book Review - When the Moon Was Ours - Video Version

I decided to add a video review for the book - for the benefit of those that would rather hear a review online.

Book Review: When the Moon was Ours

When the Moon Was Ours
by Anna-Marie McLemore
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the world of "magical realism" or "low fantasy", When the Moon Was Ours stands out as unique. It could be interpreted as a modern day fairy tale - but one which tackles issues of child abuse and gender identity that others have only rarely explored in this, or any other medium.

The book follows the story of Miel, a girl who mysteriously showed up in town one day, who has roses that grow from her forearm and wrist, and Sam, the neighbor boy who's the only friend she has in the small town high school. In the story, Miel is being pursued by the Bonner sisters - four sisters who believe that the roses that grow from Miel's wrist could somehow, magically restore their status as the most sought-after girls in town. The plot line sounds simple enough, but between Miel's half-remembered past, the secrets that only she and Sam know, and the Bonner sisters' ruthless determination - there's a lot more that's going on beneath the surface than meets the eye.

The style of prose for this story is very similar to traditional folk stories or fairy tales: a narrative voice, rather than an in-the-moment retelling. If I had to point to similar artistic influences, I would have to cite Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, or Grace Lin's Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - both books aimed at a much younger audience. I believe that this parallel was very much by intent.

Where the author diverges from the fairy tale tradition is in the narrator's awareness of the very real differences between the folk tale as it might be retold generations later - after it has been absolved of real world flaws, shortcomings and the scar tissue left behind - and the reality as it was experienced by those that lived through the "fairy tale".

The book has its fair share of tear-jerking moments - although I understand that for some the flowery, fairy tale prose might be a little off-putting at first. As was alluded to, trigger warnings are warranted. This book touches on issues of child abuse and gender identity that some readers might be uncomfortable with. The book nonetheless paints a modern day, fairy tale portrait of our world, and some of the realities that not everyone has yet come to terms with.