Reviews

Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi

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libbey_wolfe's review against another edition

5.0

Excellent series, have re-read it multiple times. Would suggest to anyone who enjoyed Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series.

priya_amrev's review against another edition

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3.0

Wifey!!

crosswarrior7's review against another edition

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4.0

❧ Aru Shah completed one adventure to be thrown into another almost instantly. This time, the world isn’t the only thing threatened, but Aru’s very place in the Otherworld. She, Mini, her new soul-sister Brynne, and the cute guy across the street will have to team up to find the bow-and-arrow of the god of love, both to clear their names as thieves and to save the people turned into Heartless, which are basically zombies. Along the way, though, they may discover that things aren’t quite as clean cut as the stories always led them to believe.

❧ Just on a slight bad start. I was not the biggest fan of how the first book ended. It ended almost right where this one picked up. Because of that, the last book’s ending felt a bit abrupt, and it was so connected to this start that it could have basically been the start of this book. It wasn’t too bad given I picked up the next one instantly, but given the wait for others and stuff, I just found it... an odd choice, I guess. Not a huge point against either book, but I just found it not to be for me. I understand, with a series, wanting one book to lead into the next. I think this one did it much better with its ending, personally.

❧ Otherwise, though, my love for this series just continues! Each of the new characters added with this installment were wonderful. Brynne with her tough exterior but need to be accepted really just making you wanna hug her (even if she’d punch you for it). And Aiden is an adorable grandma friend that every friend group needs. Pairs amazingly with Mini’s vibes. Both are just very real characters that are enjoyable with their own struggles and desires and stuff, and they were great additions to the cast.

❧ What continues to elevate this series for me over other books similar to it is the maturity of which it approaches subjects. There are villains in the book, and they do bad things, but... The reasons they do it, and the heart behind the villains, they make things complicated, and Aru *feels* that complication in a way that not many Middle Grade fiction would let their MCs dwell. The weight is there, and Aru struggles and wonders and questions, and it’s so good.

Things aren’t black and white. Aru faces regrets for the choices she makes, wonders at her choices, even faces consequences constantly over the ones she made in prior books. It’s so weighted and just good, and I love that the series is tackling this. History is written by the victors, and the villains’ tales in this specific book of the series really highlights that. And there’s a part at the end of the book that I love where the girls accept the wrong of how history presents the losers, don’t allow the wrongness they do in response, but also try to fix the mistakes of the victors.

I repeat: It’s just so good. And again, I just grow so excited to see how the moral struggles will continue as the books go on, because it’s clear that things aren’t, well, clear for Aru at least as the book ends. Because she’s fighting for the victors who painted these villains as monsters despite the good they’d done in life. I love it!

❧ I am gonna put this at a 4.5 that is very close to a 5 star. This would likely be close to tying with Percy Jackson if not for the fact that Percy Jackson has so much nostalgia tied in with it, and adult me just still has eye rolling moments from the more kiddish moments. I’m sorry! Adult me can appreciate just how deep and strong this novel is, but also sees the more kid moments T^T So a very strong 4.5. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get over myself and eventually move this up to a full 5 star.

bearfamilyreads's review against another edition

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adventurous

4.0

I love Roshani Chokshi's sense of humor, and her glossary at the back was my favorite part of the book! Aru's adventures have so much going on, that sometimes I get a little overwhelmed, hence the 4 star rating. But I still love it and will continue onto the next book!