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12rhys23's review against another edition
Story started interesting, but the writing style isn't for me.
catreadspaper's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
trin's review against another edition
1.0
Sometimes, the more elements that a book has that you love -- being in this case, a Western with magic and also Gender -- the more it can disappoint you. I just did not care for this at all. Nettie felt like a Standard Protagonist with not a lot to make her unique, and the side characters were even thinner. Worse...while I fully believe that in an ideal world writers should be able to imagine themselves into all kinds of characters, and white authors, like Bowen, should be able and encouraged to center BIPOC folks, this is a story about a half-Native American, half-Black protagonist, with lots of Indigenous side characters and mythology, and it just felt...faux. Not ill-intentioned, but not authentic. And the worst sin, of course: boring.
njdarkish's review against another edition
3.0
This is an interesting one. I really like the genre mashup idea-- Western and fantasy-- and there were some really strong aspects to it. The big boss monster was scary (though despite its name did nothing that made it a cannibal, just a mandated). The magic of the world mixed with the West felt pretty organic, with exceptions of things like unicorns as mounts. Loved the harpy vultures.
The dialogue felt a little forced-- a caricature of Western dialogue. Honestly, most the Western trappings were more stereotypical than I'd care for, but the fantasy stuff was pretty fresh.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
The dialogue felt a little forced-- a caricature of Western dialogue. Honestly, most the Western trappings were more stereotypical than I'd care for, but the fantasy stuff was pretty fresh.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
vermilionred's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book that I didn't know that I wanted to read before I picked it up, but oh boy did I. Nettie's a great protagonist (hero? heroine?). She's prickly and determined and driven enough to keep the plot going, and her introspective moments make her well-rounded without ever wallowing. The pace is great, the side characters and romance are great. This is a good book.
being_b's review against another edition
5.0
I loved watching how Nettie/Rhett learned to question the assumptions they'd grown up with and demand more. Really engaging narrative voice in a creepy world, and such a pleasure to read a book that centers the experiences of people who aren't white men.
shawniebooks's review against another edition
3.0
I liked some aspects such as weird western type fantasy, and some aspects I didn't. The first installment was entertaining enough to finish, but I probably won't continue with the series.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
Nettie Lonesome had two things in the world that were worth a sweet goddamn: her old boots and her one-eyed mule, Blue. Neither item actually belonged to her. But then again, nothing did.
I liked this book SO much more than I thought I would. Damn.
This is a western, which means it already started in the negative. It was Jes's pick for the Quarterly Book Club's winter quarter, and I love those ladies, so I was going to read it no matter what.
And godDAMN. I did not expect what I got from a book that involves the world 'feller'.
Nettie is a half black, half Native American girl living in Durango, which Google tells me is the Colorado area of the 'old west'. Raised by two of the most abominable people, she knows what it is to be treated as less than. Less than because of her gender, less than because of her poverty, less than because of her skin color. It's just how life is for her.
Until the night a man tries to kill her. And she stabs him, and he turns to sand.
I read this description, and it did not even remotely occur to me what happened. And I'm making eye contact with my fandom besties, because you are all probably staring at me like the dufus that I am.
This is the start of Nettie's life. And every supernatural creature in the handbook comes out to play. Because once you kill one of them, you see all of them.
Nettie is a phenomenal character. She lives her life as a boy not only to protect herself, but because she feels more boy than woman. And that's just the tip of the diversity iceberg here? There are so many factors in play here, and for a book set during the time period where 'injun' was a normalized word, it's HUGE.
Nettie teams up with the rangers to hunt these creatures. The rangers known for murdering Native Americans and lord knows who else. But there's so many layers to the history we know. Lila Bowen admits she may not be 100% historically accurate, which is good to know since I'll never know the difference. But there's so many, "AH HA" moments where history and supernatural fantasy line up and it is just absolutely tickling.
The strength of this character will get you through any slow bits. The different characters, and the character growth, are so well done, this is so well written despite the westernized language. Seriously, the number of 'what in the Sam Hill's you will be subjected to. But it's so worth it. There is heart, there is an incredible message under laid throughout.
I honestly cannot believe how much I enjoyed this book. And I'm annoyed that my library only has the second book in the series. Time to harass them for the rest.
I liked this book SO much more than I thought I would. Damn.
This is a western, which means it already started in the negative. It was Jes's pick for the Quarterly Book Club's winter quarter, and I love those ladies, so I was going to read it no matter what.
And godDAMN. I did not expect what I got from a book that involves the world 'feller'.
Nettie is a half black, half Native American girl living in Durango, which Google tells me is the Colorado area of the 'old west'. Raised by two of the most abominable people, she knows what it is to be treated as less than. Less than because of her gender, less than because of her poverty, less than because of her skin color. It's just how life is for her.
Until the night a man tries to kill her. And she stabs him, and he turns to sand.
I read this description, and it did not even remotely occur to me what happened. And I'm making eye contact with my fandom besties, because you are all probably staring at me like the dufus that I am.
This is the start of Nettie's life. And every supernatural creature in the handbook comes out to play. Because once you kill one of them, you see all of them.
Nettie is a phenomenal character. She lives her life as a boy not only to protect herself, but because she feels more boy than woman. And that's just the tip of the diversity iceberg here? There are so many factors in play here, and for a book set during the time period where 'injun' was a normalized word, it's HUGE.
Nettie teams up with the rangers to hunt these creatures. The rangers known for murdering Native Americans and lord knows who else. But there's so many layers to the history we know. Lila Bowen admits she may not be 100% historically accurate, which is good to know since I'll never know the difference. But there's so many, "AH HA" moments where history and supernatural fantasy line up and it is just absolutely tickling.
The strength of this character will get you through any slow bits. The different characters, and the character growth, are so well done, this is so well written despite the westernized language. Seriously, the number of 'what in the Sam Hill's you will be subjected to. But it's so worth it. There is heart, there is an incredible message under laid throughout.
I honestly cannot believe how much I enjoyed this book. And I'm annoyed that my library only has the second book in the series. Time to harass them for the rest.