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kimapede's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Slavery and War
calamitydane's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I've rarely read books of this quality. The characters have my heart. The world building is so whole. Like you can really imagine being there. The character development felt so real and hopeful. Ejii is the sort of person I wanna be. I'm buying the sequel tonight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Body shaming, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexism, Animal death, Religious bigotry, War, Fatphobia, Trafficking, Colonisation, Death of parent, and Child abuse
adancewithbooks's review
adventurous
medium-paced
3.0
Thank you to DAW and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
Shadow Speaker was originally released in 2007. This year the whole duology is being rereased. It is an interesting novel that is set in a post-apocalyptic world, taking place in Niger.
In the past a nuclear war and peace bombs created a world where magic was released over the world. Doors opened to other worlds and children got gifts. Our main character Ejii can talk to shadows and her friend can control the weather. When the shadows tell Ejii to follow Jaa, the leader of her town and the person that beheaded her father, she goes. Against the wishes of her mother because the shadows told her she'll make a difference in preventing the war.
There are a lot of really interesting things in this world. How this world came to be for instance. But also the opening of doors to the other worlds. A lot of things are seeping through in our own world. From talking cats to the guardians of the doors to the other worlds. The other world we actually visit has a problem with us because of the polution we bring. Their world is complete nature. There are so much great things to be find here.
But I didn't love it. I struggled to connect with the characters. I felt very far removed from them byt he writing, and as such it was hard to care if something happened to them. I missed some depth in places.
Even so, the world building in itself interests me enough to want to try the conclusion to this duology.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Death
Beheadingwornpagesandendlesscoffey's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Shadow Speaker was an amazing SciFi Futuristic story that follows a complex and wonderful female main character as she begins to understand the gifts she was born with, how to use them, and what they mean for her future, and the future of the world she lives in. Ejimafor (Eji) is the central character of the book and she will absolutely throw you some curveballs! When you read it, you'll know exactly what I am talking about! From her early life, her tragic backstory, the strained relationship she has with her family, her village, and her gifts, to when she makes a decision to follow the Shadows, this book is full of action and adventure as well as phenomenal characters and relationships. Dikeogu lends his brand of snarky friendship just when it is needed and keeps the story from becoming too desolate. Jaa is about as complex as they come and you will love and hate her in equal measure. This story reminds me of WoT in that several worlds are meshing together via rips in reality/the universe, but with that SciFi edge and explanation. The magic in this world isn't mystical- it's scientific, a mutation. There is also Muslim themes and a sprinkling of faith throughout the text- as well as how Eji reconciles her faith and who she has even told she must be versus who she needs to become. Overall, I really loved this book and look forward to reading more from this author!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Gore, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery and War
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