My biggest issue with this book was that it felt like character motivations shift for the sake of the plot. No deeper explanation was given for why characters were the way they are. So many actions or feelings flipped on a dime with no fluidity. I was either left with more questions or totally perplexed by character behaviors. -why did Neheda hate the maji enough to kill the first king and stop his treaty? -why would Amari be using her father as the voice guiding her in the fight to be queen when she wanted to be better than him? What made the princess who spent the entire first half of the book talking about protecting ALL people, decide to sacrifice an entire village just to kill two ppl, her brother & mother? And if they decide to go down that path with her then stick to it. Don’t turn it around and have Zelie bring them all back to life. -where was Tzain when Zelie was disregarding Amari’s valid ideas and Amari was ignoring Zelie’s warnings. He would have been useful as a voice of reason but he just disappeared. No personal growth for him as a character and no perspective on the issues between the two women most important to him. -why would Ojore decide to kill Inan when he found out what the Queen did instead of knocking him out and going after Neheda. He knew Inan didn’t want the war? Ojore is the one who betrayed Inan when he went to broker the treaty, he knew Inan loved a maji, yet he was laying everything at his feet. -why didn’t Inan just flat out tell Amari that their mother is the one who started the entire war? She didn’t trust him that was the time to be blunt & tell her exactly what he had learned not cryptic. -how is it that when Zelie found her home rebuilt and the letters from Inan she was in tears, she was shocked that he was going to dismantle the throne & talking about him working his way back into her heart yet when she sees him, even after she accepts his apology, she decides to just flat out murder him. I’m not saying it was a bad follow up, it had really good world building and I like the exploration of the different kinds of magic and how they could be used together but there were some major character issues. Hopefully book 3 gives some real character growth and cleans up the relationships. I think it would be best it Inan and Zelie ruled together. Create some kind of counsel with a represent from every faction. But before we get to that they have to deal with the obvious love triangle between Zelie, Inan and Rowen.
Ane Adores -completely agree. The quick clean up after Amari order that massacre felt cheap. They should have just had a rouge faction of the group do it on their own. Also, why didn’t MaMa Agba publicly back Amari. She took her to sit and talk, told her that she had a valid point about trying to work with Inan to avoid a war and broker peace but she never offered that support in front of anyone else. She could have told Zelie that she agreed or that she should listen to Amari. Which black grandma or Auntie would see two girls bickering like that and not step in and speak to them and try to be a mediator in the situation? She was an elder and someone they both would have shown respect and deference to if she had sat them both down. This is the same woman who in book 1 was knocking Zelie on her butt for being rash and not listening yet she was just so tame in book 2.
@@Pfruit0916 My friend you have said nothing but the truth! Till this day I don't understand what the purpose of having Amari burn down the city was. Why ruin a good character for the sake of an unnecessary conflict. And Mama Agba should have been leading the Iyikas like how it was mentioned before, NOT Zélie. God anybody but Zélie. Zélie just has main character leader syndrome, that forces her to not listen to any guidance from fellow peers when it is needed most in a life or death situation.
mannnnnnnn i still can't believe how much i hated the ending of this book. The fact that the whole book was based on them preparing to defeat the monarchy and at the end of it, even with everything pointing at their victory, it didn't happen, just makes me so angry. Like, the elders getting together and uniting their power forces was literally the vision Oya had showed zélie coming to life, like the rainbow, the different colors intertwined to become a greater power, literally everything was ponting at their victory. It doesn't make sense to me to write an entire book with no final purpose. Like???? what was the point of it all? Destroy the friendship of Zélie and Amari? Because it was literally the only thing this book served for. And don't get me wrong, i actually enjoyed CBB, i was actually invested in the story and extremely excited to see what would be the consequences of bringing back magic the way Zélie did, with the whole nobles with magic thing. I actually thought it was really clever to give them magic and show them staying with their hatred towards the maji, because it gave me this perspective of understanding that it was never about their magic or anything specific that those people had, it was about STAYING at the throne, about maintaining the system that kept the nobles at the top and the maji opressed. What once was about Saran having his family killed by maji had just become about maintaining the whole oppressing scenario, something that happened (and still happens) multiple times in history when we think about the colonization processes around the globe, for example. Like, how the colonizers used MULTIPLES excuses to justify the genocide and bloodshed of the colonized when at the end of it all it was only about having power. Anyways, it doesn't make sense to write about an on-going war, to lose all those maji in battle, for a literal whole bunch of nothing lmao I really hope tomi makes her way out of this mess in the next book and that this slave ship thing end in the first chapters, cause that just ain't it. After all their fight, after years of oppression, the maji bring magic back so they can be slaves again?? COME ON TOMI ARE YOU ON DRUGS 😭😭😭😭 sorrry for the gigantic comment, I just had to take it out of me lol love from brazil sz
I’m late to this conversation but I just read the book and I gotta vent somewhere😭 I was really invested in the story the whole way through mainly as a hold over from the first book. (I read them both for the first time back to back.) I think that where this book succeeded in world building it failed in character development, which was shocking given the way the characters and their relationships developed in the first book. I agree that the main characters made decisions that didn’t make since given what we knew about them (most of all Amari). I also thought the side characters were just kind of thrown in there. There presence was important and I wanted to care about them, but we were really only given information about them on a need to know basis. Which is understandable I guess, given that a supporting cast of 10+ is really difficult to navigate. But for me the ending was the only part I really disliked. I’m ok with cliff hangers but if they’re being sold into bondage than what was the point of the last two narratives? But still black fantasy novel is right up my alley so I’m sticking with it till the end😂
vent away, it's a safe space here 😄. I agree with you 100%! As this is now a 5 book series, I hope Adeyemi figures out where she want to take this, I'll only keep reading for so long
Good review!!! I feel like nothing really progressed from book one since they were still dealing with the same conflict but with different characters. I feel like this series should’ve been a duology and just ended there since it seemed everyone got what they wanted in the end until that cliffhanger.
The sequel was such a far cry from the action packed abticipation of the first book. I agree, I still don't understand why the queen did what she did and why it was not explored more because she was the cause of all that happened. I feel like this book didnt have character development and zelies brother was put in the background and I really thought he would get a few chapters here. The romance plot was heavy leaned upon in this one and I feel like no romance would have benefited, it didn't feel organic instead it felt super cringe (keeping in mind I love romance in books so that's saying a lot)
What is this A Series of Unfortunate Events? As a reader I’ve been given real trust issues within my experience reading this series. I know it’s a good thing for a writer to create an emotional connection between the readers and the characters (and she did a good job making me feel attached to her characters), thus pulling at the reader’s heart strings when things go wrong for the characters. Buuut, I feel like this was overdone as if it was the writer’s main goal to see how many times she can devastate the readers. It was incredibly frustrating when there was no satisfaction allotted to the readers at all in any area for any characters and their goals or for any of their relationships with each other. Could Inan’s flip-flopping have been a more fluid and understandable internal battle rather than a 180 resolve each time he changed his mind on his standing? - Could Zellie have been less forgetful of everything Amari has done in the first book? Could she have at least stood up for her more? (Amari stole the scroll and withstood judgement for being the princess. Amari didn’t kill Mama or Baba. Amari killed the king...) and would it be so terrible if just 2 people understood each other and remained loyal to each other to the end no matter the rise of doubt in others? Does everyone have to feel betrayed by everyone? ...I feel betrayed.
I LOVED your review on this book. I literally just finished it today and I have some of the same issues with the series as you. Being a person who watched Avatar the last airbender as a child and knowing Adeyemi used that as her inspiration she could’ve gone so many directions with the plot in book two. I think my two biggest issues were the characters and the fast pace of the book. For one I feel Zélie as the protagonist should’ve gotten way more development she’s grieved her father but since Adeyemi insisted on that trainwreck romance of Inan/Zélie I feel she should’ve had a clear moment were Zélie sought some real closer from that break up rather than her rage fueling her to end him and then taking her anger out on Amari. (Plz excuse that runon Lol!) Amari and Zélie’s sisterhood friendship took a complete turn in this book and I hated it. For one the “The girl I love” line you were talking about had me just as confused and I feel Adeyemi gaybaited that not gonna lie😂I truly didnt ship them as a couple to begin with but don’t play with people’s mind knowing damn well Zélie is developing somewhat of a healthy relationship with Roën and same with Amari/Tzain. The development of the clans was great but the magic system still isn’t explain how it should be; since Zélie was blessed with the powers to make Cênters why isnt she strong enough to destroy the thing the created. Lastly the pacing of the book threw me off, the goal of freeing the diviners people was good but I feel like the author truly didnt give us a set antagonist like the first book we had King Saran (I dont count inan as an antagonist to be honest cause he is too indecisive for his own good) but in the second book we have(??) who Nehanda? Like there should be a clear antagonist and just more development overall. Imma read the third book when it comes out but I think this series was a major flop I hated wishing for Zélie to truly heal and get the gratitude she deserves from risking her life for her people (Mama Agba was really the only one who stuck by her with compassion and confidence).
I agree with all of your points! I really hope we get some closure with her grieving in book 3. I was a Zélie and Amari shipper, but that line seems like an editing error as it's so random lol At this point the series seems a little lost, I'm going to continue and hope it starts making sense.
I agree I’m assuming the next book Zelle and Anon will get closer because this slave ship situation knocked Ronan down. I’m also guessing this will bring all the Orishians together so Anon and Zelle can rule together. I preferred the first one to this one too. I hoping the last book is super action packed and paced better. Have you read Dread Nation? I’m on the second book and I’m enjoying it much more than VoV.
I think you're right, we may have a love triangle on our hands though. Your theory makes perfect sense. I've not read it but I've heard loads about Dread Nation, I'll add it on goodreads now as I keep forgetting!
It was a good book but inan's character was just too weak eventhough I did feel for him.It is aggrivating that he could never come out with the truth about what is really going on. Personally the ending just frustrated me because I feel like its a recurring incident where as they get close to victory something happens that helps them grow stronger but how long is that supposed to continue. They just get captured like that when we are getting settled for peace like damn action really has a good impact on the reader but we do need calm moments that can give us some time to just chill. The book was head on and emotional so I can't wait for the next one because I am dieing to enjoy a happy ending after all the death of loved ones and to stop seeing characters (Zelie in particular) make strong relationships only for them to be broken.
“Once they got magic and embraced it, what was their hate based on? It just didn’t have legs to stand up on” SURPRISE! You’ve just described race relations in America, in a nutshell. It doesn’t have to “make sense” to exist and tear an entire country apart. Just know that’s what ppl are up against. Amari was the most well developed character in this entire book. Nothing was sudden about the monster Amari became. “Strike Amari” was the reoccurring voice through even her most well meaning moments. I’m very happy she had a redeeming moment, albeit at someone else’s expense. I’m not sure how Zeile’s character was confusing in her relation to Amari. Imagine having a friend who comes from a line of ppl who have hurt you constantly telling you what’s best for YOUR ppl although she has never had to walk in any of you all’s shoes. Imagine her demanding she lead a culture she knows NOTHING about. You love her because she’s your friend but it dsnt lessen the insult. Perhaps it resonates with me because I’ve had the white best friend who felt she knew what was best for my demographic and attempted to FORCE her way, creating more damage than good. Inan was absolutely spineless and pretty useless in this book, but I couldn’t help but feel for him, especially after Zelie read all his letters. I do however, pray he takes a stronger stance in the final book. Roën, despite being my favorite in this installment, was so under developed. I feel that after the question of the song he hummed in the cave, we’ll get a better look at his character in the 3rd book. We knew they had a connection (it was hinted at in the first book) but the “love” blossomed so fast without much background that it felt a little unnatural compared to Zeile and Inan. I believe the mercenary clan has captured them (the mask Roën tossed, the gas, the ship were all dead give aways). I don’t believe knowing where the books are headed and ending would make the kinks any less smooth. In fact, that would ruin the journey and adventure. You’re not SUPPOSED to know. There SHOULD be plot twists and cliff hangers. Finality is for the end of the series. A longer book with more character development before they step into main roles would, however, be welcomed.
I get what you're trying to say with your first point, but I kind of think it further proves mine, should a racist person wake up one day with brown skin, I highly doubt they would go on as normal. Not a single noble developed empathy? no one began to question what they were doing? I get what Adeyemi was trying to write, I just don't personally think she quite has the range to do so yet. She's Nigerian, we argue over tribal differences all the time, she has the material right there. I get why Zelie was taking her anger out on Amari, but we did that in book 1, and it made sense then. We shouldn't still be seeing this, after all they went through together it's a lazy way to throw in conflict when you want to push the plot. I think Adeyemi is gearing up to have a big redemption arc for Inan, but he's been such a wishy washy character so it will be interesting to see how she does it. I'm personally not a fan of plot twists for the sake of throwing the reader off, it's been a minute since I read the book, but if memory serves me right Roen and his men had no real integral part in this book, for me a good plot twist should make you want to go back and read the whole book again as things start to click into place, a well foreshadowed one shouldn't make you question it when it happens. The fifth season by N.K Jemisin is a fantastic example of a plot twist with a brilliant set up.
@@Anesjournal Tomi is only now starting to connect to her Nigerian heritage. She didn't grow up raised in Yoruba culture. By her own admission she started learning about it as an adult as like many immigrants her parents raised her American and it shows. I wished the magic system, world building, and characterizations were better thought out in this series. The first book fell back on a lot of constant action. This one had less constant action so the characters needed to be stronger.
I disagree. Amari should not have been hearing her father's voice to begin with let alone taking advice from him. The whole "Strike Amari" was forced imo. For one, it is made clear that Amari does not want to associate herself with her father the moment he kills her bestfriend. Even prior to that they never really had a strong relationship because he was so focused on preparing Inan for the throne and neglected her to her mother and princess duties. In the first book she makes the decision to kill her father knowing that he is a tyrant, a lost cause, and will stop at nothing until the magi are dead even if it means killing his own children. She even tries to warn her brother of this and threatens to off him if he harms Zelie. She wants to be different from her father. The 1st book was centered around establishing that she is not her father or her brother. I can understand Inan trying to take advice from his father because he is a brainwashed wishy washy fool and that was established in the 1st book, but not Amari. The 2nd book erases Amari's whole personality in the 1st book for the sake of some cheap shocking conflict. And to make matters worse, it doesn't even stick to it by having Zelie bring everyone she's killed back from the dead. Toni Adeyemi clearly was motivated by the Dany Mad Queen storyline in Game of Thrones and decided to model Amari in the same way last minute. It didn't work.
My biggest issue with this book was that it felt like character motivations shift for the sake of the plot. No deeper explanation was given for why characters were the way they are. So many actions or feelings flipped on a dime with no fluidity.
I was either left with more questions or totally perplexed by character behaviors.
-why did Neheda hate the maji enough to kill the first king and stop his treaty?
-why would Amari be using her father as the voice guiding her in the fight to be queen when she wanted to be better than him? What made the princess who spent the entire first half of the book talking about protecting ALL people, decide to sacrifice an entire village just to kill two ppl, her brother & mother? And if they decide to go down that path with her then stick to it. Don’t turn it around and have Zelie bring them all back to life.
-where was Tzain when Zelie was disregarding Amari’s valid ideas and Amari was ignoring Zelie’s warnings. He would have been useful as a voice of reason but he just disappeared. No personal growth for him as a character and no perspective on the issues between the two women most important to him.
-why would Ojore decide to kill Inan when he found out what the Queen did instead of knocking him out and going after Neheda. He knew Inan didn’t want the war? Ojore is the one who betrayed Inan when he went to broker the treaty, he knew Inan loved a maji, yet he was laying everything at his feet.
-why didn’t Inan just flat out tell Amari that their mother is the one who started the entire war? She didn’t trust him that was the time to be blunt & tell her exactly what he had learned not cryptic.
-how is it that when Zelie found her home rebuilt and the letters from
Inan she was in tears, she was shocked that he was going to dismantle the throne & talking about him working his way back into her heart yet when she sees him, even after she accepts his apology, she decides to just flat out murder him.
I’m not saying it was a bad follow up, it had really good world building and I like the exploration of the different kinds of magic and how they could be used together but there were some major character issues.
Hopefully book 3 gives some real character growth and cleans up the relationships. I think it would be best it Inan and Zelie ruled together. Create some kind of counsel with a represent from every faction. But before we get to that they have to deal with the obvious love triangle between Zelie, Inan and Rowen.
Yes to all of this! Also, if we're not going to set Amari down the path of destruction then what was the point?
Ane Adores -completely agree. The quick clean up after Amari order that massacre felt cheap. They should have just had a rouge faction of the group do it on their own.
Also, why didn’t MaMa Agba publicly back Amari. She took her to sit and talk, told her that she had a valid point about trying to work with Inan to avoid a war and broker peace but she never offered that support in front of anyone else. She could have told Zelie that she agreed or that she should listen to Amari. Which black grandma or Auntie would see two girls bickering like that and not step in and speak to them and try to be a mediator in the situation? She was an elder and someone they both would have shown respect and deference to if she had sat them both down. This is the same woman who in book 1 was knocking Zelie on her butt for being rash and not listening yet she was just so tame in book 2.
Very good point! so much is done in this book to drive the plot, so common sense is often thrown out
@@Pfruit0916 My friend you have said nothing but the truth! Till this day I don't understand what the purpose of having Amari burn down the city was. Why ruin a good character for the sake of an unnecessary conflict. And Mama Agba should have been leading the Iyikas like how it was mentioned before, NOT Zélie. God anybody but Zélie. Zélie just has main character leader syndrome, that forces her to not listen to any guidance from fellow peers when it is needed most in a life or death situation.
I am in love With Roen
mannnnnnnn i still can't believe how much i hated the ending of this book. The fact that the whole book was based on them preparing to defeat the monarchy and at the end of it, even with everything pointing at their victory, it didn't happen, just makes me so angry. Like, the elders getting together and uniting their power forces was literally the vision Oya had showed zélie coming to life, like the rainbow, the different colors intertwined to become a greater power, literally everything was ponting at their victory. It doesn't make sense to me to write an entire book with no final purpose. Like???? what was the point of it all? Destroy the friendship of Zélie and Amari? Because it was literally the only thing this book served for.
And don't get me wrong, i actually enjoyed CBB, i was actually invested in the story and extremely excited to see what would be the consequences of bringing back magic the way Zélie did, with the whole nobles with magic thing. I actually thought it was really clever to give them magic and show them staying with their hatred towards the maji, because it gave me this perspective of understanding that it was never about their magic or anything specific that those people had, it was about STAYING at the throne, about maintaining the system that kept the nobles at the top and the maji opressed. What once was about Saran having his family killed by maji had just become about maintaining the whole oppressing scenario, something that happened (and still happens) multiple times in history when we think about the colonization processes around the globe, for example. Like, how the colonizers used MULTIPLES excuses to justify the genocide and bloodshed of the colonized when at the end of it all it was only about having power. Anyways, it doesn't make sense to write about an on-going war, to lose all those maji in battle, for a literal whole bunch of nothing lmao I really hope tomi makes her way out of this mess in the next book and that this slave ship thing end in the first chapters, cause that just ain't it. After all their fight, after years of oppression, the maji bring magic back so they can be slaves again?? COME ON TOMI ARE YOU ON DRUGS 😭😭😭😭 sorrry for the gigantic comment, I just had to take it out of me lol love from brazil sz
Love the review. I don’t think I’ll be reading book 3. I’m so confused with the slave ship situation. Too much trauma with no wins.
I’m late to this conversation but I just read the book and I gotta vent somewhere😭 I was really invested in the story the whole way through mainly as a hold over from the first book. (I read them both for the first time back to back.)
I think that where this book succeeded in world building it failed in character development, which was shocking given the way the characters and their relationships developed in the first book.
I agree that the main characters made decisions that didn’t make since given what we knew about them (most of all Amari). I also thought the side characters were just kind of thrown in there. There presence was important and I wanted to care about them, but we were really only given information about them on a need to know basis. Which is understandable I guess, given that a supporting cast of 10+ is really difficult to navigate.
But for me the ending was the only part I really disliked. I’m ok with cliff hangers but if they’re being sold into bondage than what was the point of the last two narratives? But still black fantasy novel is right up my alley so I’m sticking with it till the end😂
vent away, it's a safe space here 😄. I agree with you 100%! As this is now a 5 book series, I hope Adeyemi figures out where she want to take this, I'll only keep reading for so long
Good review!!! I feel like nothing really progressed from book one since they were still dealing with the same conflict but with different characters. I feel like this series should’ve been a duology and just ended there since it seemed everyone got what they wanted in the end until that cliffhanger.
Yes, I legit thought this as I read it, it should have been 2 really well flushed out books
The sequel was such a far cry from the action packed abticipation of the first book. I agree, I still don't understand why the queen did what she did and why it was not explored more because she was the cause of all that happened. I feel like this book didnt have character development and zelies brother was put in the background and I really thought he would get a few chapters here. The romance plot was heavy leaned upon in this one and I feel like no romance would have benefited, it didn't feel organic instead it felt super cringe (keeping in mind I love romance in books so that's saying a lot)
I agree with you, what the heck happened to tzain?!
What is this A Series of Unfortunate Events? As a reader I’ve been given real trust issues within my experience reading this series. I know it’s a good thing for a writer to create an emotional connection between the readers and the characters (and she did a good job making me feel attached to her characters), thus pulling at the reader’s heart strings when things go wrong for the characters. Buuut, I feel like this was overdone as if it was the writer’s main goal to see how many times she can devastate the readers. It was incredibly frustrating when there was no satisfaction allotted to the readers at all in any area for any characters and their goals or for any of their relationships with each other.
Could Inan’s flip-flopping have been a more fluid and understandable internal battle rather than a 180 resolve each time he changed his mind on his standing? - Could Zellie have been less forgetful of everything Amari has done in the first book? Could she have at least stood up for her more? (Amari stole the scroll and withstood judgement for being the princess. Amari didn’t kill Mama or Baba. Amari killed the king...) and would it be so terrible if just 2 people understood each other and remained loyal to each other to the end no matter the rise of doubt in others? Does everyone have to feel betrayed by everyone? ...I feel betrayed.
I LOVED your review on this book. I literally just finished it today and I have some of the same issues with the series as you. Being a person who watched Avatar the last airbender as a child and knowing Adeyemi used that as her inspiration she could’ve gone so many directions with the plot in book two. I think my two biggest issues were the characters and the fast pace of the book. For one I feel Zélie as the protagonist should’ve gotten way more development she’s grieved her father but since Adeyemi insisted on that trainwreck romance of Inan/Zélie I feel she should’ve had a clear moment were Zélie sought some real closer from that break up rather than her rage fueling her to end him and then taking her anger out on Amari. (Plz excuse that runon Lol!) Amari and Zélie’s sisterhood friendship took a complete turn in this book and I hated it. For one the “The girl I love” line you were talking about had me just as confused and I feel Adeyemi gaybaited that not gonna lie😂I truly didnt ship them as a couple to begin with but don’t play with people’s mind knowing damn well Zélie is developing somewhat of a healthy relationship with Roën and same with Amari/Tzain. The development of the clans was great but the magic system still isn’t explain how it should be; since Zélie was blessed with the powers to make Cênters why isnt she strong enough to destroy the thing the created. Lastly the pacing of the book threw me off, the goal of freeing the diviners people was good but I feel like the author truly didnt give us a set antagonist like the first book we had King Saran (I dont count inan as an antagonist to be honest cause he is too indecisive for his own good) but in the second book we have(??) who Nehanda? Like there should be a clear antagonist and just more development overall. Imma read the third book when it comes out but I think this series was a major flop I hated wishing for Zélie to truly heal and get the gratitude she deserves from risking her life for her people (Mama Agba was really the only one who stuck by her with compassion and confidence).
I agree with all of your points! I really hope we get some closure with her grieving in book 3. I was a Zélie and Amari shipper, but that line seems like an editing error as it's so random lol
At this point the series seems a little lost, I'm going to continue and hope it starts making sense.
I agree I’m assuming the next book Zelle and Anon will get closer because this slave ship situation knocked Ronan down. I’m also guessing this will bring all the Orishians together so Anon and Zelle can rule together. I preferred the first one to this one too. I hoping the last book is super action packed and paced better. Have you read Dread Nation? I’m on the second book and I’m enjoying it much more than VoV.
I think you're right, we may have a love triangle on our hands though. Your theory makes perfect sense. I've not read it but I've heard loads about Dread Nation, I'll add it on goodreads now as I keep forgetting!
I think the point is we are supposed to be annoyed by the fact that their hatred has no real basis
It was a good book but inan's character was just too weak eventhough I did feel for him.It is aggrivating that he could never come out with the truth about what is really going on. Personally the ending just frustrated me because I feel like its a recurring incident where as they get close to victory something happens that helps them grow stronger but how long is that supposed to continue. They just get captured like that when we are getting settled for peace like damn action really has a good impact on the reader but we do need calm moments that can give us some time to just chill. The book was head on and emotional so I can't wait for the next one because I am dieing to enjoy a happy ending after all the death of loved ones and to stop seeing characters (Zelie in particular) make strong relationships only for them to be broken.
Another thing I didn't understand, and maybe I missed something but how and why did the queen get such strong powers?
Honestly, I don't think it was ever explained. She was strong because plot I guess
“Once they got magic and embraced it, what was their hate based on? It just didn’t have legs to stand up on” SURPRISE! You’ve just described race relations in America, in a nutshell. It doesn’t have to “make sense” to exist and tear an entire country apart. Just know that’s what ppl are up against. Amari was the most well developed character in this entire book. Nothing was sudden about the monster Amari became. “Strike Amari” was the reoccurring voice through even her most well meaning moments. I’m very happy she had a redeeming moment, albeit at someone else’s expense. I’m not sure how Zeile’s character was confusing in her relation to Amari. Imagine having a friend who comes from a line of ppl who have hurt you constantly telling you what’s best for YOUR ppl although she has never had to walk in any of you all’s shoes. Imagine her demanding she lead a culture she knows NOTHING about. You love her because she’s your friend but it dsnt lessen the insult. Perhaps it resonates with me because I’ve had the white best friend who felt she knew what was best for my demographic and attempted to FORCE her way, creating more damage than good. Inan was absolutely spineless and pretty useless in this book, but I couldn’t help but feel for him, especially after Zelie read all his letters. I do however, pray he takes a stronger stance in the final book. Roën, despite being my favorite in this installment, was so under developed. I feel that after the question of the song he hummed in the cave, we’ll get a better look at his character in the 3rd book. We knew they had a connection (it was hinted at in the first book) but the “love” blossomed so fast without much background that it felt a little unnatural compared to Zeile and Inan. I believe the mercenary clan has captured them (the mask Roën tossed, the gas, the ship were all dead give aways). I don’t believe knowing where the books are headed and ending would make the kinks any less smooth. In fact, that would ruin the journey and adventure. You’re not SUPPOSED to know. There SHOULD be plot twists and cliff hangers. Finality is for the end of the series. A longer book with more character development before they step into main roles would, however, be welcomed.
I get what you're trying to say with your first point, but I kind of think it further proves mine, should a racist person wake up one day with brown skin, I highly doubt they would go on as normal. Not a single noble developed empathy? no one began to question what they were doing? I get what Adeyemi was trying to write, I just don't personally think she quite has the range to do so yet. She's Nigerian, we argue over tribal differences all the time, she has the material right there.
I get why Zelie was taking her anger out on Amari, but we did that in book 1, and it made sense then. We shouldn't still be seeing this, after all they went through together it's a lazy way to throw in conflict when you want to push the plot.
I think Adeyemi is gearing up to have a big redemption arc for Inan, but he's been such a wishy washy character so it will be interesting to see how she does it.
I'm personally not a fan of plot twists for the sake of throwing the reader off, it's been a minute since I read the book, but if memory serves me right Roen and his men had no real integral part in this book, for me a good plot twist should make you want to go back and read the whole book again as things start to click into place, a well foreshadowed one shouldn't make you question it when it happens. The fifth season by N.K Jemisin is a fantastic example of a plot twist with a brilliant set up.
@@Anesjournal Tomi is only now starting to connect to her Nigerian heritage. She didn't grow up raised in Yoruba culture. By her own admission she started learning about it as an adult as like many immigrants her parents raised her American and it shows.
I wished the magic system, world building, and characterizations were better thought out in this series. The first book fell back on a lot of constant action. This one had less constant action so the characters needed to be stronger.
I disagree. Amari should not have been hearing her father's voice to begin with let alone taking advice from him. The whole "Strike Amari" was forced imo. For one, it is made clear that Amari does not want to associate herself with her father the moment he kills her bestfriend. Even prior to that they never really had a strong relationship because he was so focused on preparing Inan for the throne and neglected her to her mother and princess duties. In the first book she makes the decision to kill her father knowing that he is a tyrant, a lost cause, and will stop at nothing until the magi are dead even if it means killing his own children. She even tries to warn her brother of this and threatens to off him if he harms Zelie. She wants to be different from her father. The 1st book was centered around establishing that she is not her father or her brother. I can understand Inan trying to take advice from his father because he is a brainwashed wishy washy fool and that was established in the 1st book, but not Amari. The 2nd book erases Amari's whole personality in the 1st book for the sake of some cheap shocking conflict. And to make matters worse, it doesn't even stick to it by having Zelie bring everyone she's killed back from the dead. Toni Adeyemi clearly was motivated by the Dany Mad Queen storyline in Game of Thrones and decided to model Amari in the same way last minute. It didn't work.
Agree... I feel like we have to wait for the mother's backstory I'm sure it will all make sense in the next book....
Amari being destructive really Peeved me off! Grrr!! It was the stupidest thing ever - the book fell off from there.