Week 18

I may have done the thing where I checked out too many books from the library again.

Oops??

#26) THE FAITHLESS HAWK by Margaret Owen

I frigging loved this book.

I remember liking the first book in the series, THE MERCIFUL CROW, quite a bit, though I’ve definitely forgotten some of the details of it. Still, from what I remember, this book really blew it out of the water.

Everything about this book and this series really works for me. The oppressive caste system is interestingly wrought (and objectively bad), and the role of the Crows, the bottom caste whose job it is to take care of plague victims, is fascinating.

The fact that the Crows are able to use the teeth of dead people to work magic is also a really fun element, giving the main character many different skills while also having to manage her supply of teeth, and therefore needing to be careful about how often she uses them.

I remember a standout element from the first book being the characters and their relationships to each other. That continues to be true, and watching their relationships develop throughout this book was great. I was invested in both the romance element and the strong platonic bonds between some of the characters.

Giving more information about that element might constitute a spoiler, but I liked watching the characters reckon with difficult choices, and with each other making those choices. I liked the development of the politics and the way it came to twine around the characters.

Also, can I just say how refreshing it is to read a YA (I think) where sex is like…not a huge deal? The main character and her love interest have it, and it’s fine, it doesn’t need to be a big moral thing. I really appreciate that.

All in all, yeah, I had a great time with this, and I’m excited to see what the author writes next.

#27) THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI by Akwaeke Emezi

Ouch.

This book hurts. It’s great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s definitely not for light reading.

Definitely be aware if you’re picking this up that it deals with homophobia and transphobia, as well as incest. I think it deals with all of these elements thoughtfully, but readers should know that they’re strongly present before going in. I’m happy to provide additional, more spoiler-y info upon request.

Despite the fact that this story is deeply sad in many ways (it tells us right there in the title that it deals with a death), I found it also to be oddly joyful. Yes, it’s a story about a tragic death, but it’s also about finding love and acceptance, and what it means to live true to yourself.

I’ve read some critiques that there’s too much going on in this story (too many characters and relationships, not enough focus on Vivek himself), and while I understand where those takes are coming from, I don’t agree. I think there’s space in the story for everything it attempts to do; the development of the characters works, and is essential to the story being told.

Furthermore, Vivek, even when not the main narrator, is inescapable within the story. It’s a story about him, yes, but also about the people around him, and how those stories are inextricably linked. His own interjections are beautiful, and when he’s not narrating, he’s still inescapably present. We come to understand him through his own words, and also through those who love him.

I came to this book from the author’s twitter (which I fully recommend checking out), and I’m really excited to read more of their work.