Tag: religion

BONUS REVIEW: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

BONUS REVIEW: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

On the day of Deka’s purity ritual, her village is overrun by the violent, monstrous deathshrieks. But with the power of her voice alone, Deka makes them leave. This skill, and the gold that runs through her veins, marks her as a demon – alaki. Her sentence is death, but no matter how the elders try, she just won’t die.

The alaki are thought to be descendants of the Gilded Ones – four demons who terrorized the kingdom until the first Emperor defeated them. But Deka can’t fathom how she could be connected to them. And she’s consumed with shame for her impurity.

Deka is taken to serve the Emperor, committing to 20 years of service where she can earn her freedom. She and her “bloodsisters” will train with the most skilled alaki. Then they will lead the Emperor’s campaign against hundreds of thousands of deathshrieks. They will wipe them out forever, or die trying, no matter how many times it might take.

Review

Wow, this was great! I loved the world building here and the fascinating magic structures in the story. I was not expecting the smash-the-patriarchy angle to this, and I loved it. (There’s a great author’s note for readers on the themes of the book.)

I was impressed with how the author builds her story. It’s satisfying and compelling while also holding back significant information until the later sections of the book. The story never suffers in the waiting, though, but I did feel some of the reveals were more rushed than I wanted. I think slowing down to give more time to them would have negatively impacted the pacing of the story, though. So I will “suffer” with less depth and detail than I wanted. Maybe I’ll get that in the next book. I expected a cliffhanger for this, but the book stands on its own. There is still story to tell – this is just the start of a series. But the book ends in a way that feels “whole.”

I loved Deka in this – her sweet nature with her friends, her immense inner strength and loyalty, and her resilience. All of the core characters are great, but Deka really shines.

While the story has a lot to say about patriarchy and misogyny, it also hints at some questions about religion and faith. This is meaty and would make an amazing book group selection. YA fantasy fans should not miss this one! (Some language, violence/abuse, TW: references to sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry

REVIEW: Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Michael is angry – annoyed – bitter. His dad takes a new job or promotion, and their whole family is uprooted. They’ve moved four times in ten years. And for the latest move Michael, a self-professed atheist, is enrolled in a Catholic high school.

Michael’s never had a faith system. At the school, he knows none of the “rules” – he crosses himself wrong, he’s never been to mass, and he has an uncanny ability to stick his foot in his mouth about anything religious.

But he finds his people – Lucy, the Catholic who wants to be a priest; Avi, the Jewish kid who’s also gay; Max, who likes to wear a cloak to school and is Unitarian; and Eden, who is a Celtic Reconstructionist Polytheist. Together, they are Heretics Anonymous.

It starts out as just a place to commiserate about all the things at the school that make them crazy. But Michael thinks they should do more – actually try to make a difference. But the best of intentions sometimes have a way of going horribly wrong.

Review

This was fascinating and funny! I loved Michael. He’s opinionated and sarcastic, and his anger at home comes out at school with various repercussions. I felt for him in his anger and hurt, but I also understood his faith questions and his struggles at school.

There’s an irreverence  to some of this that might turn off some readers. But I loved the honesty of it. It’s raw at times. I’m more comfortable with faith questions than I’ve ever been before in my life (I think it sometimes comes with age.). And I love that this book raises some hard questions. But Michael finds a safe place to raise his questions and fall apart and try to put the pieces back together. I loved all of it. I don’t embrace all of the faith systems and ideas expressed in the book, but I enjoyed the experience of watching the teens try to work through their own ideas. It would be fascinating to talk with some teens who’ve read this and hear their thoughts.

There’s some language and other mature moments in this. And there’s one Bible reference that’s inaccurate in some of the details, but the information and point is right on target.  I highly recommend this for readers who love books that make them laugh AND make them think.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½