I think this book would be a great book club selection – for teens or for adults – so the racial issues of the story could be applied to the racial issues of contemporary America.In this riveting, keenly emotional debut fantasy, a Black teen from Houston has her world upended when she learns about her godly ancestry and must save both the human and god worlds. It’s painful, but it is also a necessary conversation for allies to wrestle with. There’s a conversation between Rue and her best friend in Ghizon about dealing with the repercussions of racism in the story that bears re-reading. The racial pieces of the story – Rue and her father being the only Black people in Ghizon, the ways they are treated there, the ways her old neighborhood is abandoned by law enforcement, etc. But there is still some justice that needs to be served in the sequel. The big questions of the story are resolved by the end – no cliffhanger. I loved how the two pieces of the story merged together – the things in Ghizon and the things in Rue’s old neighborhood. She knows her value and her values, and everything she does operates from that core. Despite the surprises of this magical world and a father she doesn’t know, she is exceptionally grounded and secure in her identity. I loved Rue! Unlike in many YA novels, she is not a protagonist trying to figure out who she is. By the halfway point, though, I was hooked. But the world-building and backstory-building take time to develop. The author does what everyone recommends – she starts in the middle of the action. I felt like the beginning was slow it took a lot longer than usual for me to feel like I had a grasp on this story and this world. I enjoyed this fascinating fantasy novel that merges a magical land with contemporary American settings. And Rue is determined to dodge her troubles in Ghizon, protect her sister from destructive forces from both worlds, and find out what really happened that day.
And Tasha is in the line of fire.īut in one moment, before Tasha was rescued from that accident, before Rue used her magic, something strange happened. And the might of the power players in Ghizon comes crashing down on Rue’s head. All that matters is that Tasha knows she loves her and hasn’t forgotten their life together.īut when Tasha’s life is in danger, Rue breaks all the rules, using her magic to save her sister. She’ll drop her gift on the stoop, and hide in the shadows. She knows the rules – she can’t talk to her, won’t touch her. But she had no say in the decision.Ī year later, Rue sneaks back to her old neighborhood to see her sister, Tasha. She didn’t want to leave her younger sister.
SummaryĪfter her mother was killed, Rue’s long-absent father whisked her away to Ghizon, a secret, magical land.
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