Read this 'cause N.K. Jemisin's review told me to... and I'm not sorry at all! Enjoyable fantasy with convincing cultures and good characterization. I'll be on the lookout for the sequel(s)... ( )

It seems a little mean to complain that a writer's first book isn't as well written as her later ones, so I'll leave it at an observation that the prose is servicable and the really interesting part of the story - the part that isn't bog-standard fantasy backstory - doesn't really start until halfway through the book. The world is fascinating, a series of islands based loosely on the Pacific islands, as is the magic, which reminds me both of PI mythology and Avatar: The Last Airbender. The characters don't have especially strong voices, but they are complex people. I'm definitely interested enough to go on and read the second one. ( )

It's been a while since I read Racing the Dark but I can remember how much I loved this series. Alaya Dawn Johnson is a masterful storyteller and you would never guess that this is her debut novel. She writes like an old pro. There are just so many reasons why I would recommend this book to anyone. She has a vivid imagination and I can honestly say there has never been anything quite like this story before. Her education in Foreign cultures really shines in this series. I'm not going to really go into plot, you can read the description for the book but I will say her characters are very three dimensional. It's not your average cliche coming of age tale. Lana's is both strong and tragic, she does good things and makes her fair share of mistakes. I've read the sequel and her writing just gets stronger and stronger as she goes. Nothing ever feels forced or fake in her stories. Do yourself a favor and read this tragic tale. I promise you've never read anything quite like this before. ( )

Lana is a young diver on the outer islands, collecting the jewels released by dying fish. But she has the potential for great power, and that—along with the ecological collapse of the outer islands, which may have something to do with the weakening bindings that keep the world’s fire, death, and water spirits bound—leads her into the hands of a witch who has mysterious and potentially devastating plans for her. I like Johnson’s later books a lot better; Lana is jerked around by the narrative in ways that make logical sense (many people are jerked around by their circumstances) but that still leave her seeming flat as a character. I for one look forward to more of Johnson’s AU 1920s New York. ( )

My Rating
Overall Satisfaction: ★★★1/2
Intellectual Satisfaction: ★★★1/2
Emotional Satisfaction: ★★★1/2
Read this for: The world-building
Don't read this for: The characters
Bechdel Test: Pass
Johnson Test: Pass
Books I was reminded of: A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin; The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by N. K. Jemisin.
Will I read more by this author? Maybe.

I hate epic fantasy. I hate the Chosen One trope, I hate the perspective switching that's now de rigeur. I have a strong aversion for coming-of-age plots, and love-practically-at-first-sight, and absolutely anything having to do with Fate. This book has all of those things. So why did I read it?

I love high fantasy. You must understand that I define epic fantasy as only those fantasies where the plot involves the saving of the world, while high fantasy is simply any fantasy taking place in a secondary world. Obviously, the two sub genres overlap quite a bit. So while I try to avoid it, I do sometimes end up reading an epic fantasy novel, if the secondary world seems interesting enough.

This one was.

So much high fantasy takes place in a generic medieval Europe, particularly France and the British Isles; a small but visible minority takes place in vaguely Arabian or Chinese settings. I don't think I have ever encountered another fantasy novel that draws on Hawaii for its backdrop. . .

Read the rest of my spoiler-free review on my book review blog! ( )