Book 55
Wings of Ebony by J. Elle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway which in no way influenced my review. Sorry for the long delay on it (hospitalized for months) Rue comes off the first page with a strong voice and her own agency. She's grown up in Houston's inner city with her younger sister and raised by her mom until her mom was murdered. Rue's dad stepped into the picture after that and turns Rue's life upside down.
Not only does she not want to know the dad she believes abandoned her and her mom, but he whisks her off, with out her half sister, Tasha, to Ghizon a hidden world of magic users. (I am curious about the blurb calling her a half god as that term is never once used in the book). She and her dad are the only Black faces in the crowd of Greys, the people of Ghizon who owe their allegiance to the Chancellor who brought magic to them).
The story is told non-linearly. It opens after Rue using her best friend Bri's invention to break the rules and go back to visit her sister only to learn that Black kids are being forced to serve the Litto crime gang (work for them or die) and her sister is in danger. It bounces back and forth between this and the past where Rue learns about her parents, about magic and eventually the awful hidden truth of this magic.
I was drawn in immediately by Rue and Bri. Rue is unapologetically Black and the book takes a stark look at racism. Where it faltered a bit for me was in the world building. I wanted Ghizon and its people described better. Where is this place? Another reality? in a hidden pocket ala Wakanda? And I thought Grey was a euphemism for White people but actually no, not quite. And it does show how one dictator with complete control of education and media can twist a population's thinking in a generation or two (which is about all the time the Chancellor had)
Without spoiling things, I will say I am a little tired of YA love triangles. It's muted in this but there are two guys and when she's with either they are her ride or die (words she states numerous times) and honestly I'd have been happier if the Ghizon guy who thought Rue walked on water was a woman, just to keep the strong Black woman theme going. And I'm a little tired of magic being tied to either gender or ethnicity as a trope (I thought J. Elle made her racism point strongly enough without it) And I was a bit disappointed in Rue's treatment of Bri after she basically blows up the Ghizon belief system which yes is based on a lie and racism but it's still the only thing Bri has known and to not allow her any remorse was cold.
That said, I did like this book very much and am interested in where this series will go.
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