A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

I had such high expectations for this book and so much wanted to love it. And while there were a lot of things I did love, there were a bit too many other parts that didn’t speak to me at all and unfortunately left me feeling slightly disappointed in the end. It was very well-written with a fascinating would-building and a story with interesting West African folklore elements, but sadly it didn’t live up to its full potential. 

I have some very mixed feelings about almost all parts of this book. The world building and plot were the two things that made it really unique and interesting, but at the same time, were the root to the problem for me not being captivated by it. It took me a long time to get into this book, and all details also made the pacing a bit too slow. The world and its magical and political systems were a little bit too complicated and made me feel detached from the story at some points. I also had problems with the plot itself and how it was both unique, but nevertheless at the same time too predictable even though it was told in such a complicated way.

My main problem though was the characters and their love story. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the romance part of the story at all. There wasn’t enough buildup and the romance didn’t feel believable in any way. It was insta-lovey to the extreme, and I somehow couldn’t root for either of Malik or Karina. Which was so sad, since they were both interesting characters with a lot of depth and relatable flaws.

But all in all, it was an enjoyable and unique read, with really interesting magical and folklore elements. It’s just that it had the potential to be so much more.

Rating:
3 stars

Get your own copy:
Bookshop.org
Amazon
Book Depository

​Author info:
Roseanne A. Brown