4.5 stars.

This book was a totally wild ride. A complex, but terribly exciting and intriguing fantasy with great writing. This is my first read from Rebecca Roanhorse, but after this experience I will not only be anxiously awaiting the sequel, I will be searching out her backlist as well. Her writing is immersive, descriptive, dark, and just plain enjoyable.

This story is so amazingly intricate and phenomenally constructed. The inclusion of South American forklore influence is something I found both intriguing and new. The atmosphere was rich and beautiful. I was lapping it right up.

The characters are very diverse, with great representation that felt seamless and natural. There are multiple protagonists as well as several important supporting characters and I found them all to be so amazing and tangible. The balance between them is well done as well and the construction of the story for multiple timelines felt fairly seamless in transitions.

I love being able to broaden my horizons with a read that keeps me gripped from beginning to end, which this did. There were admittedly some issues with pacing that slowed a few spots for me and prevented a full 5-star reading experience, but I was so wrapped up in the story and wondering where it would go that I plowed right through the slow parts to get my teeth sunk in a little further. The ending was a complete whirlwind that left me wanting more to the detail, but also left me salivating for the next installment. I mean...wow. I'm going to need this sequel soon.

** Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **