Review Detail

I was right in my prediction that Koffi and Ekon would be separated for most of the story. Where I feared that would detract from the plot, it instead allowed for other rich characters to become integral to the plot. Interwoven between the present that Koffi and Ekon are experiencing is Koffi’s mother’s story. Through Binti’s narrative, we see the hardship and increasing prejudice Daraja faced after Lkossa’s breaking. We learn why Binti turned away from her heritage and her mother and why Koffi never learned she was a Daraja until her quest to apprehend the Shetani. The additional background and characters make the world-building more detailed and real.
Koffi and Ekon both meet other potential love interests and it held my curiosity whether they would pursue the new partners or stay true to what they began on their original quest. I was left unsure of which path I hope each pursues.
Koffi’s confidence and abilities grow during her stay in Fedu’s land of the dead. Ekon in many ways lost confidence as he grows further away from the teachings of the Sons of the Six and the path, he thought his life was on. He is continually confronting things about the world that he never experienced before and learning how to adapt.
Final Verdict: I used an audiobook for a portion of this book. The two female narrators were pleasant to listen to. The person doing Ekon’s voice was fine when he was thinking or narrating events, but when speaking as Ekon or Themba it became distorted in a weak and squeaky manner that made Ekon’s character seem younger and less adept. I thought for some reason this would be a duology so it was a bit surprising when events were not resolved and the ending felt abrupt to me. I do hope the next book is quick to publish.