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Jan. 19th, 2019 06:56 amI enjoyed Rebecca Roanhorse's Trail of Lightning very much and I would like to give especial kudos to the cover artist, because you take one look at the cover and you're like "okay, so what ARE the key genre factors about this book's protagonist? Well, I can tell right off that she has Cool Weapons and a Black Leather Jacket and a Car, all of which signify that she's probably a loner with an amazing powerset and a tragic backstory and a chip on her shoulder and, like, a lot of time spent fighting supernatural creatures in low-settled areas and then driving angstily off because Does She Bring the Darkness or Does the Darkness Bring Her --"
And, yes, one hundred percent that's the kind of book this is, perfectly executed example of the genre, well done to both Rebecca Roanhorse and whoever designed the book.
I did not actually get from the cover the final plot element of "also she has a love interest who's a supernaturally charming flashy healer boy with the exact opposite personality and skillset to her dark and broody murder powers," but honestly I really should have because it makes perfect structural sense.
The book takes place in post-apocalyptic Dinétah, traditional lands of the Navajo people; the worldbuilding runs on a mix of Diné lore and post-apocalyptic Americana all bound together with some good old urban-road-fantasy Cars And Black Leather Jackets tropey grease. (For the record, the Cars and Black Leather stuff is not always my particular jam, and if I hadn't gone in well primed by the cover I might not have enjoyed it as much as I did, which is why I'm taking the time to call it out!)
I honestly didn't follow the plot a hundred percent of the time -- there were definitely a couple moments where I sort of squinted at everyone heading off for the mandated Next Thing trying to figure out why the characters were so sure that it was the inevitable Next Thing -- but the book was super readable and I'll happily continue with the next one.
And, yes, one hundred percent that's the kind of book this is, perfectly executed example of the genre, well done to both Rebecca Roanhorse and whoever designed the book.
I did not actually get from the cover the final plot element of "also she has a love interest who's a supernaturally charming flashy healer boy with the exact opposite personality and skillset to her dark and broody murder powers," but honestly I really should have because it makes perfect structural sense.
The book takes place in post-apocalyptic Dinétah, traditional lands of the Navajo people; the worldbuilding runs on a mix of Diné lore and post-apocalyptic Americana all bound together with some good old urban-road-fantasy Cars And Black Leather Jackets tropey grease. (For the record, the Cars and Black Leather stuff is not always my particular jam, and if I hadn't gone in well primed by the cover I might not have enjoyed it as much as I did, which is why I'm taking the time to call it out!)
I honestly didn't follow the plot a hundred percent of the time -- there were definitely a couple moments where I sort of squinted at everyone heading off for the mandated Next Thing trying to figure out why the characters were so sure that it was the inevitable Next Thing -- but the book was super readable and I'll happily continue with the next one.
