Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: YA
Star Rating: 3. 5 stars
Series: second book of trilogy
*SPOILER ALERT: contains SPOILERS for BEASTS OF PREY*
Blurb:
Koffi, gifted with powerful magic, has saved the boy she loves – at a terrible price. Now Koffi is a servant to the god of death, and must choose between the life she once had, or the life she could have if she truly embraced her power.
Ekon is on the run from the ancient brotherhood he betrayed, and desperate to find the girl who saved his life. But as he treks into the greater wilds of Eshoza in search of her, he must also contend with secrets his ancestors never wanted him to know.
Separated by land, sea, and gods, Koffi and Ekon will have to risk everything. But the longer they’re kept apart, the harder their loyalties are tested.
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Review:
BEASTS OF RUIN takes the series from a national threat toward a global one.
This is not a short book for YA but it’s so pacy that you don’t feel how long it is. There is a sort of magic school (though students teaching students as there’s no teacher, just the evil headmaster figure!), a trek through inhospitable lands, and plenty of monsters! The various beasts range from creepy to deadly to intriguing – and I appreciated the author’s note at the back explaining some of the inspirations behind them.
Koffi and Ekon spend effectively the entire book apart, Koffi trapped and Ekon trying to get to Koffi. Ekon’s goal meant that the two felt somewhat connected and part of the same story, despite each other’s actions not affecting the other (something I find crucial with multi-POV stories to engage with all POVs.) I was surprised to find, then, that I was engaged with both of them. Ekon and his trek across the country (not to mention Safiyah being so much fun!) was the one I was a little more eager for.
There is a third POV, in first rather than third person. This is Binti, Koffi’s mother, and is set in the past. It shows her life as she grows up amidst increasing suspicion and discrimination against those with magic. It is pretty separate from the others’, not revealing any information or adding layers of mystery. It shows the complicity of a society in enforcing segregation laws though.
I would have really appreciated if this book started with a “previously” summary. It’s been two years since I read the last book and this entry takes several chapters to get the most pertinent information out (I don’t think I would have got all the points without the blurb.) It meant it took a while for me to get into the story as I was struggling to remember what this book was building on.
I will probably read the final book – and attempt it much sooner than this one so I have a shot of remembering what happened.
Read my reviews of other books by Ayana Gray:
Beast of Prey (this series):
- BEASTS OF PREY (#1)
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 