A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher.

What this book did well: First up, I'll say that I recommend this for any lover of YA fantasy. I feel like this managed to hit so many familiar and loved notes and tropes, but infused it with a fresh take, a vibrant world, and a really authentic voice.

The narrative voice is probably my favorite part of this book. It is rare for me (as an adult and not the target audience) to find a YA that I feel sticks the landing of capturing an authentic teen voice without devolving into something that feels overly young or too juvenile. I think Older nailed it. Mateo is such a teen boy-- his reactions, his jokes, how he handles a bunch of new power and responsibility. It was lovely and laugh-out-loud funny at times, as Older weaves in hilarious descriptions and observations as his character moves through the world.

I loved the way that Older weaves in music into his magic and world. It was so loving and rich. The world in general was great, particularly for all it said about diaspora communities, legacies of colonialism in Caribbean nations, spirituality, inheritances of faith, and the legacies and lore that are imparted by a people. It's smart and thoughtful and is the biggest reason why this is a YA Fantasy both like and unlike other YA fantasies you've read.

I loved the friendship between Mateo and Tam. There is also a romance here, for fans of romance subplots, but I'll be forever platonically shipping Mateo and Tam. Love them so much.

A few things to be mindful of... While I love the world, I will say that sometimes the world build and the vast cast of characters got a little confusing to me. I had to sometimes just accept defeat and vibe with the story, and that was a fine choice-- I ultimately understood everything I needed to-- but if you get lost in the details of fantasy worldbuilding, I feel like this one might be challenging at points.

This also had an interesting pace. Big things were happening, but a lot of times, after a big even or reveal, things settled down into a holding pattern for a while for the character and that's translated into the pace of the story. We got peaks of action, but long slow bits in between.

Overall, I had a good time reading and would definitely continue on in the series.

cw: death of a loved one, violence, possession (of a sort)