sr_toliver's reviews
523 reviews

SUMMARY: Two twins who are separated at birth must somehow join together to defeat an evil monarch who is hell-bent on retaining his power by any means necessary. The story follows the two girls as they live their separate lives, one in the palace and one in a small village. Through various trials, mostly for Nala, the two girls meet in the city and join forces to take down the evil king. I don’t want to give too much away because the story is an enjoyable ride.

WHAT I LIKED: I really loved the storyline up until the last act. I felt as though there was so much background leading up to the end, and the end happens in a few pages. I’m guessing this might have a sequel, but it actually would’ve been better if this one concluded more succinctly. Outside of that, though, I really liked the characters and the relationships they formed throughout. There was a lot of complicated character building that was pretty good. I also appreciated that although there was adequate detail about the setting, the author didn’t overdo it by telling the reader what the dew on a leaf looks like. I’d definitely recommend.

How well do we know what and/or who is beneath our feet? Do we ever ask? How much of our history have we forgotten, and who is charged with remembered? The Forgotten Girl is a story about two kids who happen upon a forgotten girl who only wishes to be remembered.

This was definitely a creepy story, but I really enjoyed the “why” behind everything. The main female character, Iris, is consistently forgotten in life (by her predominantly white classmates and teachers; by her parents because their attention is often on her younger sister). Because of this, it makes sense why a ghost girl, who has been forgotten, latches on to her. However, the power of friendship, remembrance, and family ensures that neither girl is forgotten. I really appreciate the commentary on abandoned segregated cemeteries as well as our forgotten history. I also appreciate the familial and friendship aspects of this story. I think it would be great in middle school classrooms, and Id love to see someone pair this with Cin’s Mark by Zetta Elliott.

Mbalia does it again! I was so engulfed in the story from beginning to end, and I love how he infused new Black gods and goddesses into the story. I love the story, but I also learn. So many stories have been lost, and Tristan has helped me to find them.

It’s not the normal genre I read, but I really liked it!

This is such a powerful book. It’s is a memoir that includes elements of magical realism, a hybridization that brings together realism and imagination beautifully. Everyone should read this, no matter your genre preference, because it’s just that important and wonderful.

There’s so much packed into this short novella. I read it when it first came out, and I read it again yesterday. I still found something new even within 100 pages of book. Those new insights show me just how much intricacy is involved in this tale. It’s one I’ll definitely read again in a few years!

This book was so weird and so amazing. I love how Jemisin writes, making her worlds - even when they’re attached to ours - seem like they’re a part of our own, like these things are really happening. We just can’t see it.

This book is amazing. I didn’t want to put it down!