i genuinely think this story could have been really amazing, and maybe the sequel will be, but this book lacked something i couldn’t even pinpoint in the end. i thoroughly enjoyed the influences of the jamaican and carribean folklore/fantasy that was interwoven in this story.

the initial world-building was beautiful. and the fictional cultures, a formerly occupied island-country and the occupiers, and their histories, were also so complex in the beginning but then it got to a point where we had to guess something when it came to their histories because it wasn’t previously stated.

the magic system in this story was interesting and the dragons were cute. it was some of the best fleshed out aspects of the story.

the miscommunication in this story between the two protagonists, who are sisters, made me want to rage. there was moments where i had to set the book down to take a breather lol.

despite how much it made me want to rage, the miscommunication also progressed the story and made it so dramatic and fantastical in the end, which kept me captured. a double-edged sword trope? i don’t know, but i am intrigued to read the sequel.

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I NEED TO PROCESS THIS — rtc