First and foremost, I just want everyone to know that Ayana Gray is an incredibly talented storyteller. This was one of those stories that I could easily see my family members passing down to me, and the fact the the cast boasted characters with skin color and hair texture like mine was incredible.
In terms of characters, I immediately fell in love with both Koffi and Ekon and for very different reasons.
Koffi is an indentured servant expected to repay her father’s gambling debts by living out her life at the Night Zoo. Ekon is determined to reclaim his honor by finally becoming a Son of the Six. These two are the antithesis of one another. Koffi has magical abilities and prefers spontaneity than any sort of plan. Ekon grapples with OCD and struggles to function without a clear plan in place.
The world building in this book is incredible. The descriptions and the magic within the Night Zoo, the Greater Jungle, and the stories that are shared were lush and immersive. I especially loved how the magic tied to gods and goddesses, but I’m not telling y’all which animal belongs to which deity.
This story is told from multiple POVs, which at first is a bit confusing, but it all comes together rather spectacularly.
There’s so much more that I could say, but I really want y’all to experience this one for yourselves. This was an easy five stars for me, so make sure you pre-order this book!
Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
In terms of characters, I immediately fell in love with both Koffi and Ekon and for very different reasons.
Koffi is an indentured servant expected to repay her father’s gambling debts by living out her life at the Night Zoo. Ekon is determined to reclaim his honor by finally becoming a Son of the Six. These two are the antithesis of one another. Koffi has magical abilities and prefers spontaneity than any sort of plan. Ekon grapples with OCD and struggles to function without a clear plan in place.
The world building in this book is incredible. The descriptions and the magic within the Night Zoo, the Greater Jungle, and the stories that are shared were lush and immersive. I especially loved how the magic tied to gods and goddesses, but I’m not telling y’all which animal belongs to which deity.
This story is told from multiple POVs, which at first is a bit confusing, but it all comes together rather spectacularly.
There’s so much more that I could say, but I really want y’all to experience this one for yourselves. This was an easy five stars for me, so make sure you pre-order this book!
Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.