Sierra Farrare

Airabeth by Jojo Bee was a surprise, but in the best possible way. I should start by saying that I don't typically read fantasy, but this author has absolutely changed that. Nadia's ability to feel like a real character allowed the reader entry into her world, and all of the supernatural things that came with it. Often times, I feel like characters within this genre are caricatures of good and evil, but Bee shows us that people, magical or otherwise, are not black and white, but contain multitudes and frequently, exist in shades of grey. What I loved most was how much the relationships were the central focus of this story, even as we are surrounded by fantastic things. It is Nadia's dedication to her siblings and her friends, that drive her above all else. There are other relationships that develop in the novel that I worried would eclipse this warm, familial feeling, but Bee does a good job of balancing Nadia's motivations quite well. If I had to offer a criticism, it would most definitely be the naming conventions surrounding the central conceit, aka Lords vs. Masters, and their given names plus their actual names. For starters, I think the names of the Lords vs. Masters as groups is... clunky at best, and could even make some readers think of some darker times in our real world history. I also think the actual names of these involved characters being literal (Cruelty, Doubt, Warfare, Sickness, et. al) feels like an oversight by an otherwise thoughtful author. I perhaps would've found these characters more compelling if I was able to deduce on my own what harbinger of death they were, instead of being told so pointedly. Airabeth was a fun read, and Jojo Bee is an author to watch!