Trail of Lightning - Book Review

Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World #1)
by Rebecca Roanhorse

What is it about:
While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last—and best—hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much larger and more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel to the rez to unravel clues from ancient legends, trade favors with tricksters, and battle dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.

As Maggie discovers the truth behind the disappearances, she will have to confront her past—if she wants to survive.

Welcome to the Sixth World.

What did I think of it:
When I heard about this book I had to get it. Post Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy with a Navajo heroine? Sign me up.

And I very much enjoyed this read. I loved the lore, worldbuilding, characters, and most of the story. What worked less for me was Maggie's background. At the start of the story she is pining after her mentor, the man who taught her how to be a monster hunter and how to use her clan powers. It turns out this relationship was pretty important for how Maggie reacts to things and for some parts of the story. I had wanted to know more about this relationship, maybe even have that relationship be part of the book instead of only seeing Maggie pine over it after the fact. Because I didn't see what happened it was hard to connect with this part of the story.

That aside this is a cool read with many twists and turns, nasty monsters (both human and otherwise), and a really interesting setting. Maggie can be completely oblivious at times, but Kai and other characters made up for that. And the ending! I need to know what will happen next.

All in all I'll get my trotters on the next book once it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Post Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy read.


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