That Self-Same Metal (The Forge & Fracture Saga, Book 1) by Brittany N. Williams
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Web ID: 167483454 reviews
Swords, Shakespeare and Sapphics
So a fun fact about this book is that when I was at a Leigh Bardugo book signing early this year, she recommended this book to the people there. So naturally, I requested it on NetGalley once I saw the audiobook, despite it being a form of reading I am not yet accustomed to. However, despite it taking me a lot longer to read than a book typically takes, it was a great book. I loved reading about all of the characters, and I am very glad that this book did not fully fall into the all-to-common trope of making William Shakespeare himself a fraud, although the character is definitely a real person. The book also does a good job of acknowledging the racism of the times and condemns it without holding these characters to today’s morals in the way that a lot of books do.Also there is a queerness and not just for the fae, for everyone, as I have a personal hatred for when the fae are queer in a way that seems as if they are queer to distinguish them as something other than human, as opposed to showing queerness as a human trait. I mean, the fae are still equally queer which is also good, but it's everyone this time. There is also a high chance that the books may end with the main character in a polyamorous relationship, so I am really excited for that.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Excellent historical YA
The book’s blurb says this is a “stunning YA fantasy debut,” but that is an understatement. It is so much more than just a debut YA fantasy. This a well written, beautifully plotted book with fully drawn characters that keeps readers, regardless of their age, turning pages as fast as they can read them. And, as a bonus, the book is set in Shakespearean London and has a Black heroine. The lead character, Joan Sands, is a sixteen-year-old gifted swordswoman and craftswoman who is responsible for the upkeep and care of the blades used by the actors in the King’s Men acting company – Shakespeare’s company. She is slowly and inexorably drawn into the morass of an impending Fae uprising. Like every sixteen-year-old girl, Joan falls in love easily, sometimes with more than one person and regardless of gender. Even if you think you don’t like YA books and/or fantasy books, you should give this book a try. Some of the best writing is happening within the YA genre and this book is at the top the best-of-the-best lists. My thanks to Edelweiss and Amulet Press for an eARC.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Great new YA fantasy series
This book was recommended to me because I really enjoy Rick Riordan's books (both the ones he writes and the ones his imprint publishes). However, it also reminded me of Bloodmarked and Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. In short, this is a great book and a wonderful start to a new series! Joan and James Sands work with the King's Men, Shakespeare's acting troupe. James is an apprentice actor and Joan is the fight coordinator, props person and all-around craftsperson for the group. Joan and James are part of a family that is blessed by the Orisha. Joan is a child of Ogun, the Orisha of iron, and is able to manipulate metal (making her the perfect person to take care of the blades used during Shakespeare's plays, as she can fix any nicks and make them blunt or sharp). James is blessed by Oya, the Orisha of wind and death, and can produce a storm on cue and senses death. Their mother is a child of Elegua, the Orisha of crossroads and doorways, and can create doors to travel between far-away places. Their father is a child of Yenoja, the Orisha of the oceans and motherhood, and can control salt water and speed healing. Another gift of the Orisha is being able to tell who is Fae by a glow around them. Joan and James' parents tell them they are not spiritually mature enough yet to know certain things, but that doesn't stop them from finding out that the Pact between human and Fae has expired, and the Fae are are spilling into the human world. Joan's godfather, who was supposed to complete the ritual to renew the Pact, has been arrested, and no one knows where he is being kept. He, too, is a child of Ogun, and the only other child the god has claimed is Joan. But her parents don't want her getting involved and completing the ritual. However, when a Fae seduces Burbage and causes him and Shakespeare to try to kill each other during a sword practice, Joan uses her powers to wound the Fae, Auberon, with iron. She finds out one of the acting troupe is actually Fae and has shared his stories with Shakespeare, leading to him writing A Midsummer Night's Dream. But Auberon is a hundred times more scary than Oberon, and is now on a quest to get rid of Joan and take over the world. And he's not the only Fae wreaking havoc in London and all over the world. This book has romance, swordfighting, characters from history, and magic, but it also tackles more weighty subjects, such as racism. Joan and her family are Black, and are insulted in large and small ways every day. While this book is set in the 1600s, many of the things said and done to the Sands family happen to Black and Brown people still to this day. If you have a child who is ready to move past Percy Jackson, but isn't quite ready for serious romance yet, this series is a great stepping stone. While Joan has a crush on two different people (one male, one female), they do nothing more than kiss. Thanks to Abrams for the advance copy of this novel!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
engaging and unique YA historical fantasy
THAT SELF-SAME METAL is an intriguing YA historical fantasy. Joan is 16 and talented with metals - something that is actually a magical gift from her Orisha, Ogun. She works with her twin brother at the theatre, helping to supply them with blades and choreograph their fights, a job which she absolutely loves. Her life is thrown for a loop when she runs into Baba Ben, who is on his way to help renew the treaty with the Fae when he is arrested. His arrest prevented the peace treaty renewal, and now, the Fae have been unleashed on London with all their mischief and malice. Joan is able to see them and has a helpful ability that would allow her to keep them in check - something that puts a target on her back. As she is drawn into the politics, she will need to keep her wits about her to keep herself and those around her safe. What I loved: This was such an interesting take on this time period in history. It was clearly well researched and many of the characters are based on people who actually existed, including William Shakespeare and other members of the King's Men. Joan was a particularly compelling character, who experiences a lot of growth during the story as she defines her own desires from life, aside from those that have been given to her by parent and Orisha expectations. She also has much to learn about the way of the world, the Fae, and the bargains made in the past. Themes around destiny and choice, friendship, family, politics, prejudice, and being true to yourself. While Joan's destiny seemed decided from birth when the Orisha Ogun chose her, she is not always sure how she feels about it. She is learning about the element of her own decisions that has weight in her destiny and choices. As she moves forward and questions what she has always accepted, she comes to her own epiphanies and personal growth. The story was full of action with the fierce Joan leading the way. The release of the Fae from the treaty has really created a volatile situation, and as someone with the power of an Orisha, Joan is in a unique position to identify and stop them. The historical premise along with these fantasy elements were quite clever and make this a unique and engaging story. What left me wanting more: As a small thing, the story does not fully flesh out the background of magic and the Fae in this historical context. There are a lot of types of Fae that aren't fully explained to the reader even as they are encountered. While I would have loved some more details around this, the book does read very quickly as-is with just enough information to give the reader an idea of what is happening. This may also be improved in the final book. As another thing, I would have loved to see more of the romance(s), as these were very background and not fully developed, but again, this really keeps the story action-packed and moving fast on the primary plots. Final verdict: THAT SELF-SAME METAL is a unique and intriguing YA historical fantasy that captivates readers with a fast pace and action-packed plot. Recommend for fans of BLOOD DEBTS and WINGS OF EBONY. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com