Daughters of Nri

I haven’t cried for a book in a hot minute and boy did I cry. The story was so beautiful written and pulled together. Amayo handles our heroines with such care that the readers wants to also take care of them. Naala and Sinai made me want to bundle them up and take care of them. Two twins who have to burden the weight of the world, separated yet connected through power, loss and more importantly love. Amayo creates a world that pictures Nigeria free from colonialism and the scars of Slavery and in her great imagination she’s created a magical realm. She imagines a world where Black women are allowed to access their power and not shamed for the whims of their emotions. There is no shame for wanting revenge or retribution their is only understanding. The pacing of the story is consistently engaging and mysterious. The stakes constantly rise as you continue and we are left wanting more. This book was a delight to read and I’m so happy it was plopped into my lap by my own attraction to beautiful covers. Further, this novel kept me up all night as I simply could not sleep until I got to the end. I am contemplating starting the next one as I finish this review. Who needs sleep really?

I couldn’t hardly put this book down! I had to keep reading! Such a great story of unknown power and learning of one’s self.

I could not put this book down! I finished it in 2 1/2 days, it was that good...that gripping, that engaging! The characters and the world building were amazing. The prose is absolutely lyrical and the language (yes, I did put the story on hold to look up various words and whether each plant, tree, Ndu crystal or glowing insects really were real) and description of the Furuefu forest and the palace and all the dwellings in between really made me feel like I was there, that I was walking amongst Naala or awakening in my Awku nest like Sinai. I don't know which sister I loved more. I adored them both--Naala...beautiful, brave, strong Naala. How I loved her journey...how I loved her need for freedom, her fierce love for her family, and how I longed for the same revenge she was set on enacting. I loved her relationship with Eni, that sweet, beautiful slowburn...it's one of my favorite parts of Naala's journey. Sinai, the "unimportant", unassuming one. I adored her personality, her inquistiveness, her awkwardness. And her strength, which may not have been as prominent or pronounced as Naala's but there all the same. From her fall to the rise of her power, I was there, reading it all with bated, excited breath. From her relationship with Meekulu to her budding friendship with Ina, I was drawn to her journey. ...But I can't pinpoint a favorite character, not when they all were so vivid and lively and descriptive that they practically jumped off the page and into my heart. Seriously, from their personalities to their descriptions, these characters felt ALIVE. From Eni to Meekulu to Madi to Kora to Ginny to Ina, even Obe Ife and the Eze...no character left me indifferent. I enjoyed them all, for everything that they lent to this beautiful story and the roles they played in each sisters journey back home...back to one another. Fantastic characters and plot aside, the only con I can find in this story was the ending...it just felt rushed, incomplete, too abrupt. But I know...even now that it's over, this is a book I will be picking back up (again and again). Thank you Reni--for Naala, for Sinai, for the journey of these beautiful black sisters and all their black girls magic!

“‘I know you think I’m crazy,’ Naala said quietly. ‘And maybe I am … but try and understand … this is our time, our moment, and it just feels as though … we’re missing it. We’re just standing here, trapped by … customs, watching life go by.” - Daughters of Nri , Reni K Amayo _________________________________ Rating: 5/5 🌟 Author: Reni K Amayo Publisher: Onwe Press Released: 12/2019 __________________________________ QOTD: What’s your favorite 2020 read so far? _________________________________ The answer to today question is an easy one for me. It’s without a doubt Daughters of Nri by Reni so Amayo. Guys when I tell you haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, I 100% mean it. It gave me such a hang over, I am still experiencing it. I ended up staying up till about 3 am to finish it, it’s that GOOD! I have already planned to reread it before the year is over. If you asked me who my favorite sister was Naala or Sinai, I honestly could not pick. They are both such great characters and so well developed. The world building is breathtaking. I fe. The sisters are not the only well developed characters, all of the characters were amazingly developed. Even the ones that showed up briefly. It has definitely shot up into my top 5 favorite books. Daughters of Nri is AMAZING, don’t just take my word for it, please PLEASE read it. I promise you won’t regret it! I am eagerly awaiting book 2! I just have to know what happens next! Side note, I think Eni is hiding something BIG and I think it’s life altering, and if I don’t find out soon I might burst!

Incredibly well written, beautiful story, had me hooked from the start. 10/10 recommend. Can’t wait to read the next one!

Really Good book, a lil slow to start but eventually picks up. Good fantasy and I like how the Author put a dictionary in the back for explanation of things and sayings. Can't wait to see what book 2 contains.

A very good easy read, value for money.

The jumping pattern between the two sisters and their individual journeys kept the story interesting with no dull points! Hope the 2nd book is just as good!

Fascinating world within the book and a gripping story! Very much recommend! I'm so looking forward to read the second one.

How to describe my feelings after reading this novel? I found that the story was kind of slow and I was bothered by the info-dumping in the beginning. Other thing that bothered me, was the end with the Villain Monologue and the combat scene that wasn't satisfying. Never really got attached to any of the characters. That being said: the worldbuilding was pretty cool and the descriptions vivid and pleasant. Lots of different women, which is super nice and all described as beautiful with dark skin and curly hair or braids, and even locs. That I loved. All in all, not a bad book per say (didn't contemplate on dnf'ing it) but not that great either. Just somewhere in the middle.

daughters of nri foi uma jornada pra mim, o livro tem um ritmo próprio e uma mitologia em que não estou habituada, então foi meio difícil em alguns momentos, mas foi tão BOM acompanhar a naala e a sinai nessa jornada, as duas meninas são tão diferentes entre si mas definitivamente não consigo escolher só uma, sai totalmente apaixonada por elas e por esse universo não vejo a hora de ler o próximo!!!!