Those looking for an epic fantasy in an exotic land need look no further! Spice Road is a young adult fantasy with an Arabian motif. There is a journey/quest across dangerous lands, magic, fighting, and danger. The plot clips right along with a few twists along the way.
Told in first person, the reader spends a lot of time in Imani’s head. Imani, a young acclaimed warrior who has been dubbed the Demon Slayer for her exploits in killing the monsters of the Sahir, seems to have a lot of insecurities and internal uncertainties. On one hand, this gives the character room for growth and keeps the reader guessing. On the other hand, it does make it a challenge for the reader to reconcile Imani’s internal chaos and occasional external lack of poise with the title of Demon Slayer. Nevertheless, the story and characters were intriguing and engaging.
Spice Road is the first installment in a planned trilogy. Hopefully in future books there will be more development and exploration of the magic system, since this took back seat to the quest to find Imani’s brother. Spice Road is definitely recommended for YA fantasy and adventure lovers and it offers up a fresh setting for its fantasy world and culture.
And don’t forget that gorgeous cover!
Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy provided by the Publisher
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 2 religious exclamations; 18 mild obscenities; 3 derogatory names; 2 scatological words; 2 anatomical terms.
Violence/Gore: Rumored that someone took their life; character relates how a ghoul killed someone and then how they killed the ghoul; character battles djinni with sword/spear, killing several; character says he found someone when they were attempting to end their life (which they did not); verbal threats; threat with knife at neck drawing blood; hunting for food, bag brought back with blood splotches on it; characters fight to prove who is better, minor injuries, mention of blood; animal is severely injured and put down with a sword; characters pursued by mythical creatures, use of magic to defeat them; injury in fall requires stitches; mythical creature attempts to kill individuals, mass destruction of property, extended scene, minimal injuries; report/mention that someone’s head was chopped off; evidence of prior battle in destroyed property; scaffolding where the remains of individuals are hung in display; hanging is witnessed; man is making unwanted physical advances to a woman, implication of where it is going before he was interrupted; character is hit and beat by another; character runs sword through another’s shoulder and knocks unconscious; extended chase scene with scuffling, kicking, etc. minor injuries; platform for flogging; reference to Death Pits and prisoners being worked to death; person has bruises and swollen lip, evidence of recent beating; person strangles another until they submit; recollection that a young boy was forced to put his pet out of its misery; follow with intent to assassinate; gladiator-style game observed with a few details, mention of blood; report of deaths in prison; bloody fingers from working in prison; prisoner dies from heat and prolonged poor treatment; bodies of prisoners are dumped into a huge pile and smell is rank; young woman cuffed across face by male guard; fighting for money observed from a distance; character pursued and shot at with arrows, characters killed with spear/sword; brief scene where a character falls into a pile of dead bodies in varying states of decay; individual says they were tortured and physical marks of the torture are seen (bruising, cuts, etc.); report of coming upon soldiers beating a man and then using magic to kill the soldiers; extended scene with fires, destruction of property, individuals killed by arrows; confrontation with hitting, threats, knife at throat.
Sex/Nudity: Character often notices the physical attractiveness of another character of the opposite sex; female observes a male changing clothes (upper torso exposed); character wishes another character would kiss her; man is making unwanted physical advances, implication of where it is going before he was interrupted; characters kiss; prisoner is searched by pulling waistband away and looking down pants (non-detailed) before entering prison; guard leers at a female prisoner; characters kiss passionately; characters of opposite sex kiss and embrace.
Mature Subject Matter:
Oppression, death, tyranny/rebellion, incarceration, assassination, politics, class differences, physical abuse (implied).
Alcohol/Drug Use:
Characters smoke; in this fantasy world there is a spice called misra that is consumed to give magical abilities and it is noted that individuals can develop an addiction to it and abuse its use; smell of alcohol.
