ish-i-ness reviewed Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
Review of 'Where Dreams Descend' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I struggled through a lot of this book but as I approached the end I realized what makes this book different from so many similar books is that Kalia is a great female lead. In the beginning I found the many instances of mysogyny in this world very uncomfortable. I'm usually of the opinion there's enough in the real world that I don't need it in my fantasy stories. As the book went on, though, it came to me that Kalia provides a model for how to shoulder the weight of it. She knows she is desirable, that others like looking at her, and that her very desirability puts her in constant danger, but instead of allowing the fear she feels from that knowledge to force her into hiding, she chooses the spotlight, daring that danger to come for her, because she knows that's the only way to change how …
I struggled through a lot of this book but as I approached the end I realized what makes this book different from so many similar books is that Kalia is a great female lead. In the beginning I found the many instances of mysogyny in this world very uncomfortable. I'm usually of the opinion there's enough in the real world that I don't need it in my fantasy stories. As the book went on, though, it came to me that Kalia provides a model for how to shoulder the weight of it. She knows she is desirable, that others like looking at her, and that her very desirability puts her in constant danger, but instead of allowing the fear she feels from that knowledge to force her into hiding, she chooses the spotlight, daring that danger to come for her, because she knows that's the only way to change how things work, and to make a world where she, and others like her, don't have to be afraid. There's also lots of very pretty descriptions of magic and decent romance plot if you're into that sort of thing. This is the first of a planned duology so be prepared for a cliffhanger ending.