I do think this was a connector novel as Deka discovers more truths within her own world about the gods and magic, it does become a very interesting mystery. Forna started working on the series at college when, in her dreams, she saw a girl in golden armour, walking into a battlefield while carrying two swords. She then spent some time doing “soft research”, looking into the history of pre-colonial Africa, as well as the myths she heard from her grandmother growing up, to create the fantastical world. But success for the author once described as the “Toni Morrison of YA fantasy” was not instant. A poignant examination of patriarchal oppression that ensnares its reader and doesn’t let go. With a compelling main character and fresh magic system, it takes you on a journey of self-discovery through a fantastically built world with a burning mystery at its heart.”—Kalyn Josephson, author of The Storm Crow This isn’t a standalone. The story is complex and very much carries on from the events that took place in The Gilded Ones. Deka and her friends face newer, more ruthless challenges, questioning their missions and the truth of what they’ve been told, when one reveal after another puts everything they think they know into question.

Overall, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS 😍😍😩😩🤌🤌 From the gorgeous writing to the fast-paced & twisty plot to the well-developed characters, everything was done SO WELL!! The Merciless Ones was such a satisfying sequel that has gotten me SUPER excited for the third book. I can’t wait until it releases!! First, some of the things I liked. I've enjoyed watching Deka grow in her confidence. I really loved the friendships that have evolved and the trust and loyalty that have developed between the characters. I also enjoyed learning more about the relationships between the gods. From the start, it is clear that Deka struggles with the adverse impact of her previous actions and the final revelations in the preceding book. Her complex emotions are regularly detailed, allowing readers to understand her decisions throughout the story. As her powers grow, Deka also experiences some personal growth that makes her character easy to connect with and realistic. It felt great to see her gain even more confidence and seek the truth for herself rather than completely trust what she is told.The Gilded Ones redefines sisterhood and is sure to leave readers both inspired and ultimately hopeful." --Stephanie Garber, #1 NYT bestselling author of Caraval Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark... My actual rating is somewhere between 3.5 and four stars (where are those half stars when you need them!), and I round it up because overall, I really enjoyed the story. Imani Jade Powers does a phenomenal job with the narration of this story. The variation in the pace and pitch of her reading effortlessly conveys the intensity and sentiments of the story. On top of this, cute accents and voices are done for the various characters, making the audiobook more entertaining. The Merciless Ones is the second in Namina Forna’s “Deathless” series. For a follow-up novel, I thought The Merciless Ones did a decent job in furthering worldbuilding and character development. It took me a bit to get into, but once it got going, the book had me hooked! (Of course, spoiler warnings for the content ahead if you haven’t read the first book, The Gilded Ones.)

This sequel to The Gilded Ones starts off with a bang and the violence, horror, and brutality that our heroine Deka goes through is pretty much nonstop. The story is unending in its brutally, which always takes me by surprise (but shouldn’t), considering its target audience. The world Deka and her friends inhabit is cruel and unforgiving and it often takes me a hot minute to reconcile with the things these characters have to do to survive. The characters turned from fully rounded people into paper cutouts, devoid of personalities and very uneven. I just couldn't understand them anymore. They were all over the place, especially the main character who suddenly turned into a male apologist.

Next, the writing. AAAAHHHH I ADORE THE WRITING 😍😍💕💕 It’s so beautiful & descriptive, and has this lovely magical quality to it. I LOVED all the gorgeous descriptives and the way it plunged you right into the story. The worldbuilding was elegantly woven into the narrative and introduced in such a great way. I thought we’d learned so much about Otera in The Gilded Ones, but there was actually so much more!! The action scenes were really well-written and so were the emotional ones. I now really want to read more of Namina Forna’s work, because her writing is just TOP NOTCH 🤌🤌 There is a saying, Deka: when gods dance, humanity trembles. And a lot of dancing is happening these days. Thankfully, as the Nuru, you have a say in the direction of the dance.”