K is for Kishi

I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.

Focusing on an A to Z of my TBR (to be read) list, each letter will have books starting with that letter on my list, a book I’ve read and reviewed (with the review!) and one of my books matching the letter with a link about more info about the book.

I chose the books this year quite randomly from my Goodreads Want to Read page. Some are quite creatively added to letters.

If you’d rather check out my folklore post for today, go here.

You can read reviews for from previous years for this letter here and here, and my year-end reviews here, here, here and, most recently, here.

My TBR

About the Book I’ve Read

The Kishi by Antoine Bandele

An African fantasy based on the Angola folklore of the kishi!

The Kishi—shape-shifting demons who lure young women to gruesome deaths.

They can’t be real, can they?

Something has slain a villager, and the locals of Bajok point their fingers at Amana, a pacifist monk running from his dark past.

But Amana knows there’s something else, something much darker, lurking in the village.

Can he save the village, his name, and his principles? To save one would mean the sacrifice of the others, if he has the strength.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

The first third of the book is really good. The who, what, where, how, when flows seamlessly with the action and keeps one riveted.

Then, suddenly, the language doesn’t fit that first third: syntax changes, modern expressions, and swearing (quite jarring). There are also scenes that don’t add to the story (a whole chapter of walking off over the savannah in case they came across signs of the kishi – despite knowing where they live – and a disturbing scene of cheetah cubs being killed.) The on-page sex was also unnecessary.

I had a problem with the italics as it messes with my eyes and head, making it difficult to read and enjoy the book. Authors and publishers: please consider the neurodivergent when making decisions about italics so books are accessible to all.

The first third, though, was good enough to make one want to read to the end. Even the first chapter which is actually a prologue/standalone short story added to the story. And yes: I was right about who the kishi are, where they live, who their chief is, and who their enemies are – but it was fun to read it anyway.

I would have liked more information about the other creatures and the folklore behind them. Only that of the kishi was properly explored. (I do have a folklore podcast – link in bio – which explores the kishi, jengu, obayifo, Mami Wata and more.)

Great cover, an okay blurb, and a good story.

My Book

Winter’s Kiss (Faery Tales series #9)

Remember that you can request all of my books from your local library!

I hope you enjoyed this. For more books I’ve read and reviewed, check out either my Pinterest board about reviews or my Goodreads profile. Alternatively, you can check out my reviews on BookBub. Have you read any of the books? Loved or hated any of them?

You can now support my time in producing book review posts (buying books, reading, writing reviews and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion.

*FYI, my reviews are my honest opinion and if something bothers me, I tell it straight. How else will anything change? My opinions are based on being a voracious reader and book buyer, not an attack on the author.*

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