Black Sun
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ok first thing first: Look at this cover. It is a work of art! I’ve been ‘accidentally’ leaving it out around the house just so people have a chance to see and comment on it. I may have to get a new shelf just to display it properly. I think it’s my favorite cover of all time!
How is a god born? The first chapter of Black Sun focuses on the moment in a boy’s childhood when his mother sets him irreversibly on the path to godhood. The first time I read this book I barely made it through. Everything is told from the boy’s perspective, but with enough hints from Roanhorse to let the reader know what’s actually happening despite the boy’s naivete. The scene isn’t gory or even violent, exactly, but the sheer intensity of the emotions underpinning the mothers actions and her son’s love for her were hard for me to read.
As soon as I made it through that chapter it was smooth sailing through the rest of the book, and I’m so glad I stuck with it. This review is coming after my second read through and I’ll definitely come back to it again in the future.
How does a god grow? As we get deeper into the book we get to know the boy Serapio better and watch him as he grows into a young man. He never doubts his mother - he knows he is a god and he knows he will fulfill his eventual fate. I really appreciated the distinction between the belief of many who support him - they believe, but they have doubts - and his knowledge - he has no room for doubt, he knows this the way others know that water is wet or fire burns. As Serapio sets off across the world in search of his fate, we get to learn more about the world with him. And what a world it is! Rebecca Roanhorse used the civilizations of the pre-Columbian Americas as her inspiration and the result is like nothing I’d read before. The vibrant colors and delicious sounding foods all serve as a vivid backdrop as we’re introduced to more characters, all of whom are wonderfully unique and fully fleshed out. My personal favorite is Xiala, an alcoholic sea captain with terrible luck. She isn’t a particularly good person, but she is an incredibly interesting one. I would love to get a spin off book just to learn more of her backstory. I also appreciated the tact with which Roanhorse handled Xiala’s alcoholism. All too often things like that are played off to emphasize how weak/bad/gross a character is, or written judgmentally as the character’s moral failing. Roanhorse instead shows that sometimes when someone is loaded down by past trauma and constant microaggressions, numbing the pain through self-medication becomes a survival tactic.
How is a god killed? Generations ago there was a war that resulted in the Crow God being cast into the shadows. He has returned and wants vengeance against the ascendent Sun God. Every step of Serapio’s journey brings him closer to the final showdown, but where the Crow God has had a single goal for generations the church of his nemisis has grown complacent. Interwoven with Serapio’s tale is the story of the newly promoted head of the Sun God, who is idealistic and trying to refocus her colleagues away from the infighting and political backstabbing that has become commonplace. Chapters jump back and forth between viewpoints and while the final showdown seems inevitable, its hard to predict how it will end.
Black Sun is the start of a trilogy, so while it is an incredible book it will leave you wanting more - as many questions are left hanging as are answered. I barely scratched the surface of all of the politics Roanhorse has roiling beneath the surface. If you love epic fantasy, unique magic systems, vivid characters or political intrigue you need to go get Black Sun right now. I paired it with a Macuá cocktail, a popular South American cocktail and the national drink of Nicaragua. Bright, new, and refreshing - it’ll be a new go-to for me!
Macuá Cocktail
Ingredients:
.5 oz lemon juice
.3 oz simple
1 oz orange juice
1 oz guava juice
1.5 oz white rum (I use Don Q - great balance of price and flavor.)
Steps:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake to combine. Add crushed ice to a highball and pour the drink over the top. Garnish with an orange wedge.
https://www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-beverages-in-central-america
