Beasts Made of Night {by Tochi Onyebuchi}

Title: Beasts Made of Night
Author: Tochi Onyebuchi
Series: Beasts Made of Night #1
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: First to Read

In the walled city of Kos, corrupt mages can magically call forth sin from a sinner in the form of sin-beasts – lethal creatures spawned from feelings of guilt. 
Taj is the most talented of the aki, young sin-eaters indentured by the mages to slay the sin-beasts. But Taj’s livelihood comes at a terrible cost. When he kills a sin-beast, a tattoo of the beast appears on his skin while the guilt of committing the sin appears on his mind. Most aki are driven mad by the process, but 17-year-old Taj is cocky and desperate to provide for his family. 
When Taj is called to eat a sin of a royal, he’s suddenly thrust into the center of a dark conspiracy to destroy Kos. Now Taj must fight to save the princess that he loves – and his own life. 
A gritty Nigerian-influenced fantasy.

I loved the idea for this story, and I was very excited for the Nigerian-inspired elements. But I don't think it quite lived up to my expectations.

Pros:
-The Nigerian elements. This world was very rich and full, both the setting and the folklore and the characters. I thought that it was such an eye-opening look into another culture and its people.
-The characters. I loved our main character, Taj, but also his friends and the others in this story. While I didn't feel that they were so fully fleshed out, I loved them.
-The plot. This idea that sins are manifested and "eaten" was super interested and very well executed.

Cons:
-The writing. There was never really a point where the writing sucked me in. While I was interested in the story, sometimes the flow of the writing just sucked me out of the story.
-The plot. I know I listed it above as a pro, but hear me out. While I enjoyed the story and what was happening, I also feel that it jumped around way too much. Certain things weren't explained well, which added to the feeling of not being fully invested.

In the end, while I loved the idea of this book, it did not live up to its full potential. However, it was still a very enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to picking up more of Onyebuchi's writing in the future.

Tochi Onyebuchi

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