Gosh, I did enjoy this book, made all the sweeter because I was sceptical about whether I would. I’m glad I took a chance.
Enter the world of Namiri, the dominion of panthers. But this is not a place of harmony. Far from it. Rival tribes seek to annihilate each other, named Obsidians, Alabasters and Pariahs respectively. Purity is valued here and if you’re not flawless you are cast out…or worse.
We follow Raza, reluctant leader of the Pariahs who has problems with the role he has: self doubt, immaturity, lack of sense of self. He has been chosen but is he necessarily the best one to lead the Pariahs? Amani, his second, has faith in him and his qualities but she seems like a far better prospect to be a strong leader. When Raza retreats to his cave, ostensibly to escape the perceived weight of his responsibilities, he encounters something surprising there which changes his course of action, and his thinking.
This is a thought-provoking book dressed up as animal parable, a bit like Orwell’s Animal Farm although not as politically pointed. Questions are proposed about race and colour by the rivalry between Obsidians (black) and Alabasters (white) as well as what constitutes good leadership, all issues relevant to our times as they have been in times before. There is sacrifice, both personal and ritual, and excruciating moments that mark the brutality that can arise when understanding has been lost. This may be about panthers but the situations that Fowler creates can be applied equally to humans in society today.
This is a well-drawn world of tension and threat but with an underlying message of hope. Fowler creates characters who interact convincingly, who are more than just components of an allegory. They have flaws, weaknesses, family history, megalomania. There is also the examination of myth and how much we should follow traditions at the expense of mutual benefit; traditions which divide and which have become constructs to keep you in your place, as decreed by a leader not necessarily interested in your wellbeing.
I thought this was really well-written. I also think it was really well-edited, for pace, continuity and the right amount of detail to keep a reader enticed and interested.
I have no doubt that I will be reading more by Fowler in the future and can thoroughly recommend this book. A high four star read!
This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery where I was privileged to read it as an ARC.
Scuffed Granny 