She Would Be King (Moore) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
Moore's vivid characters, beguiling language and powerful subject matter engage us thoroughly. The book is unforgettable.
Minneapolis Star Tribune


This compelling debut novel by Wayetu Moore blends historical fiction with magical realism in an exhilarating tale of the formation of Liberia. Moore effortlessly weaves the threads of indigenous West African tribes, American and Caribbean slavery, and British colonialism together to tell the creation story of a new nation, complete with unforgettable characters and a dynamic voice.
Marie Claire


Hotly anticipated.… A breathtaking retelling of the founding of Liberia.… Wayetu Moore’s magical realism can make anyone believe in how connected humans are to the world around them.
Glamour


Stunning.… It is an epic narrative, weaving together themes of diasporic conflict, the legacy of bondage, isolation, and community, and it offers a transcendent, important look at the ways in which the past is never fully behind us, and instead echoes throughout everything we do.
NYLON


[An] impressive fantasy that revolves around three indelible characters.… Moore uses an accomplished, penetrating style—with clever swerves into fantasy—to build effective critiques of tribal misogyny, colonial abuse, and racism.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review) Many books are devoted to connecting Africans of the diaspora, yet… Moore's debut does so with remarkable …spiritual, and mystical dimensions.… [P]oetic dialog… [allows] readers to imagine events, sights, feelings, and sensations.  —Ashanti White, Fayetteville, NC
Library Journal


Moore’s insightful, emotional descriptions graft these stories right onto readers’ hearts.
BookPage


An ambitious, genre-hopping, continent-spanning novel.… Moore is a brisk and skilled storyteller who weaves her protagonists' disparate stories together with aplomb yet… [renders her] cast of characters in ways that feel psychologically compelling.
Kirkus Reviews