A Blade So Black by LL McKinney

Title: A Blade so Black by LL McKinney

Reviewer: Ariana, Grade 11

Rating: 3 stars

This was not the story I was expecting. On the night her father died, Alice ran from the hospital and was attacked by a Nightmare. A creature born out of fear and anger from humans. She was rescued by her mentor, Addison Hatta, and started her year-long journey of becoming a Dreamwalker. This role is a human who can travel into Wonderland and defeat Nightmares. As of late, Alice has been dealing with daily life concerns, which led to a faulty mission. To correct her mistake, she must go on a journey to find a gem lost long ago. 

Alice is a fierce African-American female ready to fight and save her friends. She has weathered the loss of her father, the feeling of helplessness, and blossomed into a warrior. This book is simple with its characters, worldbuilding, and storyline. I adore the mother-daughter relationship! It is the most realistic one I've read. The narrative is cute and fluffy but deals with serious issues of being a Black person (like police brutality). 

The book was fast-paced and modern in its references. While it was enjoyable, I felt like this book lacked from about the sixty percent mark to the end. If this book were a little longer, the journey would have been more realistic and the worldbuilding would have benefited. The writing felt stiff and chunky in sections. However, I do appreciate the intentions and the complex world the author was trying to create. I would recommend this book to anyone starting fantasy.