Trail of Lightning

My actual score for this book would probably be closer to 3.5 or so. Rounded up to 4 because its a first book. The world building is very cool and immersive. The blend of Native American culture and disaster movie aesthetic created a unique background to the story that held my attention. The side characters are fleshed out enough that I actually care what happens to them.
Unfortunately, there are also several weaknesses that bothered me. When we Maggie finally finds out what her partner can do, it's incredibly anticlimactic, and makes her look stupid. The general plot point is...fine, but Roanhorse doesn't stick the landing to my satisfaction. Additionally, the same kind of joke is to build character connection. Nicknames are not the only way people get to know each other. (This isn't a huge complaint, but it started to feel like a shortcut to saying “These people like each other!”). My final complaint is part of the ending just feels strange. I've read it twice now and while I understand it, I feel like it could have been handled better. Maybe I'm missing some nuance?

The premise of this book was great: Navajo mythology meets dystopian urban fantasy. However, the execution left a lot to be desired. The book started out really strong, but towards the middle, I had some trouble following the plot. It became all about the protagonist's love relationships—but what about the monsters? The interpersonal relationships felt very artificial, and the weird make-over and nightclub scene was unnecessary and somewhat cringeworthy.