Member Review
Review by
Christy M, Reviewer
I was lucky to receive an advanced readers copy of All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace, an action-packed, high-seas adventure coming to a bookstore near you February 4th, 2020. I first heard about All the Stars and Teeth from Tomi Adeyemi, the New York Times bestselling author of Children of Blood and Bone. Intrigued by the premise and trusting Adeyemi’s taste in books (and friends!) I requested All the Stars and Teeth as soon as I could. This book promises bloody magic and a journey full of adventure, and it fully delivers on those promises.
SETTING
I am not usually a fan of ebooks because they don’t draw me in as much as a physical book. Adalyn Grace weaves such a magical world with her creative and vivid descriptions that I didn’t have a problem getting sucked into the world of All the Stars and Teeth. The kingdom of Visidia is composed of several islands, and readers get to visit most of those islands. Rather than getting bogged down by the repetition of visiting island after island and the required descriptions of each location, Grace manages to weave these islands into the story in such a way that it moves the story along. I wanted to keep reading because I wanted to keep learning about Visidia, which is as diverse as it is beautiful. Readers are surely in for a visual treat when they pick up All the Stars and Teeth.
CHARACTERS
In addition to the setting, the characters also move the story along nicely. Amora is definitely my favorite character, and not just because she’s the protagonist. Amora has been sheltered from much of her home for most of her life, and her journey across the kingdom reveals just how little she knows. Instead of getting wrapped up in self-pity, though, Amora uses her lack of understanding to keep moving forward on her quest to save her kingdom from a dark threat. She keeps pushing through even when she learns a truth that turns everything she knows on its head. Amora is the definition of a strong female character, and readers are sure to fall in love with this feisty heroine.
Amora is far from the only character in All the Stars and Teeth. She is joined by the pirate captain, Bastian; her fiance, Ferrick; and even a mermaid, Vataea. Amora is by far the most developed character, but the supporting characters all bring something to the story. But you’ll have to read the book to find out!
DARK THEMES
Another of my favorite aspects of All the Stars and Teeth are its darker themes. Amora practices soul magic, and soul magic requires blood. All the Stars and Teeth definitely reads like an old-fashioned Grimm-style fairy tale. One of the first instances of Amora’s magic fully demonstrates how dark it actually is, and Grace does not hold back from other examples.
In addition to dark magic, Grace also addresses dark themes like slavery, corrupt politics, and sexism. She addresses these themes in various ways. I don’t want to spoil the plot for anyone, so I won’t go into too much detail. I do want to promise you that she does not paint the world of Visidia in black and white. Do not expect there to be a clear good side and bad side, because there are always so many shades of gray in between. Grace weaves these concepts into her story seamlessly, and not once does she come across as “preachy.” These themes are definitely a testament to her storytelling abilities.
SETTING
I am not usually a fan of ebooks because they don’t draw me in as much as a physical book. Adalyn Grace weaves such a magical world with her creative and vivid descriptions that I didn’t have a problem getting sucked into the world of All the Stars and Teeth. The kingdom of Visidia is composed of several islands, and readers get to visit most of those islands. Rather than getting bogged down by the repetition of visiting island after island and the required descriptions of each location, Grace manages to weave these islands into the story in such a way that it moves the story along. I wanted to keep reading because I wanted to keep learning about Visidia, which is as diverse as it is beautiful. Readers are surely in for a visual treat when they pick up All the Stars and Teeth.
CHARACTERS
In addition to the setting, the characters also move the story along nicely. Amora is definitely my favorite character, and not just because she’s the protagonist. Amora has been sheltered from much of her home for most of her life, and her journey across the kingdom reveals just how little she knows. Instead of getting wrapped up in self-pity, though, Amora uses her lack of understanding to keep moving forward on her quest to save her kingdom from a dark threat. She keeps pushing through even when she learns a truth that turns everything she knows on its head. Amora is the definition of a strong female character, and readers are sure to fall in love with this feisty heroine.
Amora is far from the only character in All the Stars and Teeth. She is joined by the pirate captain, Bastian; her fiance, Ferrick; and even a mermaid, Vataea. Amora is by far the most developed character, but the supporting characters all bring something to the story. But you’ll have to read the book to find out!
DARK THEMES
Another of my favorite aspects of All the Stars and Teeth are its darker themes. Amora practices soul magic, and soul magic requires blood. All the Stars and Teeth definitely reads like an old-fashioned Grimm-style fairy tale. One of the first instances of Amora’s magic fully demonstrates how dark it actually is, and Grace does not hold back from other examples.
In addition to dark magic, Grace also addresses dark themes like slavery, corrupt politics, and sexism. She addresses these themes in various ways. I don’t want to spoil the plot for anyone, so I won’t go into too much detail. I do want to promise you that she does not paint the world of Visidia in black and white. Do not expect there to be a clear good side and bad side, because there are always so many shades of gray in between. Grace weaves these concepts into her story seamlessly, and not once does she come across as “preachy.” These themes are definitely a testament to her storytelling abilities.
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