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Parents' Guide to

A Psalm of Storms and Silence

By Michael Berry, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

African myth drives exciting saga of cursed princess.

Book Roseanne A. Brown Fantasy 2021
A Psalm of Storms and Silence Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

Thankfulmom
Thankfulmom Parent of 14-year-old
February 23, 2022
age 14+

Sequel to A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

This is part two of a duology which is more mature than the first. It contains more of everything and there is also a warning box in the front of both books of what possible triggers will happen in each. Overall, this is a great series about hard choices and living with those consequences.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

As A PSALM OF STORMS AND SILENCE opens, Karina has lost the throne of Sonande and is a fugitive from those who wish her dead. Her only hope is Malik, now an apprentice to the conniving sorcerer Farid. Meanwhile the kingdom is out of balance, undergoing a series cataclysms -- including hordes of locusts. Malik and Karina must decide whether their attraction for each other is worth the heartache and bloodshed it will cause.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The myths of Africa inspire more fantasy fiction now, and this long and complicated saga of magical warfare shows the genre at its best. In A Psalm of Storms and Silence, author Roseanne A. Brown builds a fascinating world full of magic, monsters, and intrigue, investing her characters with the solidity needed to make the story grab traction and go. Karina and Malik are haunted by their pasts, and they want to make amends, but they face a formidable selection of antagonists, supernatural and mortal. The plot moves quickly, but there are lulls in the action when all the talking, thinking, and strategizing becomes just the slightest bit oppressive. Fantasy fans will appreciate the ways in which the intricately detailed plot comes together at the end. The duology makes good on everything it promises -- action, romance, politics, adventure -- and marks its author as a young talent to watch closely.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how A Psalm of Storms and Silence uses African mythology to tell a modern story. Why are readers interested in the folklore of various cultures? What lessons can old tales teach today's readers?

  • Malik both reveres and fears his mentor Farid. How do people use personal power dynamics to manipulate others? What would it take for you to agree to hurt someone else?

  • Malik and Karina don't trust to each other. What can someone do to win back the trust of someone they have betrayed?

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