Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving this request. I really tried with this one. I was very excited about the plot. I thought the audiobook would make it easier, but there were just too many characters for me to follow along with. I typically listen to audiobooks while I'm at work, but maybe I would have faired better reading a physical copy. I wouldn't suggest not reading it, but I can't say that I would highly recommend it.

This story was interesting. I will say st first a was a bit confused and bored at the same time but it quickly faded and then I was invested!

This took me so long to review because I really wanted to give it a chance and it wasn’t grabbing me.
The concept is extremely cool and original, and the fae interludes were very interesting and captivating. Sadly the characters felt very flat to me and some of the story points felt inconsistent or too convenient.
Also I’m not a huge Shakespeare fan so it felt a little heavy in that regard but that’s 100% on me!

I really enjoyed this! The narration was great. I loved the different characters and the magic system and all of the Shakespeare aspects!

This one is for the theater kids! If you love acting and Shakespeare and London and magic — you’ll love this one.

I personally ended up DNFing this book at 38% and I think that’s because I’m not a theater kid and I’m not exactly feeling drawn to the conflict in this book; why are the fae bad and why do they eat people and why is the pact necessary? Maybe I didn’t hang on long enough to find out, but I thought I gave it a good effort!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed That Self-Same Metal. It is a fun book with a unique story. I loved learning about the Orisha, Shakespeare as a character, and the magic system. I liked the characters and look forward to reading more from this author.

2.5

It took me a long time to get through this book and very nearly DNF’d it many times. Great concept but it wasn’t executed well. The pacing was poor. The world building was lacking in explanation, leaving me regularly confused on how this magic system and religion worked. There was so many characters and yet I felt like I didn’t get to know any of them well. Joan has two romantic interests and the only thing I felt she liked about either was that they were physically attractive.

As for the historical fiction aspect the book felt like it used it as an excuse for the racism and misogyny and then had a large list of inaccuracies. All of it made it hard to get through.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me listen to this audiobook. The premise was interesting, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The narrator did a good job and I enjoyed listening to them. However, I had a hard time following the story and there were too many characters. Maybe I need to reread some Shakespeare and come back to read this one.

This book’s premise was so interesting but I found the book to be less than I imagined which slightly underwhelmed me.

There were so many characters that I had trouble keeping up, especially with the audio. I think if I were to give this book a reread, I would try reading it rather than listening. That being said, the audiobook was done well. I just think this boom would be better for me in print/ebook than listening because if the way it’s set up.

The Shakespearean element was done well as well. The integration of his work into this fantasy story was enjoyable to me and made his plays digestible for younger audiences.

I don't think this was my cup of tea. I was really excited about the premises, but I feel like because I don't have a great grasp of Shakespeare I was kind of left in the dust. So many references to it left me a bit lost. I did enjoy the Nigerian lore that was interwoven and the use of fae lore alot. The narrator for this was an excellent choice as well, but I didn't finish this book. Maybe I will feel differently if I try to listen to it later but for now I'm gonna give this a 3 out of 5. The interest is there, but there is still some confusion on my part. I can definitely see other enjoying this. Thank you OrangeSky and NetGalley for the opportunity o renew this book.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I couldn't get into the Shakespeare setting. While the main character was interesting, I couldn't really fall into the world. This book failed to draw me in, but this is likely because I'm not really interested in books about fae characters or the time period. Overall a solid fantasy debut and will keep my eye on this author for future books!

Overall the book was engaging and a great setup, but the story leaves a little on the table in terms of an ending. I enjoyed the mix of European and Nigerian lore. It felt very reminiscent of an immigrant experience. If the book was a little longer it may have gotten an higher score from me because a felt like were things I wanted to explore more. I did enjoy it throughout, and I never got a feeling that we lost the momentum. I would have just like to get more in the first installment. For a first installment it definitely got me interested for what comes next though.

Very thankful to receive an early copy of this book! I actually had the pleasure of meeting. I saw her at yallfest, and she was the sweetest. This book is really good. I really enjoyed how the author brought past London together with Fae Fantasy elements I really enjoyed seeing all of the fairies that are associated with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And I enjoy how she brought both the real and the fairy world together. Joan was such a strong badass character and I loved the Orisha abilities it was such a cool, take on magic, and I really enjoyed seeing how each Orisha used their individual powers. Very thankful to receive this early copy. Do efinitely will add this author on my list to look out for.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy!

I really enjoyed That Self-Same Metal by Brittany Williams. I think the story is very engaging and the character development quite compelling. The way Williams weaves elements of history with her fantasy world is tactful, and really enticing. Additionally, the characters are really easy to love and root for. The audiobook specifically was fantastic to listen to, and propelled me through the story even faster. The novel as a whole intertwines elements of romance, and self-discovery to give readers plenty to ponder throughout the story. I would highly reccomend this book!

Y’all KNOW I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction, so of course I was a bit hesitant to read this. But when I saw the cover I knew I had to at least try it. I can and will read anything that has a Black girl on the cover. They KNEW who they were giving this to lol

When I finally read it, I liked it well enough. The Shakespeare plays and seeing her being able to take part in them (and showing them up by the way!) was pretty cool. I also thought it was cool to see Shakespeare as an actual character? I don’t think I’ve ever read him as an actual person who had quotes or whatever in the book. It was pretty weird. The other things dealing with the historical fiction were the same things that I don’t normally like in historical fiction lol Like the way they degraded women and Black people. I usually get way too angry when I read these things in books, but when it’s YA I usually let it ride because I still like to read them for my job. Also, I like that it wasn’t really history heavy. Like it wasn’t teachy heavy? It did have some information in the back of the book, but not during the story.

The plot was a little all over the place tho. There was fae, Orisha, magic, and all of it was wrapped up together. It also had some racism and misogyny mixed in. And it was a lot going on. And the Orisha taking over people and man. I liked it even though it was really out there. And the sword fighting and the bending metal and the plays and everything was pretty cool. It just seemed like too much. So much so that some things weren’t fully developed and fell flat? Idk, maybe it’s just me.

The world building was a little confusing tho. It wasn’t ever really explained? Like Joan had some metal bending powers and there were other people who also had powers, but it was just mentioned that they had them? Never really said anything about the beginning and where they came from. The rest of the world having them or not having them or anything like that. I’m the type of person that needs the backstory and all details and info. And this had none of that.

This was just ok for me. Sucks because I had built it up so much in my head. Especially since it was a historical fiction book. I was really hyping it up to make myself read it. And tho it wasn’t really my taste, it was still ok. I’d still recommend it to others and those at my library looking for fae and fantasy.

There's so much to love about Brittany N Williams's That Self-Same Metal! If you enjoy historical fantasy, I'd highly recommend checking it out!

That Self-Same Metal follows Joan, the girl in charge of maintaining the stage blades for Shakespeare's plays. She has the ability to control metal and can tell fae from humans. This story shows the author's love of Shakespeare but also addresses issues of racism and sexism during the time period. There are a lot of actual historical figures in this story and the author's note at the end was just as interesting as the book. This is a debut novel and it had a couple issues with pacing and stilted writing, but the premise is so much fun and I loved the characters. I can't wait to read more from this author!

I was instantly pulled into this historical YA fantasy debut set in Shakespearean London. Joan is sharp, bold, and, while aware of her position as a young Black girl in London, manages to live boldly and for herself. The narrator did a spectacular job bringing the atmosphere of this novel to life and differentiating between the various major players in Joan’s sphere. Plus, my thespian heart was swooning with the fact that not only is Joan a talented stage fight choreographer but we also get several scenes of Shakespeare’s acting company, The King’s Men. I’ve read a few magic systems that revolve around the Orishas, but the blend of the Orishas, fae, and historical London in THAT SELF-SAME METAL are simply *chef’s kiss*. I’m looking forward to book 2 in The Forge & Fracture Saga and seeing where we go next!

An entertaining mix of historical fiction and fantasy, with a retelling of A Midsummer Nights Dream. I love the powers that Joan and James have received from the Orisha, I am hoping that we will get to see more of James power in the second book.

Patricia Allison did a great job narrating this novel and I hope that Patricia narrates the rest of this series.

That Self-Same Metal is a diverse YA fantasy set in Shakespearian England with magic and Fae. The story follows Joan, a teenage metalworker with a magical gift to control metal, her twin brother, and friends who are actors for Shakespeare. I absolutely love historically set stories with magical elements and I thought that setting it in Shakespearian London with actual Shakespearian actors was a super fun premise!

I had a good time with this book! I listened to the audiobook and really liked the narrator's performance. Definitely recommend if you're an audiobook lover! I really liked Joan and the other characters. It was nice seeing a brother sister twin relationship with living parents who were awesome in their own right. I LOVED seeing queer and non-white characters in a time that is thought of being incredibly white dominant. I'm glad this is a series and look forward to the next one. I feel like the door was left open for a poly relationship and I hope that is explored more in the next book.

What got me was the fantasy part, especially with the Fae. I didn't know what was going on for most of the plot and still didn't know by the end of the book. I understood and really enjoyed the parts about the Orisha, but the more intricate plot just lost me. Mind you, I tend to struggle with fantasy plots in general and have a hard time keeping everything straight, so this might be a me problem. To be honest, I didn't really care because I liked the characters and the magical elements enough to keep me going.

Overall, I liked this book and recommend to anyone who is a fan of YA fantasy! 3.8 stars from me rounded up to 4. Thank you to OrangeSky Audio and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!

I was so incredibly excited about this book. It almost felt like it was written for me!
Unfortunately after nearly trying to read this for a month I have decided to DNF it. It takes a lot of time to get into the story and the writing feels convoluted at times. I lost interest 40% in. The main character Joan, was really interesting and likable but the plot and the pace were so lacking that it put me out of the story; it wasn't as intense as I expected. I liked how this book included BIPOC characters in the Victorian period, and did a good painting of the climate at the time, but having Shakespeare defending them when he was himself most likely racist was very weird. Just having him be a speaking character in the story was weird actually. I also think focusing on the discrimination of the period took away from the story, it was almost triggering at times. I think it could have been incorporated in a better way. Also the fae and Orisha element was very unique and refreshing but it was lost in all of the other issues I mentioned. I really do think this book has potential but it could use fewer pages and a little more action.