This novella was nothing short of phenomenal. Easy and smooth worldbuilding coupled with unique and exciting POV characters made this one of my fastest reads in a long time. While I was initially concerned about the amount of worldbuilding that would need to happen in a 160-page novella to fit the hook, it was done in a masterful way that never once took me out of the story. The characters were fully fleshed out and realized, as were their world and the roles they played within it. Each character gets a spotlight that shines more on their history, role, shortcomings, and struggles.

My only "negative" was that some plot points felt a smidge rushed or that they could have been foreshadowed more, but I believe that has more to do with my drive in mysteries to figure out the reveals before we learn them as less to do with the quality of the work. I wish I had more foreshadowing around the big reveal, but I was pleased with it and loved the complexity it brought to the story. The setting was lush and full of danger and secrets, and I loved it!

Cheers to my first novella of 2024! 🎉

I will read more of Tobi Ogundiran's writing and look forward to future reviews! Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy of IN THE SHADOW OF THE FALL by Tobi Ogundiran.