The Wings Upon Her Back

I won’t lie on this take on The Wings Upon Her Back by Samantha Mills:

If you’re looking for a fantasy novel that feels fresh, this one barely scrapes by. The world‑building is wildly inconsistent , a society neatly divided into sects and god‑portals floating overhead sounds promising, but the logic behind it all is thin and the metaphors clunky. The protagonist, Zemolai, is presented as a seasoned warrior only to fall into the most predictable redemption arc imaginable. We watch her parrot the same doubts and epiphanies countless times, and by the time the big “revelation” hits, you’ve seen it coming a mile away.

Let’s talk pacing: at times the story drags under weighty flashbacks and internal monologues, then jolts into frantic action with little transitional care. The alternating timelines are supposed to give depth, but instead they fragment the narrative and dilute emotional impact. Supporting characters exist almost solely to serve Zemolai’s journey, making the ensemble feel hollow.

And the themes—authoritarianism, blind faith, the cost of loyalty are familiar enough to feel recycled rather than probing. Despite the author’s ambition, the execution lacks subtlety and leaves little room for the reader to feel the weight of true transformation. By the end, the wings feel less like a symbol of flight and more like shackles dragging the story down.

A hard pass!