No One Will Save Us
Julie L. Brown
JAB Press (2024)
ISBN: 978-1735475035
Reviewed by Megan Weiss for Reader Views (02/2025)
“No One Will Save Us” by Julie L. Brown is a riveting tale about a young African princess who must leave her home and family behind and travel across the ocean to discover the truth behind mass disappearances taking place throughout her queendom. Princess Chibuike “Chi” was only ten dry seasons old when she first spotted a man with skin as pale as the moon while frolicking through the forest.
In 1619, the Queendom of Kana was shocked by the news of neighboring villagers vanishing without a trace. In their wake, only death and emptiness were left behind. When rumors start circulating that the same pale men Chi encountered as a child might be behind the disappearances, the Kanaians must move fast if they are to prevent the same fate from befalling their brothers and sisters. With her trusted friend, Efe, by her side, as well as her mother’s blessing and a contingent of her fellow sister warriors, Chi sets out to find these pale men and teach them that greed is no match for bravery
“No One Will Save Us” takes a new approach to historical fiction by weaving a sort of dystopian-like atmosphere into the story. The setting takes place in what modern history books would consider colonial Africa, at a time when the American slave trade was just getting underway in the New World thanks to the establishment of settlements such as Jamestown. The choice to feature a matriarchal queendom during a period where power was typically reserved for men, Julie L. Brown shows readers how certain populations, especially women, have been underestimated by history for hundreds – maybe even thousands – of years.
Chi is a narrator who is at a crossroads. At 20 years old, she is not a child, but she still has a lot to learn about the adult world. Though a seasoned warrior, she has been lucky not to have witnessed much in the way of violence in her life. Her shock at the disappearances of her friends and neighbors from the surrounding villages, and the reactions of both her and her fellow warriors, illustrate a sort of final loss of innocence as they set out to save their queendom from a dangerous outside force.
“No One Will Save Us” is a fast-paced read that fans of historical fantasy, dystopian fiction, and books about powerful female characters and societies will devour. In a time when many women across the world may be fearful of losing their rights and voices, Julie L. Brown provides audiences with a book as a reminder to them to never surrender. If we come together to fight against the forces that wish to silence us or impose different values and cultures over ours, then by vowing to leave no one behind we can build a resistance to oppression and injustice.