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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
3.5 stars This book was so much. I’ll start with the positives. I love these characters and this world. They are all so interesting. The way that the author is able to create a range of distinct cultures and human experiences is lovely. I really enjoyed getting to know all the distinct places and seeing a specifically middle eastern take on a fantasy world.
Both of the lead characters are full flawed people. Their failures and desires felt real. For me Nasir and Altair were so wonderfully human. Their strengths and weaknesses made the book real. I also loved the addition of Zafira’s sister Lana to the group. She added something youthful and hopeful that would’ve been missing with Altair’s distance from the group.
However...this book was too long. It should’ve either been significantly paired down (possibly shortened travel scenes or cutting unnecessary description) or it could be two books (ending the first book with the battle in the Palace). This might’ve been a mismatch between the contract and the author’s vision, but I suspect additional critique could’ve helped.
That said, I am excited to see where Hafsah Faizal goes. She is an exciting voice in YA fantasy for sure!
Merged review:
3.5 stars This book was so much.
I’ll start with the positives. I love these characters and this world. They are all so interesting. The way that the author is able to create a range of distinct cultures and human experiences is lovely. I really enjoyed getting to know all the distinct places and seeing a specifically middle eastern take on a fantasy world.
Both of the lead characters are full flawed people. Their failures and desires felt real. For me Nasir and Altair were so wonderfully human. Their strengths and weaknesses made the book real. I also loved the addition of Zafira’s sister Lana to the group. She added something youthful and hopeful that would’ve been missing with Altair’s distance from the group.
However...this book was too long. It should’ve either been significantly paired down (possibly shortened travel scenes or cutting unnecessary description) or it could be two books (ending the first book with the battle in the Palace). This might’ve been a mismatch between the contract and the author’s vision, but I suspect additional critique could’ve helped.
That said, I am excited to see where Hafsah Faizal goes. She is an exciting voice in YA fantasy for sure!
*thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review- NetGalley*
Both of the lead characters are full flawed people. Their failures and desires felt real. For me Nasir and Altair were so wonderfully human. Their strengths and weaknesses made the book real. I also loved the addition of Zafira’s sister Lana to the group. She added something youthful and hopeful that would’ve been missing with Altair’s distance from the group.
However...this book was too long. It should’ve either been significantly paired down (possibly shortened travel scenes or cutting unnecessary description) or it could be two books (ending the first book with the battle in the Palace). This might’ve been a mismatch between the contract and the author’s vision, but I suspect additional critique could’ve helped.
That said, I am excited to see where Hafsah Faizal goes. She is an exciting voice in YA fantasy for sure!
Merged review:
3.5 stars This book was so much.
I’ll start with the positives. I love these characters and this world. They are all so interesting. The way that the author is able to create a range of distinct cultures and human experiences is lovely. I really enjoyed getting to know all the distinct places and seeing a specifically middle eastern take on a fantasy world.
Both of the lead characters are full flawed people. Their failures and desires felt real. For me Nasir and Altair were so wonderfully human. Their strengths and weaknesses made the book real. I also loved the addition of Zafira’s sister Lana to the group. She added something youthful and hopeful that would’ve been missing with Altair’s distance from the group.
However...this book was too long. It should’ve either been significantly paired down (possibly shortened travel scenes or cutting unnecessary description) or it could be two books (ending the first book with the battle in the Palace). This might’ve been a mismatch between the contract and the author’s vision, but I suspect additional critique could’ve helped.
That said, I am excited to see where Hafsah Faizal goes. She is an exciting voice in YA fantasy for sure!
*thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review- NetGalley*
I couldn’t have predicted that ending but also that was exactly how it needed to end
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
This was a good followup to the first in the series, and surprised me on more than one occasion. I thought the arcs of the characters were believable for the most part, although it did seem to wrap up very cleanly, maybe too clean for my taste.
dark
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
WOW. I loved this duology so much.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I didn’t think book two in this duet would beat my love of book one, but it ABSOLUTELY DID. I am a woman obsessed, I invented chores to do so I could keep listening to it, I repeatedly let @_ericasbookshelf_ know how crazy the twists and turns and yearning were making me. Overall, I’m obsessed?!
[minor spoilers for book 1 ahead]
After leaving Shar and accidentally freeing the lion and also losing Nasir’s brother to him, Zafira and Nasir and their friends must take the kingdom from the corrupt sultan, free Altair, defeat the darkness and the lion. Also they’re so head over heels for each other, but both unbelieving that they can be.
The plot alone is a reason to read this book. It does a cast of characters so well - I feel like I know them all and more importantly that I super care about what happened to them. The story is told in three povs - Nasir’s, Altair’s, and Zafira’s - and it never felt slow or like filler. And the romance?!?! Excuse me?!?! THE LONGING?! This is ya, so there is (appropriately) no spice, but the love and yearning was maybe the best I’ve ever read?!? I will never be over this, it was so so good.
[minor spoilers for book 1 ahead]
After leaving Shar and accidentally freeing the lion and also losing Nasir’s brother to him, Zafira and Nasir and their friends must take the kingdom from the corrupt sultan, free Altair, defeat the darkness and the lion. Also they’re so head over heels for each other, but both unbelieving that they can be.
The plot alone is a reason to read this book. It does a cast of characters so well - I feel like I know them all and more importantly that I super care about what happened to them. The story is told in three povs - Nasir’s, Altair’s, and Zafira’s - and it never felt slow or like filler. And the romance?!?! Excuse me?!?! THE LONGING?! This is ya, so there is (appropriately) no spice, but the love and yearning was maybe the best I’ve ever read?!? I will never be over this, it was so so good.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes