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hayy6747's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
lainiereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
BEST BOOK BEST BOOK BEST BOOK!!!!!!
Hafsah Faizal has knocked it out of the park with this one, oh my god. I already really loved We Hunt the Flame, and somehow this book was even better?? All of the characters were so great, and they each had so much depth- its impossible not to love the whole zumra. And the emotions this book made me feel???? UNMATCHED! I have never had a book make me feel as strongly as this one, like there were multiple times that I was beyond the point of crying and just wanted to VOMIT because I felt the grief and sadness of the characters as if it were my own. There was also so much happening, in every chapter there was either something dramatic happening, or it was clearly setting up for something dramatic to happen in the next chapter. I was NEVER bored.
OKAY ALSO THE ROMANCE! IT WAS SO CUTE AHHH I love Zafira and Nasir both so much, they are just perfect. The ways they describe their feelings for eachother?? Perfect. It was so poetic and beautiful, I don't know what could top it.
This book also handled the topic of grief really well. There are so many great quotes about death and loss, and I really appreciated how we got to see the characters talk to each other about their losses. It was very powerful and honest.
Last thing: I'm really glad we got to see more of Lana in this book. It was really interesting to see her character development, and I loved seeing Zafira's perspective of her change as she saw more of Lana's true self.
Okay, everyone go read this book!!! SO GOOD I will not be shutting up about it any time soon.
Hafsah Faizal has knocked it out of the park with this one, oh my god. I already really loved We Hunt the Flame, and somehow this book was even better?? All of the characters were so great, and they each had so much depth- its impossible not to love the whole zumra. And the emotions this book made me feel???? UNMATCHED! I have never had a book make me feel as strongly as this one, like there were multiple times that I was beyond the point of crying and just wanted to VOMIT because I felt the grief and sadness of the characters as if it were my own. There was also so much happening, in every chapter there was either something dramatic happening, or it was clearly setting up for something dramatic to happen in the next chapter. I was NEVER bored.
OKAY ALSO THE ROMANCE! IT WAS SO CUTE AHHH I love Zafira and Nasir both so much, they are just perfect. The ways they describe their feelings for eachother?? Perfect. It was so poetic and beautiful, I don't know what could top it.
This book also handled the topic of grief really well. There are so many great quotes about death and loss, and I really appreciated how we got to see the characters talk to each other about their losses. It was very powerful and honest.
Last thing: I'm really glad we got to see more of Lana in this book. It was really interesting to see her character development, and I loved seeing Zafira's perspective of her change as she saw more of Lana's true self.
Okay, everyone go read this book!!! SO GOOD I will not be shutting up about it any time soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Grief, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: War, Torture, Sexism, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Child abuse and Fire/Fire injury
plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I gave the first book in this series only three stars, because I thought the characters and world-building were good but too many other things were off. I feel like a clown now, because I was enthralled as soon as I started this book and that never stopped. Now I’m obsessed with the characters and the story, and I’d go as far as saying that this is one of my favorite books of all time. Any book that makes me feel so many emotions deserves a spot on that list.
And dear god, there were emotions. There still are. I love the zumra, but they put me through more crap than I was prepared for. This especially applies to Zafira and Nasir. I ship them so hard!!! And the number of times I nearly lost it because of something sweet he said to her… I don’t think I’ve ever seen a love interest as reverent of their lover as he is. I’m pretty sure he’s the most romantic love interest ever. Very few ships make me swoon and screech and lose my mind as much as these two did, which says a lot, honestly. I’m a hopeless romantic and there are dozens of ships I’ll go down with, but something about these characters just affects me. I think it’s the slow-burn. Those usually hit me hard.
Romance aside, the friendships and family dynamics were also phenomenal. Zafira, Nasir, Altair, and Kifah are all iconic, and I love the dynamic between the four of them. I especially loved all the banter. I also really liked Zafira and Kifah’s friendship, and Zafira’s bond with her younger sister Lana, and Nasir and Altair’s friendship. It was really sweet to see Lana grow up, and how she loved her sister so much. I appreciate that she wasn’t sidelined in the midst of everything, and instead was just as complex and important to the story. As for my boys, they’re like the grumpy one and sunshine one, friend edition, and I’m totally here for it. They’re great on their own, and an absolutely hilarious duo.They’re my favorite brothers, I think. I loved seeing them get used to that part of their relationship, and love and support each other.
The entirety of act three had me STRESSED. (I mean, the whole book did, if I’m being honest.) The final showdown was handled in a way I didn’t expect, so props to Faizal for that. Even after everything was wrapped up in terms of plot, I was still stressed because of how two specific characters were acting.Part of me was worried that Zafira would just run away from Nasir and her feelings for him, and he would let it happen. Thank every god that Yasmine talked some sense into Zafira, and everything worked out in the end. I thought it was really sweet how she came to the throne room, and he ran to her, scattering papers everywhere, and just kissed her. I legit felt like cheering at that moment. Luckily, when I closed the book, my shipper heart was very happy. It was all perfect. I do kind of wish we’d gotten another chapter or two, since this happy ending felt slightly vague, but it was still very much a happy ending. And that’s enough to satisfy me. ❤️
I loved this book. I can definitely see myself rereading this duology in the future. I know I’ll certainly be anticipating A Tempest of Tea, and everything else Hafsah Faizal has up her sleeve.
Representation
And dear god, there were emotions. There still are. I love the zumra, but they put me through more crap than I was prepared for. This especially applies to Zafira and Nasir. I ship them so hard!!! And the number of times I nearly lost it because of something sweet he said to her… I don’t think I’ve ever seen a love interest as reverent of their lover as he is. I’m pretty sure he’s the most romantic love interest ever. Very few ships make me swoon and screech and lose my mind as much as these two did, which says a lot, honestly. I’m a hopeless romantic and there are dozens of ships I’ll go down with, but something about these characters just affects me. I think it’s the slow-burn. Those usually hit me hard.
Romance aside, the friendships and family dynamics were also phenomenal. Zafira, Nasir, Altair, and Kifah are all iconic, and I love the dynamic between the four of them. I especially loved all the banter. I also really liked Zafira and Kifah’s friendship, and Zafira’s bond with her younger sister Lana, and Nasir and Altair’s friendship. It was really sweet to see Lana grow up, and how she loved her sister so much. I appreciate that she wasn’t sidelined in the midst of everything, and instead was just as complex and important to the story. As for my boys, they’re like the grumpy one and sunshine one, friend edition, and I’m totally here for it. They’re great on their own, and an absolutely hilarious duo.
The entirety of act three had me STRESSED. (I mean, the whole book did, if I’m being honest.) The final showdown was handled in a way I didn’t expect, so props to Faizal for that. Even after everything was wrapped up in terms of plot, I was still stressed because of how two specific characters were acting.
I loved this book. I can definitely see myself rereading this duology in the future. I know I’ll certainly be anticipating A Tempest of Tea, and everything else Hafsah Faizal has up her sleeve.
Representation
- protagonists and side characters of color
- aromantic asexual side character of color
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Torture, Violence, Grief, and Gore
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, and Sexism
Minor: Kidnapping and Confinement
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Child abuse, Death, and Murder
ira_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warning: Ableist language, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Verbal abuse, Child abuse and neglect, Blood and gore depiction, Physical injuries, Dead bodies, Grief depiction, Death of a mother, Death of a father, Death of a child, Death of a friend, Death of a cousin, Murder and attempted murder, Torture, Imprisonment and captivity, Blackmail, Kidnapping, War themes discussed, Animal death, Hunting
Overall Rating: 50000000/5
World: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
“We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves.”
What I loved:
There’s not one thing in this series that I didn’t love but I guess I can list some stuff out if you want.
- Altair
- Nasir
- Zafira
- Every single protagonist in this freaking book
- Enemies to lovers but it’s not toxic
- Amazing, tragic backstories
- Beautiful, descriptive, emotional writing.
- Did I say Altair already?
“Men are like fish,” Kifah said, the break in her voice giving away her unease.
“Shiny, and of little brain?” Zafira replied.”
Synopsis:
Zafira is a peasant living in a village in Demenhur, a land filled with snow and poverty. To provide for her village, she disguises herself as a man and hunts from the Arz, a deadly forest filled with mysterious creatures.
Nasir, on the other hand, is the prince of Death, an assassin for his father, the Sultan.
Both are sent to the Arz, Zafira to hunt for the prized possession that could bring magic to the Arawiya again, and Nasir to assassinate Zafira as soon as she finds it.
“If you want me obedient, prince, kill me and carry my corpse.”
World-building:
This book is set in a fictional land called Arawiya which is both complex, but easy to understand atthe same time. Each kingdom makes sense, and isn’t just there to make the book look more fancy. If anything’s complicated, it’s the history behind these lands, not the lands themselves. There is a ton of worldbuilding and storytelling in the first ⅓ of We Hunt the Flame, but it’s so worth it.
“He was a mess of scars like the sky was a mess of stars.”
Characters:
These books’ found family is elite. Elite, I tell you. Kifah, Benyamin, Altair, Nasir, Zafira, and so many others all crawl their way up into your heart. And in a dangerous journey like theirs, I found myself fearing for every single one of them.
What I loved a lot was how Altair and Nasir were complete opposites. One, was a tortured, abused, Prince of Death, whose values and morals had been twisted by his father. Altair was a carefree, funny character that starkly contrasted Nasir. Being a duo in both books, they’re differences and similarities become more and more obvious especially in the second book and it’s fascinating to see them grow together.
Zafira’s character development in this series was very admirable. Her development was a rollercoaster, it fluctuated and it followed a realistic timeline. She didn’t become the hero that she was meant to be by the end of the first book. She had ups and downs, and went through many struggles before she was confident in herself.
“He didn't live. He existed. And no one understood the difference between the two until they ceased to live.”
Plot:
I don’t know how to describe the plot in a way that it deserves. The plot of these two books was so well thought out, it was intricate, it was complicated, it was everything you would expect from a high fantasy. The magic system was so simple but complicated, and I was constantly waiting for the next big thing to happen. Sometimes some fantasy books get so lost in the characters’ stories and the world that they’re building that they completely forget to make a substantial plot. This results in a very methodical, formulaic, boring plot. The Sands of Arawiya duology managed to make a plot of great substance and connected the world, character stories, and the plot.
“If I hurt her, I will bring every weapon at my disposal and lay them at your feet for you to do to me what you will. If I hurt her, I will no sooner carve out my own heart then dare draw breath again.”
Final thoughts:
This series made me cry because of how beautiful and emotional the writing was. Everything about this book was beautiful and amazing and I will recommend this series to anyone who can stand the initial worldbuilding. The romance, the found family, the world, the magic system, everything was absolutely perfect and now I have to decide if this or Six of Crows is my favorite high fantasy. This was one of the books that I was sad to end because I didn’t want to be taken away from the characters’ stories. There’s something for everyone in this series. Found family, romance, intricate world, intricate plot, amazing side characters, character development, the list goes on and one. This was an unforgettable read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Child abuse, Bullying, and Animal death
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, and Death
megthepoet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Torture
Minor: Child abuse and Child death
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