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thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
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? No
4.0
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC
I am excited to say that The Stardust Thief is one of my top fantasy reads of the year so far, and I personally cannot wait to see this book acquire the wide readership it deserves once published.
This book is a well-plotted, adventurous tale filled with breathless action (though some action scenes could be tightened up more), surprising emotional heft, and complex and sometimes-frustrating-yet-loveable characters with great character development- with my particular favorite being the enigmatic Qadir and his relationship with Loulie.
There are also countless twists here especially towards the end, and while some of them are predictable, the rest can be surprising and definitely contribute to the story. I love the magic system as well - in particular the relics and their relations to jinn - and many of the magical items are endearingly imaginative.
I see this novel as Abdullah's love letter to her culture and its tales, stories, and oral tradition. The way the author deftly weaves many Arab tales together into an interconnected whole while adding her own flair to them is enjoyable. And of course the novel is effortlessly diverse; it is simply so refreshing to see an Arab fantasy written by an Arab author.
In sum, I have only myself to blame for having to wait perhaps quite a while for the next book, because if The Stardust Thief is any indication, it is going to be a good one.
I am excited to say that The Stardust Thief is one of my top fantasy reads of the year so far, and I personally cannot wait to see this book acquire the wide readership it deserves once published.
This book is a well-plotted, adventurous tale filled with breathless action (though some action scenes could be tightened up more), surprising emotional heft, and complex and sometimes-frustrating-yet-loveable characters with great character development- with my particular favorite being the enigmatic Qadir and his relationship with Loulie.
There are also countless twists here especially towards the end, and while some of them are predictable, the rest can be surprising and definitely contribute to the story. I love the magic system as well - in particular the relics and their relations to jinn - and many of the magical items are endearingly imaginative.
I see this novel as Abdullah's love letter to her culture and its tales, stories, and oral tradition. The way the author deftly weaves many Arab tales together into an interconnected whole while adding her own flair to them is enjoyable. And of course the novel is effortlessly diverse; it is simply so refreshing to see an Arab fantasy written by an Arab author.
In sum, I have only myself to blame for having to wait perhaps quite a while for the next book, because if The Stardust Thief is any indication, it is going to be a good one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
bookishbasma's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
4.5
Okay, this book. Prepare to be SICK of me. I'm going to be insufferable now that I've found more Arab rep. I will simply never shut up about it.
Let's talk Arab/MENA rep. I can count on one hand the books I feel represented in as an Arab. This book is an EXCELLENT addition to that list. I tabbed every word of Arabic and ended up running out of tabs. There's a thrill in seeing the words you speak on the pages you're reading. It never gets old. This book DELIVERED on Arab representation. Like the names of the characters in this book?? Are the names of my brother, my cousin, my friends. I felt seen and ready to take on the world after reading this. BRB gonna go prep my Loulie cosplay.
The book itself is a solid debut. The characters are fantastic (I am officially a Qadir stan) and their dynamic on page was so fun to read. While four POVs might sound like a lot, I truly enjoyed every single one and seeing their perspectives of each other is refreshing. I will say, I am SO here for the dramatic, lowkey himbo, main guy character trend that I've been seeing (first Kamran from This Woven Kingdom, now Mazen). If this is the YA community moving away from the "dark and broody", consider me on board.
The strongest aspect of this book is the world and magic system. It was developed so well and the references to old legends (as well as actual stories inserted) made for a magical and rich reading. I understood the magic system really well, and the reveals were done nicely. I did get a little lost with the plot at one point (hence the 4.5 rating) but the twists and turns were fun to read, even when I was ready to throw my book across the room.
Highly recommend preordering this one!
I received an arc of this title from Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review.
Let's talk Arab/MENA rep. I can count on one hand the books I feel represented in as an Arab. This book is an EXCELLENT addition to that list. I tabbed every word of Arabic and ended up running out of tabs. There's a thrill in seeing the words you speak on the pages you're reading. It never gets old. This book DELIVERED on Arab representation. Like the names of the characters in this book?? Are the names of my brother, my cousin, my friends. I felt seen and ready to take on the world after reading this. BRB gonna go prep my Loulie cosplay.
The book itself is a solid debut. The characters are fantastic (I am officially a Qadir stan) and their dynamic on page was so fun to read. While four POVs might sound like a lot, I truly enjoyed every single one and seeing their perspectives of each other is refreshing. I will say, I am SO here for the dramatic, lowkey himbo, main guy character trend that I've been seeing (first Kamran from This Woven Kingdom, now Mazen). If this is the YA community moving away from the "dark and broody", consider me on board.
The strongest aspect of this book is the world and magic system. It was developed so well and the references to old legends (as well as actual stories inserted) made for a magical and rich reading. I understood the magic system really well, and the reveals were done nicely. I did get a little lost with the plot at one point (hence the 4.5 rating) but the twists and turns were fun to read, even when I was ready to throw my book across the room.
Highly recommend preordering this one!
I received an arc of this title from Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Torture, and Grief
poppywarphan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
The Stardust thief is a wonderful and enchanting fantasy inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights. The author did a fantastic job at subtly weaving the tales into the story.
DUDES WITH EARRINGS ALERT! 😏
It was so refreshing to have a male character who's not a muscular macho warrior. Mazen is ahimbo curious prince who loves stories. Loulie or Layla is the midnight merchant who sells relics (objects with magical powers). “I would rather marry a dust-covered relic than a man,” Loulie, mood. She travels with Qadir who is a dilf, her jinn bodyguard and father figure.
“You rely on me, but I also rely on you. We are a team, you and I.”
“You are the most courageous person I know, Loulie al-Nazari. Without you, I would still be aimlessly wandering the desert, lost in my grief. You are not weak. That is why I follow where you walk: because I trust you.”
“The compass led me to you, and it is with you I shall stay until destiny demands we part ways.”
Tell me this isn't the most beautiful thing in the world 😭.
Loulie is brought before the sultan, and he blackmails her into going on a quest to find a relic, to which a powerful jinn is bound. He appoints his son Omar, a jinn hunter, to supervise her. It is actually Mazen who joins her—in return for a favor from Omar—disguised as his brother (with the help of a relic), and Aisha, a badass woman as well as one of Omar's 40 thieves. They travel into the desert and face many dangerous creatures. At the end, we find out who the true villain of the story is, that fucks everything up.
We never really get Loulie's and Ahmed's backstory, so I'm missing a bit of context there. And to the Stardust thief, I hope both sides of his pillow are warm.
Can't wait for the next installment. I've recently finished The city of brass, so if you're looking for similar vibes I'd definitely recommend The stardust thief.
Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
DUDES WITH EARRINGS ALERT! 😏
It was so refreshing to have a male character who's not a muscular macho warrior. Mazen is a
“You rely on me, but I also rely on you. We are a team, you and I.”
“You are the most courageous person I know, Loulie al-Nazari. Without you, I would still be aimlessly wandering the desert, lost in my grief. You are not weak. That is why I follow where you walk: because I trust you.”
“The compass led me to you, and it is with you I shall stay until destiny demands we part ways.”
Tell me this isn't the most beautiful thing in the world 😭.
Loulie is brought before the sultan, and he blackmails her into going on a quest to find a relic, to which a powerful jinn is bound. He appoints his son Omar, a jinn hunter, to supervise her. It is actually Mazen who joins her—in return for a favor from Omar—disguised as his brother (with the help of a relic), and Aisha, a badass woman as well as one of Omar's 40 thieves. They travel into the desert and face many dangerous creatures. At the end, we find out who the true villain of the story is, that fucks everything up.
We never really get Loulie's and Ahmed's backstory, so I'm missing a bit of context there. And to the Stardust thief, I hope both sides of his pillow are warm.
Can't wait for the next installment. I've recently finished The city of brass, so if you're looking for similar vibes I'd definitely recommend The stardust thief.
Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and Death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, and Torture
bookwormbullet's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death, Gore, Blood, War, and Murder
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