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talesofaliteraryaddict's review against another edition
5.0
I feel like I’ve just paid for the privilege of getting repeatedly punched in the face by a book. No seriously. This book is amazing!! For all fantasy fans it’s got the right balance and I cannot wait to see where book 2 takes us.
lisafrdd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
missemleigh's review against another edition
4.0
4.25/5 stars - a wonderful, diverse, fast paced and magical book about stories, ancestry, family dynamics and fokelore. I really enjoyed this book and it was a great breather of ya fantasy in the midst of my adult fantasy spree. I wish the romance wasn't as insta-love-y and some of the characters actions and decisions were more methodical, not so juvenile. will definitely tune in to the final book in this duology.
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spoilery thoughts
-malik (posing as some one named adil) loses his sister to the faceless king/idir, the husband of the founding sultana of ziran and he wishes to kill the princess Karina, to break the safety barrier that surrounds the city
- there is a competition and Malik enters as the representative of his deity
- meets the other competitors: tuned, Karinas former lover who is slain by farid and Darrin, who is a bully, who is killed by Maliks sister leila when he discovers Malik is lying about his identity
- Karina, who has suppressed her zuwelgi powers after she caused a fire that killed her sister and dad, wishes to resurrect her mother with a secret ritual she receives from a bard at a local tavern
- Karina and Malik enter the necropolis, which Karina's mother entered with her magic to get the items for the ritual (Malik doesn't know this)
- the bard, is also nyengi, a serpent who has visited Malik, and is also hyena (someone from folklore, with knowledge of magic)
- in the end, Katrina is almost killed and this does not fulfill the bargain between Malik and idir
- instead farid and idir are in an alliance to destroy the power of the city because they posses ulraji magic which opposes Karinas people
- malik agrees to learn the magic of his oppressed people from the mountains from farid and Karina escapes after the barrier is broken
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smaller characters
- aminata: maid and on Katrina's side
- farid: lover of Katrina's sister and tries to resurrect her
- krestel: Katrina's mother who dies
- baba: Katrina's dead father
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spoilery thoughts
-malik (posing as some one named adil) loses his sister to the faceless king/idir, the husband of the founding sultana of ziran and he wishes to kill the princess Karina, to break the safety barrier that surrounds the city
- there is a competition and Malik enters as the representative of his deity
- meets the other competitors: tuned, Karinas former lover who is slain by farid and Darrin, who is a bully, who is killed by Maliks sister leila when he discovers Malik is lying about his identity
- Karina, who has suppressed her zuwelgi powers after she caused a fire that killed her sister and dad, wishes to resurrect her mother with a secret ritual she receives from a bard at a local tavern
- Karina and Malik enter the necropolis, which Karina's mother entered with her magic to get the items for the ritual (Malik doesn't know this)
- the bard, is also nyengi, a serpent who has visited Malik, and is also hyena (someone from folklore, with knowledge of magic)
- in the end, Katrina is almost killed and this does not fulfill the bargain between Malik and idir
- instead farid and idir are in an alliance to destroy the power of the city because they posses ulraji magic which opposes Karinas people
- malik agrees to learn the magic of his oppressed people from the mountains from farid and Karina escapes after the barrier is broken
-
smaller characters
- aminata: maid and on Katrina's side
- farid: lover of Katrina's sister and tries to resurrect her
- krestel: Katrina's mother who dies
- baba: Katrina's dead father
photopotamus's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
amayaethomas's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
shaila_m's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book!!!! It brings you on such an adventure that just makes you think. And when you think all is gone and lost, then well the story surprises you!
behindpaperbacks's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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
smakinde's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the African folklore and I love how surprised I was with some of the twists towards the end of the book. I really thought I knew exactly where the plot was going, but then there were a few moments that I was not anticipating and I really loved that. I always love when I am wrong about a plot. Karina is the typical princess who rebels against anything and everything, but she has endured great pain. Malik--I just wanted to hug him. The anxiety that he deals with that haunts him day in and day out? I can relate. I loved the sibling relationships and I was heartbroken in the beginning when his sister was taken.
The biggest complaint... the magic/world building was really confusing the first 100-150 pages. I am an avid fantasy reader, but even for me, this was hard to navigate. It would have been a 5 stars for me if that aspect hadn't been so difficult....BUT I am still so glad that I kept going. I will definitely read the second book.
The biggest complaint... the magic/world building was really confusing the first 100-150 pages. I am an avid fantasy reader, but even for me, this was hard to navigate. It would have been a 5 stars for me if that aspect hadn't been so difficult....BUT I am still so glad that I kept going. I will definitely read the second book.
books_backpacks_and_beyond's review against another edition
4.0
It was a really nice story. The setting reminded me a lot of the Daevabad trilogy, which I also enjoyed. I really enjoyed how the conflict that the main characters were going through was portrayed. It was quite believable, and therefore, it felt quite genuine.