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loveat1stwrite's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
**A copy of this book was provided to me by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.**
This Woven Kingdom contains beautiful prose and descriptions, but unfortunately very little plot. It comes with the territory of an almost 500-page book that spans about 3 days of in-book time. 60% of This Woven Kingdom is the main characters’ inner monologue, 20% is setting/food/clothing description, 10% is verbal dialogue, and the last 10% is where the actual occurring events happen. I prefer to be shown actions to back up character motivations and thoughts, but this book heavily relies upon the reader being told what to think. The whole experience made it hard to connect with, or even like, either of the two main protagonists.
I was hoping for a lush Persian mythology read, but This Woven Kingdom is essentially a Cinderella retelling with cosmetic Middle Eastern inspirations regarding food and clothing. A dual-POV read, we alternate between Alizeh a long-lost princess of the Jinn who is currently hiding as a lowly servant, and Kamran the heir to the human empire of Ardunia. Their lots in life place them at odds, for Alizeh was prophesized to end the reign of the current king of Ardunia, Kamran’s grandfather. Of course, Alizeh and Kamran happen to cross paths on the street and become an insta-love forbidden romance. As I mentioned, this book is about 10% plot. Over the course of about 3 days, Kamran and Alizeh think about the other non-stop and their inner thoughts take up the majority of the writing of this book. All of this builds up to a ball, (Yay, an event is finally occurring!) so you have that to look forward to in the last 100 pages or so.
If you come into this with the right mindset, I think it can certainly be an enjoyable read, but it was very different than how it was marketed and you have to be ready for it to be a slow-paced read, very trope-heavy and descriptor-heavy.
This Woven Kingdom contains beautiful prose and descriptions, but unfortunately very little plot. It comes with the territory of an almost 500-page book that spans about 3 days of in-book time. 60% of This Woven Kingdom is the main characters’ inner monologue, 20% is setting/food/clothing description, 10% is verbal dialogue, and the last 10% is where the actual occurring events happen. I prefer to be shown actions to back up character motivations and thoughts, but this book heavily relies upon the reader being told what to think. The whole experience made it hard to connect with, or even like, either of the two main protagonists.
I was hoping for a lush Persian mythology read, but This Woven Kingdom is essentially a Cinderella retelling with cosmetic Middle Eastern inspirations regarding food and clothing. A dual-POV read, we alternate between Alizeh a long-lost princess of the Jinn who is currently hiding as a lowly servant, and Kamran the heir to the human empire of Ardunia. Their lots in life place them at odds, for Alizeh was prophesized to end the reign of the current king of Ardunia, Kamran’s grandfather. Of course, Alizeh and Kamran happen to cross paths on the street and become an insta-love forbidden romance. As I mentioned, this book is about 10% plot. Over the course of about 3 days, Kamran and Alizeh think about the other non-stop and their inner thoughts take up the majority of the writing of this book. All of this builds up to a ball, (Yay, an event is finally occurring!) so you have that to look forward to in the last 100 pages or so.
If you come into this with the right mindset, I think it can certainly be an enjoyable read, but it was very different than how it was marketed and you have to be ready for it to be a slow-paced read, very trope-heavy and descriptor-heavy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
thatmillennialreader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Blood
joni_smits's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Child death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Cannibalism and War
readingelli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Servitudecobaltmade's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
inject the writing into my veins, i can live on tahereh mafi writing alone
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, and Body shaming
Minor: Murder
chaptersofamylea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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? No
3.75
“I think I might fetch you the moon if only to spare your tears again."
3.5/4 ⭐️
I did think this book had a bit of a slow start, felt jumbled with the info dump that comes with a new fantasy book so I was a little worried I wasn’t going to like it after really looking forward to reading it for so long. THAT being said, after the first 100 pages I really got into it. I loved the world building and the drip feeding reveals of the characters and plot twists. And I did have an AHHHHHHH moment when finishing the book as early events made sense when you get the information. I do hope to see more of Alizeh’s personality in the next book… Plus dragons. It has dragons.
TWs: death of parents, suicide attempt on the page, assault, graphic depiction of injury
3.5/4 ⭐️
I did think this book had a bit of a slow start, felt jumbled with the info dump that comes with a new fantasy book so I was a little worried I wasn’t going to like it after really looking forward to reading it for so long. THAT being said, after the first 100 pages I really got into it. I loved the world building and the drip feeding reveals of the characters and plot twists. And I did have an AHHHHHHH moment when finishing the book as early events made sense when you get the information. I do hope to see more of Alizeh’s personality in the next book… Plus dragons. It has dragons.
TWs: death of parents, suicide attempt on the page, assault, graphic depiction of injury
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent
sallytiffany's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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? No
3.0
It was very slow and tedious and the characters were hard to relate to. However, it did have some good action at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Body horror, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Blood, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
dancing_on_ur_muml0l's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Murder, and Physical abuse
mynotsolittlelibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
While the pacing if this book is slow it is so incredibly imersive you don't realise it. You're so wrapped up in the characters and their intense emotions you want every scene to last just a little longer!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Xenophobia, Blood, Classism, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement
Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence
sydneyluxford's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This took me much longer to read than I thought, but I have the flu to blame for that. I literally went a week without reading.
Anyway, this is arguably the best book I have ever read. The prose in this book was unlike any other. Like, damn, since when were we so formal.
Love, love, love Alizeh. She was such an amazing main character and, I can’t lie, her plan of staying low as a snoda servant is smart because who is going to think a servant can take down five grown men trying to ambush her?????? I definitely didn’t. Also, I just know she’s so fine.When Kamran broke into her room and she held a blade to his neck, wearing nothing but a corset 🫣.
BRO, KAMRAN. I NEED ME A MAN LIKE HIM. I need me a man that’ll fetch me the moon because he hates to see me cry 😪. Never has a character radiated BDE like Kamran does. I had to take breaks when reading the scenes between him and Alizeh because they would literally make me blush so much. It’s so bad
THE ENDING?????? Kamran please save my girl Alizeh from the shackles of Cyrus. I can’t believe he just appeared out of nowhere and basically kidnapped her so they could get married. KAMRAN HELP.
I don’t think I can wait until February next year for the second book. Tahereh Mafi can’t just end the book like that and expect me to be okay??????? I NEED ANSWERS.
Anyway, this is arguably the best book I have ever read. The prose in this book was unlike any other. Like, damn, since when were we so formal.
Love, love, love Alizeh. She was such an amazing main character and, I can’t lie, her plan of staying low as a snoda servant is smart because who is going to think a servant can take down five grown men trying to ambush her?????? I definitely didn’t. Also, I just know she’s so fine.
BRO, KAMRAN. I NEED ME A MAN LIKE HIM. I need me a man that’ll fetch me the moon because he hates to see me cry 😪. Never has a character radiated BDE like Kamran does. I had to take breaks when reading the scenes between him and Alizeh because they would literally make me blush so much. It’s so bad
I don’t think I can wait until February next year for the second book. Tahereh Mafi can’t just end the book like that and expect me to be okay??????? I NEED ANSWERS.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, and War