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moonchild_cos's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, and War
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Slavery, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Medical content and Stalking
just_one_more_paige's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
errie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Police brutality
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual content, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
kcmg710's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I’ve been on booktok for a while now (as I know many of us have) and I’ve only seen this book on there twice maybe? (That could be just my booktok I guess but still).
I’m so engrossed in the world that El-Arifi has created that I don’t want to go onto another book, I’m struggling to bring myself to do it 😂. I literally put off reading the last 2 chapters for 2 weeks just so I didn’t have to say goodbye to the characters that I’ve grown to love.
I feel like when I first started The Final Strife I was abit overwhelmed by everything going on and trying to remember all the different names and places ect. (if I wasn’t a dummy and had realised there was a glossary in the back the whole time I wouldn’t have had this struggle 🤦🏽♀️ I don’t know if other editions have it, sorry, but I’m assuming so) but I quickly became so immersed into everything; the action, the people, the politics going on and I soon fell in love.
This book is slept on, I’m so gutted that I can’t jump straight into the next one in the series (the battle drum) and that I have to wait until May.
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Violence
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Body shaming and Blood
malinhalia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Torture, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Sexual content, and Slavery
cozyscones's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Torture
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
solenekeleroux's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, and Alcohol
azrah786's review against another edition
4.5
CW: violence, blood, gore, injury, self harm, torture, confinement, suicidal ideation, death, child death, death of parent, murder, addiction, drug use, slavery, classism, racism, child abuse, ableism, fatphobia/body shaming, grief
--
The Final Strife is an absolutely magnificent first instalment in an all new epic fantasy trilogy all about rebellion and survival.
We’re introduced to an empire governed by a blood based class system where the people are kept just as in check by the deadly Tidewind that ravages the land by night. Those with red blood, Embers are of the ruling class with magic in their blood and the Aktibar, a set of trials which appoints the next set of Wardens to rule the empire is soon approaching.
Sylah, an Ember stolen from her family as a child by a Duster(those of the working class with blue blood) rebel group was raised with the sole purpose to infiltrate these trials and overthrow those in charge, that is until the rebellion was crushed leaving Sylah the only surviving child from the group. However, Sylah’s hope is reignited when an opportunity to see her mission through falls into her hands through Anoor, the daughter of one of the ruling Wardens of the empire.
Now this is a chunky read but El-Arifi’s narration has a compelling rhythm to it that is just as masterful as that of the Griots (storytellers) within her book.
The worldbuilding has roots in Arabian and Ghanian lore and is so vividly immersive and complex, with each turn of the page, each twist of the story feeding us more of the culture, politics, history and secrets of this world.
It is slow going and the time jumps did throw me off at times – also when the point of view switched up within the chapters but this may be more down to the layout of the digital arc - but I just couldn’t put the book and when I had to I couldn’t get these characters out of my mind. There’s an equally frustrating and fascinating quality to each of the main players in this tale and their development and relationships with one another was so well written.
I can’t wait to read more!
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
luckylulureads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Torture, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, and Classism