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jesstilt's review
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
puppyjungoo's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
overall a good read, but i felt like it could have used another 100 pages or so. it was missing a lot of depth in the plot and the ending wrapped up too quickly.
melancholymegs's review
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Kidnapping, Ableism, and Infidelity
Moderate: Colonisation, Genocide, Grief, Blood, Alcohol, Sexual content, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, War, Misogyny, and Miscarriage
cristinaelenalaaa's review
4.0
I started listening to “Fencing with the King” with the promise of a story based in the Jordan and an insight into the sport of fencing. It turns out I was wrong, I got much more than what I expected. Here’s why!
“Fencing with the King” tells the story of Amani, a Jordanian-American poet who is on a writer's block and still dealing with the recent failed marriage. When her father is invited to a session of fencing with the Jordanian King for his 60th anniversary, Amani takes this opportunity to discover more about her family’s and the country of her ancestors.
Through the book, Amani gets to discover her family and untangle the ups and downs from her family tree. When it comes to fencing, I was a bit disappointed to see that there only a few passages dedicated to this sport, far less than I expected for a book with the sports name in the title.
From a cultural perspective, the story was narrated like an introspection into the culture of the Middle East. The King’s banquet, the country’s history, and the description of the historical site of Petra are well crafted and made me enjoy the book a lot, and I hope it will delight you as well.
Special thanks to NetGalley, OrangeSky Audio, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!
#LifeLongLearning #FencingwiththeKing #NetGalley
“Fencing with the King” tells the story of Amani, a Jordanian-American poet who is on a writer's block and still dealing with the recent failed marriage. When her father is invited to a session of fencing with the Jordanian King for his 60th anniversary, Amani takes this opportunity to discover more about her family’s and the country of her ancestors.
Through the book, Amani gets to discover her family and untangle the ups and downs from her family tree. When it comes to fencing, I was a bit disappointed to see that there only a few passages dedicated to this sport, far less than I expected for a book with the sports name in the title.
From a cultural perspective, the story was narrated like an introspection into the culture of the Middle East. The King’s banquet, the country’s history, and the description of the historical site of Petra are well crafted and made me enjoy the book a lot, and I hope it will delight you as well.
Special thanks to NetGalley, OrangeSky Audio, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!
#LifeLongLearning #FencingwiththeKing #NetGalley
openmypages's review
4.0
Checking off a story from another country on my quest to read one from every country in the world.
Amani is an American child of an immigrant - as an adult she returns to Jordan to spend time with her uncle. At first she is enthralled by the culture, glitz and glamor of his life as a friend and advisor to the king. She begins to dig into the family history after being enticed by a poem she finds in her grandmother’s belongings. What she finds is that not all is what it seems.
I really enjoyed the slice of Middle Eastern culture we get in this story. The balance of the Royal life with what it means to live in the shadow of the constant strife in Israel and Palestine. Amani herself wasn’t the most interesting character but rather the stories of her uncle, father and grandmother really drove my interest. There are such powerful stories of pride, love, greed and entitlement. The twist of this family secret shakes not just the family but the future of the country as well. Lots of historical facts, political intrigue and a sprinkling of love make this one a must read.
Thanks to Booksparks and OrangeSky Audio for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
Amani is an American child of an immigrant - as an adult she returns to Jordan to spend time with her uncle. At first she is enthralled by the culture, glitz and glamor of his life as a friend and advisor to the king. She begins to dig into the family history after being enticed by a poem she finds in her grandmother’s belongings. What she finds is that not all is what it seems.
I really enjoyed the slice of Middle Eastern culture we get in this story. The balance of the Royal life with what it means to live in the shadow of the constant strife in Israel and Palestine. Amani herself wasn’t the most interesting character but rather the stories of her uncle, father and grandmother really drove my interest. There are such powerful stories of pride, love, greed and entitlement. The twist of this family secret shakes not just the family but the future of the country as well. Lots of historical facts, political intrigue and a sprinkling of love make this one a must read.
Thanks to Booksparks and OrangeSky Audio for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
leebill's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
3.75
The writing is remarkable and polished. 2nd haf of book is remarkable.
sockielady's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0