Scan barcode
patkay85's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-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
4.0
bugail's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
supermarioctopus's review
I didn’t connect with any of the characters and didn’t have an interest in where the story was going. I’m distantly related to the author (by marriage) so wanted to finish but couldn’t do it.
kpearlman's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
storm7's review
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
cate_with_a_c's review
I was really excited to read this, I went to a virtual author talk about it. The premise is interesting. But I got really bored after a while. I enjoyed the first but but then it felt like the characters had nothing to offer.
beauty1991's review
2.0
Didn't get very far into this book. There were a couple things that were throwing me. The main character was not explained, so I had no idea who I was supposed to envision. There were details about the event they were at, but nothing that was leading up to the story. And lastly, it did that for three chapters so I called it quits on this one. Maybe later, I'll double check, but not right now.
sparetimereader's review
2.0
🤺Fencing with the King 🤺
⭐️⭐️
Short synopsis: Amani goes with her father to visit his home country of Jordan. Amani goes on a journey to discover hidden family secrets, including a lost relative.
My thoughts: I enjoyed learning about a different culture and customs in The Middle East. I thought Amani was a great character who was willing to risk her life to investigate and uncover the family secrets.
This one just didn’t quite work for me. I listened on audio, and while the narrator did a wonderful job I think there was just too much going on in the story for me to keep up. It probably would work great as a Bookclub or buddy read to unpack and discuss all this book has to offer.
Read if you’re a sucker for:
- Historical fiction
- Learning about different cultures and customs
- A complex family story where everyone is not who they seem
goodbookery's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I had a hard time getting into this book at first, despite the interesting setting and circumstances, in part due to the narration. However, about halfway through, I became really interested in how the story was developing, particularly regarding Uncle Hafez’s duplicitousness. I was surprised that Amani’s story takes a hard turn into romance though. By the end of the book it felt like there were too many side stories or sub plots, and none of them felt as though they wrapped up in a satisfying way. I enjoyed the setting in Jordan and learning more about the history and culture as a whole, but was ultimately left wanting more out of this story.
• Thank you @booksparks, @dianabujaber, and @orangeskyaudio for a free audiobook of this title to read and review.
• Thank you @booksparks, @dianabujaber, and @orangeskyaudio for a free audiobook of this title to read and review.