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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
This book was really fun to read. Saara El-Arifi has dreamed up an immensely creative fantasy world filled with compelling mysteries and a complex, diverse set of characters. Humanity is divided not by skin color, but by blood, and a cruel caste system defines politics and culture. The main characters' lives are collateral damage of a quashed rebellion that aimed to bring down the ruling class and restore justice and equity to all citizens. The edges of an island empire inscribe the only land that remains after a fiery apocalypse hundreds of years before...or does it? Multiple threads weave through the plot of this story. Most of the book focuses on a kind of predictable "lame nerd with evil dictator mother defies expectations on her way to changing the world" trajectory; this main storyline was fun and rewarding enough to hang on to while waiting for the juicier mysteries to unfold. There are a lot of scathing reviews for this book but I really liked it...it's not mind-blowing or genre-defying, but it's certainly enjoyable and imaginative and a real page-turner. Feels a bit like I just accidentally binge watched the entire first season of a really great tv show and now I'm scrambling to get the second installment of the trilogy as fast as possible.
dark
hopeful
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
The Aktibar — a series of trials held once every ten years to find the next set of rulers — is coming and Sylah believes that she is fated to win. Stolen from her real mother as an infant, and raised by the Empire’s rebels, Sylah’s entire life has centred around these trials. However, after being kidnapped by the Warden of Strength’s daughter, Anoor, all of Sylah’s plans are forced to change. Will she aid in the destruction of the Empire and it’s citizens or will she become the next Ember ruler?
THIS BOOK GUYS THIS BOOK!!!! AHHHHH
i found the start of this novel to be quite slow but as soon as Anoor was introduced, i fell in love with this story. i love Anoor’s character so, so much, and i adore every single one of her interactions with Sylah. watching the two of them grow as characters throughout the novel was incredibly heartwarming and inspiring. i also liked how this book showed a realistic depiction of addiction and mental illness, and i adored reading about a queer-normative world. this book included characters called the Musawa, who are gender diverse individuals, and also showed a variety of queer relationships.
also, can we talk about the plot because OMG IT WAS SO INTERESTING! learning about this world, and the way it runs, was so cool!! El-Arifi set the story up in an immersive and wondrous manner that was super enjoyable to read! i cannot wait for the sequel to this because i still have so many more questions and I NEED more of Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa. I NEED!!!
woah i loved this ah
THIS BOOK GUYS THIS BOOK!!!! AHHHHH
i found the start of this novel to be quite slow but as soon as Anoor was introduced, i fell in love with this story. i love Anoor’s character so, so much, and i adore every single one of her interactions with Sylah. watching the two of them grow as characters throughout the novel was incredibly heartwarming and inspiring. i also liked how this book showed a realistic depiction of addiction and mental illness, and i adored reading about a queer-normative world. this book included characters called the Musawa, who are gender diverse individuals, and also showed a variety of queer relationships.
also, can we talk about the plot because OMG IT WAS SO INTERESTING! learning about this world, and the way it runs, was so cool!! El-Arifi set the story up in an immersive and wondrous manner that was super enjoyable to read! i cannot wait for the sequel to this because i still have so many more questions and I NEED more of Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa. I NEED!!!
woah i loved this ah
couldn't decide between 3.75 or 4 stars but i ended settling on 4 stars but on the lower end sylah and anoor greatest love story ever we killed ourselves
I seriously loved so many things about this book, even the 600+ pages because I didn't want this story to end. The world created is complex, well-thought out and different from anything I've come across. I believe the story was inspired by Ghanaian folklore and Arabian myths, and while it has many of the elements of fantasy stories, the way she put everything together had me interested from beginning to end. Although Sylah was not my favorite main character to begin with, I thought she was realistically portrayed and I liked getting to know her. Similarly, Anoor was not a great person to begin with, but over time, as the two of them got to know each other, they each taught the other things about themselves that helped them become stronger and better. Hassa didn't appear nearly as much as either of them, but the way the author portrayed her as the ghostng that she was made so much sense. Truly the best thing about this book WAS the world-building and even if the characters were not exactly the best people, I saw all that they went through as a way to forge them into what they needed to become, what they need to become so that it will build towards saving this world, although I'm sure that will not happen until the third book. But throughout this extensive book, you can see all of them, especially Anoor and Sylah, getting stronger and wiser and more able to be the leaders they need to become. One of the many things that stood out for me was that Sylah was a drug addict, which is an unusual choice for a protagonist, but it helped us get a glimpse of why someone might end up becoming an addict and what an addict may go through on a daily basis, even when they consider themselves to be "on the road to recovery". Something else that stood out for me was the normalization of gender fluidity as well as a person's sexuality not really being an issue of any kind in this society. I thought I would be bothered by the love triangle involving adopted siblings (well, 2 out of 3 of them), but the whole dynamic of the Sandstorm was more like a cult/bootcamp, and they did have different adoptive mothers with "Papa" being the father of them all, so I just didn't have an issue with it.
This ended up being a great book for me and although it ended up taking me a few days to finish (but I read other books along the way), it didn't feel long to me at all. I savored the story and am only disappointed that I have to wait for the next book. If you are a fan of fantasy and you especially enjoy good world-building, you should give this book a try.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy from NetGalley of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This ended up being a great book for me and although it ended up taking me a few days to finish (but I read other books along the way), it didn't feel long to me at all. I savored the story and am only disappointed that I have to wait for the next book. If you are a fan of fantasy and you especially enjoy good world-building, you should give this book a try.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy from NetGalley of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I knew within the first 10 pages I was going to enjoy this book. A former Chosen One turned drug addict and now apathetic to the cause. A semi-princess obsessed with crime stories abruptly forced to face the inequalities of their empire. A mysterious spy who knows a lot and doesn't share much. El-Arifi's writing style is digestible without being YA, making the book's 600+ pages fly by. I loved each character in her own way; each one showed their unique strength and femininity all while supporting the others. The plot wasn't particularly ground breaking but it was well executed. And some nice LGBT+ representation to top it all off.
"Love may give you strength, but retribution gives you purpose."
The Final Strife is a fantasy story rich with discussion of oppression in a world where classes are divided by the color of their blood. The worldbuilding was intriguing, especially as the book progressed and plot twists were revealed. I'm always a fan of stories rich in history, and this book was no different.
The story follows three main POVs: Sylah, an Ember disguised as a Duster; Anoor, a Duster disguised as an Ember; and Hassa, a Ghosting. The three women come from different classes but are connected in their wish to see change in the world. I did find the book a little slow at times. It could be the beginning of a reading slump, but I really just didn't connect well to the story. There was a fair amount of action throughout, especially towards the end, and the plot twists kept me entertained, but overall I just felt like the story dragged on for a while. The middle of the book focused more on the characters' inner growth, in my opinion, and because I wasn't super invested in the characters, I didn't love the slower pacing.
The main cast of characters is definitely intriguing and complex, I just didn't really feel attached to any of them. Sylah's struggle with addiction was empowering, but she was fairly stubborn and set in her ways, and she got on my nerves a few times. I liked Anoor a little bit more, and I'm excited to see where her character arc takes her, but she was a bit trope-y. Hassa was probably my favorite, and she was the only one whose POVs I really looked forward to. In terms of side characters, Gorn grew on me, I liked Kwame, and I absolutely despised Jond.
Fans of fantasy stories rooted in history will enjoy The Final Strife and the romance, action, and social commentary it has to offer.
3.5/5
The Final Strife is a fantasy story rich with discussion of oppression in a world where classes are divided by the color of their blood. The worldbuilding was intriguing, especially as the book progressed and plot twists were revealed. I'm always a fan of stories rich in history, and this book was no different.
The story follows three main POVs: Sylah, an Ember disguised as a Duster; Anoor, a Duster disguised as an Ember; and Hassa, a Ghosting. The three women come from different classes but are connected in their wish to see change in the world. I did find the book a little slow at times. It could be the beginning of a reading slump, but I really just didn't connect well to the story. There was a fair amount of action throughout, especially towards the end, and the plot twists kept me entertained, but overall I just felt like the story dragged on for a while. The middle of the book focused more on the characters' inner growth, in my opinion, and because I wasn't super invested in the characters, I didn't love the slower pacing.
The main cast of characters is definitely intriguing and complex, I just didn't really feel attached to any of them. Sylah's struggle with addiction was empowering, but she was fairly stubborn and set in her ways, and she got on my nerves a few times. I liked Anoor a little bit more, and I'm excited to see where her character arc takes her, but she was a bit trope-y. Hassa was probably my favorite, and she was the only one whose POVs I really looked forward to. In terms of side characters, Gorn grew on me, I liked Kwame, and I absolutely despised Jond.
Fans of fantasy stories rooted in history will enjoy The Final Strife and the romance, action, and social commentary it has to offer.
3.5/5
Not in the right mood for this book and it’s due at the library. May try again later.
3.5 Stars
Something about this book did not work for me. I had a hard time connecting to the characters, which made it difficult to care about their individual stories. I'm also quite tired of the "competing in trials"-plotline, but that's not this books fault
Something about this book did not work for me. I had a hard time connecting to the characters, which made it difficult to care about their individual stories. I'm also quite tired of the "competing in trials"-plotline, but that's not this books fault