Reviews

This is a slightly dense fantasy novel set in a Middle Eastern inspired historical ish setting. There are three central characters that are revolved around this novel but a boatload of side characters as well. The action and suspense were greatly written which continued to keep me reading. The world building was easy enough to understand but I could have used a glossary to help as well because sometimes names or situations would blend too much to keep track. If you are someone who is used to high fantasy with some subplots sprinkled in mixed with interconnected characters, you would enjoy this. If you are a fantasy newbie, this might need to wait until you can get a pen and paper to keep a record of who is who and how everyone is connected.

megs1328's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This has been on my priority TBR for years and I finally see what I've been missing! I enjoyed discovering the magical world of the Daevas through Nahri's human perspective. She grew up in 18th-century Cairo believing she was a human that happened to be talented in healing, but after accidentally summoning an ancient Djinn, Dara, she is taken by him to their ancestral city of Daevebad for protection. The first 40% of the novel is them getting to know each other in a forced proximity, distain to love, bodyguard/princess trope journey.
Upon arriving at the city, they are separated by Dara returning with the crown prince to hunt the beings that attacked them, and Nahri beginning her training as a healer. The king threatened the spare Ali to befriend Nahri with the intent to gain her trust so she is willing to wed the crown prince. Over the next couple months Ali teaches her to read and they do become friends. I'm glad it didn't turn into a love triangle.
The ending was very climatic, with some dramatic twists that left the book on a tense cliffhanger, I'm excited to get right into book 2!