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adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
All in all, I really did enjoy this. The slow pacing did make it a longer read than usual for me, but that’s not a problem. It was like I was savoring the dense and very lovely prose over a longer period of time. I don’t think I would have appreciated some things as much had I read it faster. However, that time spent savoring may have contributed to my disappointment with the ending. The final conclusion to all of the plot threads sewn together throughout the novel felt a bit rushed for a book that had been so restrained. It was like I had all this build up for Wecker to just say “and then a bunch of stuff happened the end.” Maybe this is because there was a planned sequel? Regardless, I was told before reading this that it stood on its own as a standalone (which is mostly true). There wasn’t the romantic climax that I really craved here after so much build up between our leads, more of a whimper than a bang with expectation for the future. The villain felt less like a fascinating reveal and more like something that Wecker planned at the beginning of the writing process but never changed to fit the complex characters she ended up creating. >Really? The evil guy has been reincarnated for years to be evil and seek immortality over and over again? For no reason other than that he was a bad dude all along? It just felt flat to me. Maybe it hit better for others, but to me it felt like a very flimsy way to wrap up what was a very layered and engaging narrative up until then. As someone who wrote a whole research paper on jinn in college, has a Muslim bestie descended from the desert with whom I share a birthday, and who grew up Jewish, this was a super fun read. I don’t know if I’ll read the sequel, as I’ve seen reviews calling it disappointing. If my mom, who recommended this book to me, wants to read it then maybe I’ll read it with her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Self harm, Slavery, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment
adventurous
emotional
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
It was good but I don’t think I liked it enough to read the sequel. I’m okay with the story ending where it did.
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
There is no getting around the fact that this book is incredibly slow. Part of that comes from an abundance of detail in the writing style and careful introspection of each character. But if you are patient with the narrative you will find an incredibly rich and meticulously plotted story that wraps itself up into a neat and elegant bow by the end.
I am not incredibly into the historical genre but this story plays to several of my specific interests. I very much enjoyed learning about the not-oft utilized myth creatures of golems and jinn and appreciated how thoroughly grounded in cultural contexts the author aspires to present them. The author seems to take great care giving detail to the Jewish and Syrian communities, both New and Old World, featured in the story, and every character is unique and grounded. I also deeply appreciate that main characters Ahmad and Chava, while not exactly being *not* romantically interested in each other, have factors to their relationship outside of romantic intrigue and are allowed to organically come to value and enjoy each other's company rather than being smashed together out of obligation of being the male and female leads. In closing, this is a lovingly and meticulously crafted book. Slow as it is, I would not begrudge someone being impatient with it but I greatly appreciated my time with it.
I am not incredibly into the historical genre but this story plays to several of my specific interests. I very much enjoyed learning about the not-oft utilized myth creatures of golems and jinn and appreciated how thoroughly grounded in cultural contexts the author aspires to present them. The author seems to take great care giving detail to the Jewish and Syrian communities, both New and Old World, featured in the story, and every character is unique and grounded. I also deeply appreciate that main characters Ahmad and Chava, while not exactly being *not* romantically interested in each other, have factors to their relationship outside of romantic intrigue and are allowed to organically come to value and enjoy each other's company rather than being smashed together out of obligation of being the male and female leads. In closing, this is a lovingly and meticulously crafted book. Slow as it is, I would not begrudge someone being impatient with it but I greatly appreciated my time with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Classism
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement
Minor: Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy