Reviews

We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

noorandbooks's review against another edition

4.0

(the following is an unreadable review of the entire series)
(that I must break up or I will go insane)

THE CHARACTERS: In both books, I did not really like Zafira. She just. Wasn't as brave as the book was made out to be. And I would've enjoyed it a lot more if it felt like she actually grew, her character arc felt very static and like it was just forced. If you asked me how she changed from the beginning to the end I wouldn't tell you. She took off her hood? I just didn't really care for her, only when she interacted with the Jawarat.

Nasir was slightly more enjoyable but still fell into the same trap. It didn't feel like he grew either. All his growth felt due to external changes than internal - he only stopped killing when he was allowed to, only loved Zafira when he felt allowed to, etc, etc. BUT. Some of his quotes were SO.

Good night, he wanted to whisper.

But he was the Prince of Death, Amir al-Maut, as his mother had once called him in the old tongue, and good night always felt like goodbye.

(yes this is from the first book, yes we are still talking about it)

AND THEN WE GO ON TO THE REAL MVPS OF THE BOOK, ALTAIR AND KIFAH (and Lana)!!! Altair? Stunning. Amazing. He grew and allowed himself to be more vulnerable, but still remained his core traits of being so cocky.

Altair blearily wondered if he was next.No. He did not want death. He would not welcome it the way she had. He rose to his feet. He was Altair, son of none, gifted by the sun itself, and he would fight the throes of death before letting darkness triumph.

Yes, yes, YES AND. HIS MAGIC UGHHH it just. Drives me insane and you know who else drives me insane?

Kifah. First, let me just scream because SHE IS AROMANTIC and my heart fluttered and, and, and my heart. It exploded. It's gone. Whoops. But also, she's just a badass in general and I just. She helped Zafira's (flat) growth progress but she wasn't just used as a plot device, SHE WAS ALLOWED TO GROW TOO!! AND HER REVENGE WASN'T STOPPED!!! It wasn't shown as something bad or wrong, it was something she was allowed to go through!!

And Lana.

Zafira frowned hesitatntly. "Your murderous tendencies are getting to be a little too much."

There's nothing more to say about her. She is the moment. She is the now.

THE RELATIONSHIPS: I like Zafira and Nasir on paper (which. Well, I read the book on paper. Hah, I'm a comedian.) I like their opposites attract vibes, I like their enemies-to-lovers trope, I like their tension. But it isn't really enemies to lovers. There isn't really a knife-to-throat scene. It's kind of they meet, they are attracted at first sight and then. They spend the rest of the book denying it. Then the second book comes around, and they remember to hate each other for a bit but then it's back to the attraction.

The attraction wasn't bad though. Don't get me wrong. I would've enjoyed it more if it was earned but... I did enjoy it.

"Your turn. What color do you like most?"

"You," he said, so softly it was only sound.

The intensity of his gaze stole the air from her lungs. She shook her head. "That's-"

"Every color that makes you."

(Every color that makes you. Rimaal, he might as well quit now and become a bard.)

Altair and Kifah: Like I said. My two favorite characters interacted. Surely, they become my favorite dynamic. I don't have much to say except loud screaming because I just enjoyed them soooo much.

"Tell me one more lie, and I'll make sure this horse's shoe is the last thing you see."

The stable boy snickered.

Altair sighed dreamily. "Not a soul treats me as kindly as you do."

(If you can't tell, my phone is LITTERED with quotes from this book. Seriously, one of my favorite things about this story is how half these lines just live rent-free in my head.)

Altair and Nasir: Give me some good light vs. dark comparisons and I will weep and thank you.

"I could have killed you," Nasir growled when he didn't answer.

"What's one more attempt?" Altair said.

Seriously. Rent-free.

THE PLOT/PACING: This is what suffered the most for me.

Spoiler

Seriously, like 500 pages just for the Lion to be killed in 3? No grand fight? It was anti-climatic and left me feeling. Off. Like this entire journey was for absolutely nothing.

I was lost a lot of the story, and it wasn't the writing! I was just getting tired of super fast pacing where I wanted it to be slow (action scenes) and super slow pacing where I wanted it to be fast (planning scenes).

THE WORLDBUILDING: This is why I picked up the book for. My dad was actually the one who told me about it. He told me that he read an article on Arabic website about must read fantasy books. When I searched it up and saw it was in an Arab world, I was so overjoyed.

AND BOY OH BOY did the Arab world deliver. I can't tell you how happy I was every time I understood a word, and when I didn't I could talk to my mom about it and she taught me more of my culture, and then I would tell her the character's names and she would explain their meanings and. This book just. I need more of this. I have never felt more seen in my life.

THE VERDICT: I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It lagged too much though, and left me frustrated, though the second book did this a lot less. And I just. I can't get behind Zafira + Nasir's relationship or characters for that matter. But the worldbuilding, Altair, Kifah, Lana, and the stunning writing left me on a happy note and I just.

I can't wait for more of Faizal's books and I just can't wait in general for more books like this.

cconant265's review against another edition

3.0

It was a fine book. I suspect it would be much better if I had read a hard copy instead of listening to an audiobook. I see how people would enjoy it but it was not for me personally.

ravenyoongi's review against another edition

3.75

I loved nasir 🖤🖤🖤 Good characters and world-building. And I liked the relationships between characters and the exploration of trauma and fears. Sometimes it dragged a little, but overall it was pretty good. The final chapter was the perfect ending. 

bookmothmav's review against another edition

Look, I didn't really care all that much for "We Hunt the Flames". Which was unfortunate as a lot of readers I follow did enjoy it. But I just didn't connect with the story. After reading the first book I didn't feel like continuing, however, I knew that if I didn't jump back into the story I would forget everything and then the book would sit on my shelf for the rest of eternity. 

I got to about chapter four or five when I finally called it quits. It was the same feeling I got with the first book and I'm not going through that again for 500+ pages. My indifference to the characters is my main reason for putting this book down. I wished I would have enjoyed it like all the great reviews that I've seen, however, that didn't end up being my experience.

izih1234's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ravenslanding's review against another edition

4.0

I do like where this story ended up. Once we got past the first half the language got a bit more clear and the action easier to follow. I still feel like the character development could've used more smoothing out, but overall I enjoyed the world, characters, and story.

alex346's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

liaashryver's review against another edition

1.0

DNF at 28%
EBook did not work.
Audiobook did not work.
Too many details for my taste. I lost my interest and my time with this book.

alyarchive's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is confusingly good. Everything was suddenly about an outburst of different magics in the middle of zafira and nasir trying to make their relationship works. i was on a roller coaster, but altair got what he deserves, our best boy.

lebishop13's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Honestly, my overarching reaction throughout this book was, "how is it not over yet?!" This either needed to be split into two books or needed an editor to chop a good chunk of this out. 

There were so many storylines and so many characters and so many mini plots that I was confused and underwhelmed by the end. I couldn't really bring myself to care much about what happened. I wish Altair had more page time, and I wish Zafira and the Lion's relationship had more page time. 

All in all, this book desperately needed to decide what I wanted to be, because in the end, it was too many things and nothing all at once. Which is a bummer, because the premise and the world had so much potential and really captured my initial interest.