Scan barcode
drjoannehill's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Read for Close Encounters book club.
I was interested to read a fantasy set in the middle east but this confusing mess falls so short!
(Probably spoilers)
So there's an orphan young woman, Nahri, scraping a living in Cairo during the French occupation in the 18th century. That is the only time the 18th century will be relevant. She performs fake healing ceremonies to earn money, but somehow summons a magical person - how, and from where, we never know. He won't tell Nahri his name at first, again - who knows why. They are promptly chased by some reanimated corpses and a very violent magical thing who want to know what magical powers Nahri has. They flee Cairo and set off for a city Nahri has never heard of because it's hidden, I guess in the mountains of Iran or Turkmenistan judging from the map. But it's basically deserted desert the whole way there, no humans (sure). Nahri will be safe in Daevabad.
The magical person, oh, now he reluctantly says his name is Dara short for - no still can't tell you for an unknown reason. He drip feeds info about the hidden city Daevabad which is home to the djinn, he's a djinn, but oh no that's a rude slur, don't dare call him a djinn, say daeva, they're all daeva, Nahri included. But some are capital D Daeva, a tribe of daeva...? There are other tribes and there's some bizarre long term intrigue and occasional war going on between them. But wait because in Daevabad some actually do call themselves djinn but the Daeva don't. Still with me?
There's another main character, Alizayd. Just one thing to moan about his story line - he is referred to as religious all the way through, and that's a laughable thing to other characters. Which religion? - isn't said, you have to piece that together from how there are Muslim things like minarets and call to prayer in the book, and how Alizayd (from the Geziri tribe) calls the Daeva "fire worshippers" which is apparently a slur about their religion and is apparently derided by the Geziri (aren't all cultures derided in some way by their political rivals, so that's buyable as a plot line). However, Islam/Muslim is not mentioned by name at all until about 85% in, so it's one more thing to be confused about. At that point, it's dropped in that the daeva/djinn took the religion of their human neighbours (back when it was a new thing? Later? Who knows). Also for an unknown reason. This is very annoying and I can't make sense of it apart from the author wanting to represent Islam in fantasy (and doing a poor job of it).
So many names and ideas that I was in a spin. It's a good thing I had the e-book so I could search back through for references to things because so often a thing or person was thrown in and we're supposed to be "ooh that thing came up!" shock but instead I'm "wait what? Who?" flick back / search ... nope, none the wiser.
Unnecessary and weird romance like why do these two people like each other and where did that come from?
Longing for a Priory of the Orange Tree level of sensible and clear world building! Book club picks are disappointing me lately, but I am reading different things I guess.
I was interested to read a fantasy set in the middle east but this confusing mess falls so short!
(Probably spoilers)
So there's an orphan young woman, Nahri, scraping a living in Cairo during the French occupation in the 18th century. That is the only time the 18th century will be relevant. She performs fake healing ceremonies to earn money, but somehow summons a magical person - how, and from where, we never know. He won't tell Nahri his name at first, again - who knows why. They are promptly chased by some reanimated corpses and a very violent magical thing who want to know what magical powers Nahri has. They flee Cairo and set off for a city Nahri has never heard of because it's hidden, I guess in the mountains of Iran or Turkmenistan judging from the map. But it's basically deserted desert the whole way there, no humans (sure). Nahri will be safe in Daevabad.
The magical person, oh, now he reluctantly says his name is Dara short for - no still can't tell you for an unknown reason. He drip feeds info about the hidden city Daevabad which is home to the djinn, he's a djinn, but oh no that's a rude slur, don't dare call him a djinn, say daeva, they're all daeva, Nahri included. But some are capital D Daeva, a tribe of daeva...? There are other tribes and there's some bizarre long term intrigue and occasional war going on between them. But wait because in Daevabad some actually do call themselves djinn but the Daeva don't. Still with me?
There's another main character, Alizayd. Just one thing to moan about his story line - he is referred to as religious all the way through, and that's a laughable thing to other characters. Which religion? - isn't said, you have to piece that together from how there are Muslim things like minarets and call to prayer in the book, and how Alizayd (from the Geziri tribe) calls the Daeva "fire worshippers" which is apparently a slur about their religion and is apparently derided by the Geziri (aren't all cultures derided in some way by their political rivals, so that's buyable as a plot line). However, Islam/Muslim is not mentioned by name at all until about 85% in, so it's one more thing to be confused about. At that point, it's dropped in that the daeva/djinn took the religion of their human neighbours (back when it was a new thing? Later? Who knows). Also for an unknown reason. This is very annoying and I can't make sense of it apart from the author wanting to represent Islam in fantasy (and doing a poor job of it).
So many names and ideas that I was in a spin. It's a good thing I had the e-book so I could search back through for references to things because so often a thing or person was thrown in and we're supposed to be "ooh that thing came up!" shock but instead I'm "wait what? Who?" flick back / search ... nope, none the wiser.
Unnecessary and weird romance like why do these two people like each other and where did that come from?
Longing for a Priory of the Orange Tree level of sensible and clear world building! Book club picks are disappointing me lately, but I am reading different things I guess.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Violence
Minor: Rape
cozmyer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
gemma_hale's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
Brilliant world-building and complicated characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and War
mice_are_nice's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Racism, Slavery, Torture, War, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Genocide, and Alcohol
Minor: Rape
fernanda_o's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Animal death and Rape
Minor: Homophobia
kornwaiisms's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
i am devastated (this book is fantastic) here's a few thoughts!
- so strong in its writing and story from start to finish, when i tell you it got me hooked,, (if you say it's boring even in the slightest did we read the same book?)
- the characters are SO intricately written i want to see more of all of them (yes even the ones that pissed me off*guh guh dara guh guh* )
- i must admit i need a history book to understand and study the history of this world completely but IT'S OKAY WE'RE VIBING
- ..what WAS that last part. WHAT WAS IT. i'm on the floor sobbing i just want my little darling characters to be ok
special notes to the characters:
- so strong in its writing and story from start to finish, when i tell you it got me hooked,, (if you say it's boring even in the slightest did we read the same book?)
- the characters are SO intricately written i want to see more of all of them (yes even the ones that pissed me off
- i must admit i need a history book to understand and study the history of this world completely but IT'S OKAY WE'RE VIBING
- ..what WAS that last part. WHAT WAS IT. i'm on the floor sobbing i just want my little darling characters to be ok
special notes to the characters:
- NAHRI SHOW THEM WHAT YOU GOOOOOT
ali pls survive jamshid pls survive muntahdir pls don't do anything stupid
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery and Death
Minor: Sexual violence
taliaalongi's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Violence, Death, War, and Racism
Moderate: Rape
dreadspawn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Medical content, Slavery, Blood, Murder, Trafficking, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Rape
ripxw's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, War, Violence, and Genocide
clarehiyama's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this world! Boy, are the characters FLAWED, but I loved a lot of them anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, War, Torture, Blood, Body horror, and Violence