Reviews

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena, Tanaz Bhathena

Only show reviews with written explanations

laura_cs's review against another edition

5.0

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gul was born with a death sentence. When the current king of Ambar took power, it was foretold that he would die at the hands of a girl with a star-shaped birthmark. Since then, many girls have died--both those with and without magic. Gul's parents worked hard to prevent her from that fate, ultimately sacrificing their lives. Gul wants revenge for her parents' deaths, and she has spent two years training with the Sisterhood of the Golden Lotus. Now, her opportunity has come. But is she ready to pay the price? And what of the strange stable boy, Cavas, whose fate seems to be tied to hers?

This lush first book in a brilliant fantasy duology inspired by Medieval India and Indian culture is gorgeously written and everything feels nearly tangible. And then that vibrant world is completed with a fascinating magic system, compelling characters, and a page-turning plot (full of surprises you didn't see coming!). Perfect for fans of "Children of Blood and Bone" and "The Star-Touched Queen", "Hunted by the Sky" is a brilliant escape from the reality that is 2020 and a can't-miss book of the year, and will have readers eagerly anticipating the sequel, "Rising Like a Storm".

alyssaindira's review against another edition

Go to review page

I just could not really get into it. I was semi intrigued but I do not know...maybe it was the writing or the circumstances. The beginning started out strong then I just slowly became less intrigued as time went on. I guess I was expecting something different...

thestarsandthemoon's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

angelayue4's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lsparrow's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

just couldnt get excited about it. I liked the feel of the story and the context but I could not get excited about the characters or their story.

atrailofpages's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

This was one of my more anticipated reads for this year and I did enjoy it. It wasn’t my favorite, but I didn’t dislike it. I honestly think this was more of a 3.5 stars for me.

It was interesting to see that the non-magi were the ones that were oppressed instead of the magi. Of course, I did just finish a book that was the complete opposite, so that may be why I found it interesting

ivegotyourpaperback's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

4.0

Oooooh this was extraordinarily enjoyable. The authors note lets us know that she has Indian and Persian heritage, of which she drew on to create the fantastical world of Ambar. The world and setting were so rich, and the writing created vibrant images in my mind.

I started off listening to the audiobook while stitching or working, but found that due to the descriptive nature of the text I couldn’t fully take in the story if I wasn’t focused solely on it - so I ended up switching to the ebook.

I loved both of our MC’s, Gul and Cavas. Each time I read a chapter in one POV, I couldn’t wait to get to the next. Gul’s character particularly impressed me. She actually feels like a teenager (she’s 16). She’s quick to anger and impulsive at times. She makes mistakes and says things she regrets. This all made her feel very real rather than a typical idealised fantasy heroine.

Cavas too was very likeable, and I’m enjoying the slow burn nature of his relationship with Gul.

The narrators were both emotive and got into their respective characters. Though, the guy sounded like Matthew Broderick 😆

Extra content warning:

⚠️implied child SA

Content Warnings