A review by jcreads85
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

This is my first Saara El-Arifi and now she’s an immediate read author. But specifically, I’m going to need the rest of this trilogy ASAP.

Faebound would have won 5 stars except that some of the big reveals I guessed early on. I wouldn’t say it’s predictable in general; most of the plot was a complete mystery from beginning to end. But I did kind of wish for a stronger mystery regarding that one character development. It could just be a me problem. 

The book holds a rich history, including a creation story for the races (loved it). However, there are holes on all sides; their own histories and tales colored by time and prejudice. Or lost altogether. It’s a political drama, a story of soldiers taken from their war, a lethal culture clash, magic and of course, companion animals! 

The story unfolds through the sisters - so dual POV. We do get some romance, so I suppose this would fall under romantasy…maybe. But for those who shy away from those bits in their fantasy I’d say it’s still worth a read. We are dealing with heavy backstories, prophecy, and a hidden race who “shouldn’t” be existing. And you could, if desired, skip over the love bits. You won’t lose the story, but perhaps some of the moments of connection. 

I appreciated the many reveals and twists. And while I guessed one of the big ones, I was not correct on most and it was a ride.