A review by gabydoesgrowth
We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

This was a fitting end to a great story. I definitely think this was better than We Hunt the Flame. The pacing made more sense and the story felt like it was moving forward instead of just existing. I did sometimes get lost in the details a bit so I had to go back and reread chunks. The characters kept me committed to this story. I was so excited to see how each one grew and changed as they became a true zumra. I loved Zafira and Nasir’s connection, although I do wish we’d gotten just a bit more! But I do appreciate that this is a YA story and think it was well done considering the target audience. I was so hesitant to finish the book, I took a few days off from reading because I didn’t want it to end. 

The ending to Altair and Nasir’s story was *chef’s kiss* and I was glad for Kifah, but I wish we had gotten to see more of Zafira post-journey. We know Aldair will be a great king and Nasir will be the best caliph he can be, but where does Zafira fit into that reality? I know she will carve out a space for herself to be independent and support the change that is already unfolding, but I wish we got to see how.


Ultimately, I really liked the duology  and definitely see this as a re-read for me in the future. 
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