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A review by onthesamepage
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I pushed myself to finish this book last night, because I just didn't want to wake up in the morning and know that it was still waiting for me. I kept hoping it would get better. And sometimes, it did, but only briefly. All in all, it just wasn't enough.
I'll start with the positive, which is the Middle Eastern-inspired setting and the magic system. The world itself is interesting—Qalia is a city hidden by magic that the rest of the world has forgotten. The source of it is a spice called misra, from which they brew a tea. Once they drink it, they can use magic for a limited amount of time. Each sorcerer has a specific affinity as well—our main character, Imani, can manipulate the iron in her dagger. I liked the idea of tea fueling the magic. They take it very seriously, and have brewing ceremonies with which they start their day.
The plot itself is fairly straightforward, and consists of a lot of traveling. Imani's brother disappeared after stealing a large amount of misra, and Imani finally has a lead on where he is and is determined to bring him home. They encounter some precarious situations along the way, but none of what happens is very surprising what with all the foreshadowing. Except if your name is Imani, then everything is a shock to the system.
I don't mind reading about unlikeable characters, although I will say that I usually prefer not to read them in first person POV. But Imani was completely insufferable. For someone who is supposedly a great warrior, the Djinni Slayer, you'd think she would be much less naïve. Instead, she spends nearly half the book insisting that her brother would never do something like this and must've been brainwashed, despite all evidence to the contrary, including discussions she had with him that she reflects on. She's also extremely privileged but completely unaware of it, as if it is the most normal thing in the world that everything will be forgiven once she returns with her brother, including her blackmailing Qalia's leaders. She does get called out on this by Taha, but it still takes her an embarrassingly long time to figure out that she is the asshole to all the people in her life.
And even after she has this realization, she really doesn't do anything with it. The biggest example of this is her relationship/romance with Taha. Every interaction between them would start with Taha treating her almost kindly, and then suddenly doing a complete 180 and reverting back to his usual cold aloofness. And I can understand Imani being first confused by this, and then giving him the cold shoulder right back. Instead, she keeps joining him in this ridiculous cycle so that we can get constant internal monologues of, "wow he's so different when we're alone, maybe I like him, why did he just say that to me, he is the WORST I will never trust him again".
This book is also an excellent example of why I don't like first person POV, and actually think that a lot of authors don't write it well. This is a snippet from one of their countless confrontations:
I pushed myself to finish this book last night, because I just didn't want to wake up in the morning and know that it was still waiting for me. I kept hoping it would get better. And sometimes, it did, but only briefly. All in all, it just wasn't enough.
I'll start with the positive, which is the Middle Eastern-inspired setting and the magic system. The world itself is interesting—Qalia is a city hidden by magic that the rest of the world has forgotten. The source of it is a spice called misra, from which they brew a tea. Once they drink it, they can use magic for a limited amount of time. Each sorcerer has a specific affinity as well—our main character, Imani, can manipulate the iron in her dagger. I liked the idea of tea fueling the magic. They take it very seriously, and have brewing ceremonies with which they start their day.
The plot itself is fairly straightforward, and consists of a lot of traveling. Imani's brother disappeared after stealing a large amount of misra, and Imani finally has a lead on where he is and is determined to bring him home. They encounter some precarious situations along the way, but none of what happens is very surprising what with all the foreshadowing. Except if your name is Imani, then everything is a shock to the system.
I don't mind reading about unlikeable characters, although I will say that I usually prefer not to read them in first person POV. But Imani was completely insufferable. For someone who is supposedly a great warrior, the Djinni Slayer, you'd think she would be much less naïve. Instead, she spends nearly half the book insisting that her brother would never do something like this and must've been brainwashed, despite all evidence to the contrary, including discussions she had with him that she reflects on. She's also extremely privileged but completely unaware of it, as if it is the most normal thing in the world that everything will be forgiven once she returns with her brother, including her blackmailing Qalia's leaders. She does get called out on this by Taha, but it still takes her an embarrassingly long time to figure out that she is the asshole to all the people in her life.
And even after she has this realization, she really doesn't do anything with it. The biggest example of this is her relationship/romance with Taha. Every interaction between them would start with Taha treating her almost kindly, and then suddenly doing a complete 180 and reverting back to his usual cold aloofness. And I can understand Imani being first confused by this, and then giving him the cold shoulder right back. Instead, she keeps joining him in this ridiculous cycle so that we can get constant internal monologues of, "wow he's so different when we're alone, maybe I like him, why did he just say that to me, he is the WORST I will never trust him again".
This book is also an excellent example of why I don't like first person POV, and actually think that a lot of authors don't write it well. This is a snippet from one of their countless confrontations:
"We have nothing," he says finally, his words palpably laced with despair.
I revealed my weakness for him yet again in some naïve hope that my feelings would be reciprocated, but all he gave in return was that impenetrable defensive wall.
So which is it? Was he palpably despairing or was it an impenetrable defensive wall?
I wish I could say that the rest of the characters make up for it, but they really don't. I was mildly interested in Qayn, but the author teases a love triangle between Taha, Qayn, and Imani, and I have no interest in going down that road. I'm really sad that this didn't work for me.
If you want a taste of the drama, there's a final quote from the end of the book behind the spoiler tag.
I pull him by his tunic. “No!” I scream in his face. “I will forgive you once you’ve offered your neck to my blade!”
Tears sting his forlorn eyes. “It’s yours,” he says quietly. “End my misery like I did your horse’s, and we will be even.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death