A review by kathyreadsalot
The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

adventurous challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


*Spoilers!* So I was a bit skeptical about this when I started. It is definitely heavy with very early mentions of
slave labor, torture, maiming, child abuse and whipping/beatings etc
and the overall like tone of how the kingdom hierarchy is set up is brutal. It can a bit gory in parts as well. 

What I liked: the overall story has promise and it was intriguing enough for me to finish; the LGBTQ+ representation, the political intrigue, the plot twists at the end and the character development of Sylah, Anoor and Hassa. I am definitely looking forward to reading Book 2 because i am keen to see how the story progresses. 

What I didn’t like: the pacing of the middle part of the book was a bit too slow at times especially during the training scenes with Anoor and Sylah, how Anoor’s weight was treated at times, and that we didn’t get equal treatment of Hassa’s storyline vs Anoor & Sylah. 

If you are not in the mood for oppresive and violent government regimes as part of the story lines, I would say skip this one. 
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