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A review by skconaghan
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
With literary prowess, Ms Mafi drags us through the muck-thick streets of a Middle Eastern world of concealed magic, a manipulative patriarchy, and the remnants of a forbidden race repressed and at the mercy of their conquerers. Woven through are these ambiguous and telling prophecies, the missing links to truths long forgotten and fiercely oppressed.
And no one is exempt from the deceptions and temptations of the Devil, whispered in the blinding dark to a cast of relatable conflicted souls.
It's a fast-read that packs a subtle socio-feminist punch, shimmering with teasing forbidden romance a la Romeo & Juliet (especially the Juliet-role). I appreciated the layers of careful quality displayed in the sophisticated writing style, sheerly veiled setting, complex humorous characters that can't help but spout cheeky banter and sharp dialogue, and an addictive driving plot. Top-notch storytelling for its target audience.
I won't give anything away, just to say that if you like certain fantastical creatures appearing in your fantasy novels, hang on, they're coming... the end, by the way, is the best 'First Installation of a Trilogy' sort of cliff-hangery ending I've read in a long time.
(Bonus: My conservative and religious friends can give this one to their young teens (13+) as there wasn’t a glint of the nasty so currently rampant in the genre. I hope Mafi keeps that literary quality throughout; I'll let youse know... on to the second...)— scratch this, I’ve finished #2 and while there still isn’t any of the nasty funk, nor terminology best left for anatomy class, it does get a bit hot and heavier than suitable for -15s imo… 😬
And no one is exempt from the deceptions and temptations of the Devil, whispered in the blinding dark to a cast of relatable conflicted souls.
It's a fast-read that packs a subtle socio-feminist punch, shimmering with teasing forbidden romance a la Romeo & Juliet (especially the Juliet-role). I appreciated the layers of careful quality displayed in the sophisticated writing style, sheerly veiled setting, complex humorous characters that can't help but spout cheeky banter and sharp dialogue, and an addictive driving plot. Top-notch storytelling for its target audience.
I won't give anything away, just to say that if you like certain fantastical creatures appearing in your fantasy novels, hang on, they're coming... the end, by the way, is the best 'First Installation of a Trilogy' sort of cliff-hangery ending I've read in a long time.
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