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A review by natalie_and_company
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
5.0
In a snowy desert world, our main character Zafira, a peasant, a woman, inferior, holds the fate of her entire world on her shoulders when she must embark on a journey of history and shadow along with the murderous Prince of Death and a ragtag band of characters. We find on this journey that being “good” is not always as easy as it seems, and being a “hero” is not always so black and white. In this world inspired by ancient Arabia, there is a lush and glorious story of love, power, and the vicious search for magic.
While the build of We Hunt the Flame begins slowly. At first for me it was a little too slow, but as the pieces began to fit together and I understood more and more of the layers within this series I was no longer dissatisfied with the pacing. About 100 pages in the story shifts, into a raucous adventure tale with characters that bring emotion and laughter in equal measure. Hafsah Faizal uses all the basic tropes you find in fantasy and romance, but subverts them so wholeheartedly that they become by definition completely unique.
The level of yearning in this series is off the charts. These characters fight for forgiveness before they think about fighting for love, only to find that love is what has been encouraging them to fight all along. Not only does the love story hit every emotion so hard, the relationships between other characters, brothers, warriors, husbands, sisters all blossom before your eyes as you read. This story holds so much communal compassion within it. The characters ability to empathize is inspiring.
We Hunt the Flame takes you on this desert journey filled with thrill and fights, and tension bringing you to a reveal that feels like a dam nursing at the seems. You watch as the world you have grown to care about suddenly begins to grow dark, turmoil descends upon these characters because of their own goals. In releasing darkness upon their land, they are then tasked with saving it one final time in We Free the Stars.
And what a finale it truly is. Every character, every person encountered in this story plays a part in the war that punishes it. No part is too small to play in the war in this book, making it feel grand, urgent, and completely daunting. And yet I was still giggling, and gaffing, and kicking my little feet in the air during the small moments of relief written in. The dialogue here feels so real, the echoes of the characters' voices filled my mind. The characters felt like close friends in the end, despite this series having one less book than most.
It has been literal years since I have fallen in love with a fantasy series like I have with the Sands of Arawiya. It feels like holding gold in my hands and magic in my heart, and all the while my little feet are just kicking and kicking and kicking.
While the build of We Hunt the Flame begins slowly. At first for me it was a little too slow, but as the pieces began to fit together and I understood more and more of the layers within this series I was no longer dissatisfied with the pacing. About 100 pages in the story shifts, into a raucous adventure tale with characters that bring emotion and laughter in equal measure. Hafsah Faizal uses all the basic tropes you find in fantasy and romance, but subverts them so wholeheartedly that they become by definition completely unique.
The level of yearning in this series is off the charts. These characters fight for forgiveness before they think about fighting for love, only to find that love is what has been encouraging them to fight all along. Not only does the love story hit every emotion so hard, the relationships between other characters, brothers, warriors, husbands, sisters all blossom before your eyes as you read. This story holds so much communal compassion within it. The characters ability to empathize is inspiring.
We Hunt the Flame takes you on this desert journey filled with thrill and fights, and tension bringing you to a reveal that feels like a dam nursing at the seems. You watch as the world you have grown to care about suddenly begins to grow dark, turmoil descends upon these characters because of their own goals. In releasing darkness upon their land, they are then tasked with saving it one final time in We Free the Stars.
And what a finale it truly is. Every character, every person encountered in this story plays a part in the war that punishes it. No part is too small to play in the war in this book, making it feel grand, urgent, and completely daunting. And yet I was still giggling, and gaffing, and kicking my little feet in the air during the small moments of relief written in. The dialogue here feels so real, the echoes of the characters' voices filled my mind. The characters felt like close friends in the end, despite this series having one less book than most.
It has been literal years since I have fallen in love with a fantasy series like I have with the Sands of Arawiya. It feels like holding gold in my hands and magic in my heart, and all the while my little feet are just kicking and kicking and kicking.