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A review by amiascah
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This is a tough one, I did not enjoy this book, at times I just wanted it over, other times I was very intrigued by the magic system and the world building, while not the greatest it was in-depth enough for the first of a series for me, I think what the kicker was, out of all the characters was there any I was supposed to like?
'Spice Road' but Maiya Ibrahim is a fantasy novel with Arabian feels and magic tea. Everyone has an affinity, whether it be an element like the earth, fire or metal or more animalistic things like shape shifting or controlling animals. To bring out your affinity you need to drink Misra, a magical tea. We meet Imani, middle child, rich kid, god complex, snottiest of the snotty im so perfect kids. She has every advantage that one can in her society plus she's especially gifted with her affinity and has risen in the ranks of her chosen profession as a Shield and is known as The Djinn Slayer. Her older brother, who is thought to be dead for the past year we are quick to discover wasn't. After she discovers evidence of this she sets out to find him.
Spoilers
None of this makes any sense, she hates Djinn so she's gonna bind one on the off chance that her brother is alive and the Djinn might help, and through out the book she's shocked and says that can't be so that council says different and she's supposed to be so law abiding, yet right away she's already bending the rules that she's unwilling to bend? But then when compared to Taha she's supposed to be the one finding enlightenment? He comes across as so much more rigid than her, and even though he's pretty much one note somehow Taha becomes the most in-depth character, everyone else theres nothing to them but one facet, but we see hints and ideas of him being who he is because his father made him that way, his father forged him, possibly unwillingly into the weapon he is, and I think if crafted differently his character could have been wonderful. Except we're supposed to be following Imani who is a complete contradiction, the only rules one can bend are the ones that would benefit her family. I did enjoy showing her sisters thieving might have something to do with protecting or supporting people less well off but all it achieved was making me like Imani less because she was so out of touch about it, she seemed to know nothing about her sister, or her brother, and so was so surprised about the idea of her sister taking time from her privileged life to possibly steal for someone going without. But then im supposed to believe that Imani then risks everything in the next bit to save a random girl she just met that day from prison even though it could risk everything, plus she's supposed to be keeping her existence as someone from Qalia and someone with magic a secret? Make it make sense, the most baffling of all was her persistence of the idea that she could go and bring her brother back and life would go back to normal, everyone was telling her and showing her how he had committed crimes of epic proportions yet she thought it was all okay and forgivable. How deluded does one have to be?
'Spice Road' but Maiya Ibrahim is a fantasy novel with Arabian feels and magic tea. Everyone has an affinity, whether it be an element like the earth, fire or metal or more animalistic things like shape shifting or controlling animals. To bring out your affinity you need to drink Misra, a magical tea. We meet Imani, middle child, rich kid, god complex, snottiest of the snotty im so perfect kids. She has every advantage that one can in her society plus she's especially gifted with her affinity and has risen in the ranks of her chosen profession as a Shield and is known as The Djinn Slayer. Her older brother, who is thought to be dead for the past year we are quick to discover wasn't. After she discovers evidence of this she sets out to find him.
Spoilers
None of this makes any sense, she hates Djinn so she's gonna bind one on the off chance that her brother is alive and the Djinn might help, and through out the book she's shocked and says that can't be so that council says different and she's supposed to be so law abiding, yet right away she's already bending the rules that she's unwilling to bend? But then when compared to Taha she's supposed to be the one finding enlightenment? He comes across as so much more rigid than her, and even though he's pretty much one note somehow Taha becomes the most in-depth character, everyone else theres nothing to them but one facet, but we see hints and ideas of him being who he is because his father made him that way, his father forged him, possibly unwillingly into the weapon he is, and I think if crafted differently his character could have been wonderful. Except we're supposed to be following Imani who is a complete contradiction, the only rules one can bend are the ones that would benefit her family. I did enjoy showing her sisters thieving might have something to do with protecting or supporting people less well off but all it achieved was making me like Imani less because she was so out of touch about it, she seemed to know nothing about her sister, or her brother, and so was so surprised about the idea of her sister taking time from her privileged life to possibly steal for someone going without. But then im supposed to believe that Imani then risks everything in the next bit to save a random girl she just met that day from prison even though it could risk everything, plus she's supposed to be keeping her existence as someone from Qalia and someone with magic a secret? Make it make sense, the most baffling of all was her persistence of the idea that she could go and bring her brother back and life would go back to normal, everyone was telling her and showing her how he had committed crimes of epic proportions yet she thought it was all okay and forgivable. How deluded does one have to be?