A review by chrisb913
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This was one hell of a debut novel for Hafsah Faizal. This is book one in the Sands of Arawiya duology. The worldbuilding was outstanding and the attention to details was spectacular. On top of the worldbuilding, Hasah provides such a unique magic system that has left me clamoring for more of her books (as I absolutely love a good magic system in books). The characters themselves felt unique, diverse, and just all around real. Zafira (one of the two main pov) is thrust upon this journey to save her land from encroaching evil and return magic all the while having to hide the fact that she is a woman from the incredibly sexist pig that is the caliph of her region. Nasir is the son of the sultan and the world's deadliest hashashin labeled the Prince of Death. Each are having to fight their way through a land that wants to swallow them whole to obtain an artifact that can restore their world to its rightful state. Along the way they must team up or risk their own survival.

I absolutely loved the storytelling for this book. Hafsah does not shy away from keeping you intrigued and guessing as she crafts this narrative. Instead of info dumping, she provides clues and hints and allows the story to  provide the details naturally as to the past, present, and possible future. I am very excited to read book two and all future works from this author.
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