A review by starryorbit12
We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Improvements:
  • Pacing. The first novel started slow for the first 100 pages then jumped to fast pace with little transition. Much of those first 100 pages contained all of stuff that could have been trimmed down, especially since a lot of it . This novel sets a medium-fast pace that is consistent throughout.
  • Plotting. A big issue I had with the first book plot is that characters don't really interact or cause the plot. Things just happen to the character. Enemies and obstacles come to them, or they simple stumble upon the next plot point or place to go. Plot should be about the cause and effect of characters actions and wants. This book delivers on that.
  • Kulsum.
    So, one of the things I liked about the first book was how side characters, even unnamed ones, could feel really and like they were fleshing out the world. The exception was Kulsum who pretty much exists for Nasir's man pain. She only exists and functions to be Nasir's lover, the Sultan's leverage, or Altair spy. We only see what happens to her through these male characters and their feelings. Even the lose of her tongue is framed around Nasir's horror and regret. Her spyhood is framed around Altair attempting to hurt Nasir rather then why she did it. She has no voice before or after she loses her tongue. She was also the only disabled character of the first book. This books corrects that some by giving Kulsum a confrontation with Nasir. We find out here motives to spy and have a romantic relationship with Nasir was because he killed her lover. The loss of her tongue than becomes framed as the price of pursuing vengeance even as real feelings became a part of it rather than Nasir's pain. It's a short scene that doesn't fully pull her away from being Nasir's man pain because this is used to fuel tension between him and Zafira when she walks in due to him being shirtless. However, it does give her some agency in her story and makes her feel less like one dimensional trope.
  • World building! It felt like we're were given the bare minimum about magic even though magic is the whole goal of characters. Last book just threw a couple different races at us and explained types of magic affinities with no context of what that means. This book takes the time to explain there difference between races, there relationship with magic, and how magic is meant to work. If three out your four race look humanoid, you got to give more time to making them distinct and this book does that sound much better.
Pros:
  • Aroace representation! Not only is Kifah aroace, but this revelation helps avoid the tired trope of pairing up single side characters because books/series can't seem to end without everyone being in a romantic relationship.
    I particular like how this one done when Zafira ask Kifah about Altair. The first book often point out that the two were banter off to the side. It fully set up the typical "we said they interacted a couple times so that enough to pair the together at the end." When Zafira asks about interactions, Kifah makes it clear that she just isn't interested in other that way even though she platonic cares about them.
  • If you enjoy slow burn relationships, this book does it well. It does a great job at placing legitimate obstacles in the way of confessing as well as building tension in the main couples scenes.
  • Engaging plot. Much of the first book was interesting but boiled down to the same ya plot of "find the thing to bring back magic." This book could have done the same.
    It could have just been taking the hearts the Caliphs or getting the final heart back. Instead saving Altair is a bigger focus, and the hearts are only one piece of the story.
    So much more happens, and it's not as predictable. Plans often have hiccups or improvisation.
  • A strong conclusion. The final battle per was a good climax that didn't drag nor did it end to fast. There was also a good focus on the after. Things didn't just end up happily ever after for the kingdom immediately, and it clear that while the characters are happy they will still have to work to make the kingdom the wished in the future.
    I enjoyed Altair becoming Sultan instead. He put in so much work for the kingdom, and Nasir was so abused to forced to kill that I don't know if he was fully equipped to run the whole kingdom that only knew to fear him. Making him Caliph of the place he wronged previously seemed fitting instead. It gave him a small scale and a way to help the people he had wronged.
  • Side plots don't detract from the main story or simple simple disappear either. The enhance the world and make it feel full. Some worlds feel so empty beside the main characters, but side plots and characters really enhance the dynamic feel of the kingdom.
Cons:
  • Aya.
    Her betrayal was bother obvious and jarring. It was obvious from the weird comments she made before the rescue mission in the Lion's favor. It was also jarring because she should have the least reason to trust or go to the Lion. We are meant to believe she empty after Benyamin's and her child death which is the catalyst for her changing sides. But, Benyamin death was for stopping the Lion. His life was dedicated to righting his wrongs caused by trusting the Lion the first time She has also seems his lies directly before. She should want to give her best shot at accomplishing the thing that her husband died for, and that what she has shown up towards the weird comments.  The way the characters react feels like they are seeing build up we as readers didn't too.
  • The Sliver Witch's heart.
    There is literally no reason why she couldn't have given up her heart ages ago in the book. She doesn't need it to survive, and they could have brought magic back way sooner which would have leveled the playing field for fighting the Lion by a lot. The fact that it doesn't occur to anyone, and they are planning on this strict timeline of the stolen hearts corruption feels like glaring oversight for these smart characters. It feels like a huge plot hole, especially because a big plot point was finding si'alh blood so they could do blood magic to find the last heart and Altair. These smart characters jump to blood magic that supposed to be forbidden due the consequences instead of asking for the Witch's heart. She wants to stop the Lion too, and it literally could have been temporary. Use her heart for the fifth so Zafira could be magic compass again to track down the actual last heart and Altair. She could have it back after the other heart was found. There was no described down side to removing there hearts. Plus, Kifah would be able to make illusions and the others on there side could could use there affinities. They would still need the dagger to actually kill the Lion, so it wouldn't through off the balance of the power struggle. It just feels weird that no one thought of that, and the possibility wasn't even acknowledged until she did it even as the panicking over the last heart.
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