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A review by bookaquarius
The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I finished The Daughters of Izdihar and I have thoughts. At various points, this book ranged from 2.5-3.5 stars for me. I do think it’s worth giving a try if you haven’t yet because I think overall there was pretty good writing, interesting characters, a magic system based on manipulating elements, and a main plot centered around feminism and organizing to get women more rights in this fictional society based on modern Egyptian history. I think it has potential!
Nehal and Giorgina are the two main characters with two different levels of privilege but bonded through their common experience as women in a misogynistic and oppressive society. They are both “weavers” so they can control an element. While Nehal relishes her power, Giorgina fears it. Both women are working in a group that organizes to get women the right to vote/provides services to women. Spoiler: men are working to thwart them.
Women’s rights is the entire point of this story so plz don’t use the phrase “heavy handed” in my comments! But the broader political landscape outside of this was lacking. There is war looming but neither character seems to actually care until the end. Nehal for whatever flimsy reason wants to be a soldier?? 🤨 And yet ignores every piece of information she hears about war??? Her head is literally made of 3 feet of cement I could write a treatise on how mad she made me lol. The magic system was also underdeveloped. We spend 3 seconds at the magic academy and learn almost nothing (but Nehal suddenly becomes powerful…).
There were some points in this book that were hit so many times I started to get tired of it. The repetitive nature of the themes, the phrases, the concerns of the characters, felt a bit rote by the end. We don’t need to hear the words “gossip travels fast in this city” every time characters are learning of gossip. Why does Nehal burst into the police station, barge into the chief’s office, have a yelling match, then storm off, multiple times in the story let alone multiple times a day?
Last note: Nico was such a wet blanket 😤. It’s shocking to me that anyone wanted to speak to him let alone desired him. Stand up!
Nehal and Giorgina are the two main characters with two different levels of privilege but bonded through their common experience as women in a misogynistic and oppressive society. They are both “weavers” so they can control an element. While Nehal relishes her power, Giorgina fears it. Both women are working in a group that organizes to get women the right to vote/provides services to women. Spoiler: men are working to thwart them.
Women’s rights is the entire point of this story so plz don’t use the phrase “heavy handed” in my comments! But the broader political landscape outside of this was lacking. There is war looming but neither character seems to actually care until the end. Nehal for whatever flimsy reason wants to be a soldier?? 🤨 And yet ignores every piece of information she hears about war??? Her head is literally made of 3 feet of cement I could write a treatise on how mad she made me lol. The magic system was also underdeveloped. We spend 3 seconds at the magic academy and learn almost nothing (but Nehal suddenly becomes powerful…).
There were some points in this book that were hit so many times I started to get tired of it. The repetitive nature of the themes, the phrases, the concerns of the characters, felt a bit rote by the end. We don’t need to hear the words “gossip travels fast in this city” every time characters are learning of gossip. Why does Nehal burst into the police station, barge into the chief’s office, have a yelling match, then storm off, multiple times in the story let alone multiple times a day?
Last note: Nico was such a wet blanket 😤. It’s shocking to me that anyone wanted to speak to him let alone desired him. Stand up!