Hadeer Elsbai

I totally enjoyed this compelling fantasy story set up in an Egypt inspired world. It's feminist, queer, and also deals with status/money, thus describing real world issues in a fantasy setting. Women are fighting for the right to vote, to make their own decisions (instead of their male guardians) and more, in a world where magic exists but is mostly shunned in their country. We follow two main characters, Nehal and Giorgina, both with very different privileges in terms on wealth/status, and show more different personalities. I found these POVs very effective at making us care and see the issues with different perspectives. And it made me experience to some extent what the characters experience, which was heart wrenching and necessary at the same time.
The language is simple and straightforward but not in a bad way as the story flows and I was hooked. There are some inconsistencies or events that feel are here for the sake of the plot.
The story doesn't sugar coat anything or shelter the main characters - I'm looking forward to book 2!

I want to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown Book for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

This is a wonderful book! As someone who grew up in Egypt, it’s so refreshing to read an English-language fantasy that has names I know how to pronounce, familiar foods and clothes and settings. Love this representation that also doesn’t shy away from some of the complex dynamics of middle eastern culture without westernizing or exotifying the issue. I do wish there’d been a little deeper dive on the mythology, but you can’t have everything!

Nehal dreams of attending the Weaving academy where she would have a chance at learning control of her abilities to interact with water. There are a number of problems with this plan. To start with, while men get this education for free, women don't; her family is trying desperately to keep up appearances while at the same time needing the dowry Nehal would bring in for her sisters. When her husband agrees to let her go she becomes happier with the arranged marriage, she knows about the love show more of his life, a bookseller called Giorgina with earth powers. A woman trying to forge a life for herself and to fight for rights for women in this Egyptian inspired world.
Both of them have more in common than just a man but what they have to do to survive is complex and will have repercussions for the world.
It was interesting to read something set in a world that was not as western focused as most fantasy and I'm curious about the future for these women. show less

ugh, what a great ending to a rlly great duology.

I LOVE MY THREE GIRLS!!!!!!!!! i'm deeply sad abt niko bc gooood the only good man (most of the time) around in this universe, and my bb girl giorgina deserves to be happpppy. but i do think it ended up narratively satisfying. all in all, i had a lOT of fun with the first book and this one. i cared a lot abt both nehal and giorgina as our pov girls (i rlllllly wanted a malek pov, bc i LOVE HER and want to get into her head, but i will take show more what i got).

my girls are alive, happy, and nehal and malek can kiss everyday, i'm gonna read whatever else this author puts out. show less