We Hunt the Flame

Rich, complex, and fantastical; this young adult fantasy is filled to the brim with memorable characters, beautiful world-building (very old world Arabian), and atmosphere. Zafira has always braved the wicked forest of Arz to help feed the people in her community. Only a handful of people close to her know that she is "the hunter," the kingdom is rigidly patriarchal and would bite the hand that feeds them rather than accept that a woman disguised as a man is their savior. When Zafira is visited by a silver witch who invites her on a quest to bring back magic to the world, Zafira is torn, but ultimately decides that she has to go. Little does she realize that the people who will accompany her on this dangerous mission are more show more bloodthirsty and cruel then the darkness of the Arz. A little overwhelming at times with special language inserted into the dialogue and into the names of all that surrounds them, but as the reader gets further along in the story it all starts to click into place. It wouldn't be a young adult fantasy without some romance so of course we have a little of that and a LOT of action. I can't wait for the next one in the series! show less

I read this book because it was the July selection for the Barnes & Noble YA Book Club. While I applaud the attempt to diversity YA fantasy to include mythologies and folklore that is not Western in origin, I was a disappointed in it. This is a debut novel and it shows. The bones of a great story are there, however, it gets lost in maudlin and overwrought Harlequin romance type writing that detracts from the story. The other problem is the lack of knowledge and background information that a YA reader needs to bring with them to the reading of this novel. Middle Eastern mythology and folklore is not taught in the schools, so much of what is going on in the mythologies of the story is not going to be clear to the reader. This is not show more unusual in YA novels, but it is one of the problems that publishers and authors need to deal with when writing novels and expanding the title list in a publisher's catalog. Clear, concise plots and more background information about the underlying mythologies and folklore would do much to clear up potential misunderstandings. (Perhaps a glossary type end notes would be helpful here.) This is one of those novels that could have used a good editor. A good editor would have cut down on the florid (almost purple) prose and kept the story on track. In the end this is a 400 page novel that should have come in around 300 pages. It is clear that this is going to be the first in a series - the ending is a cliff hanger - so I hope that the publisher and author will correct the next installment.

In short - this is a good first effort that doesn't quite live up to the hype about it. This novel displayed much potential from the author, and as a reader I hope for better things with this authors next entry in this series. show less

The best part is definitely the setting and the writing. The author creates a beautiful Arabic world without a hint of orientalism in sight.
I also liked how the last part of the book delved into the character’s motivations. What made Zafira do the things she did? And however she tries to be a cynical adult, all her decisions were still motivated by loved ones. The author knows how to write sentences that hit exactly right and it really showed in those moments.

Zafira hunts in a creepy forest to feed her village, Nasir is an assassin for the rather terrible sultan.
They need to team up to find a book that will restore magic.
Not the most original plot, but I don’t have any real complaints either.

Zafira was a nice main character. I show more liked how she was skilled with a bow, but not some perfect fighter. She was afraid in dire situations and had to learn while on her adventure. It made her feel like a young adult and not some perfect ageless hero.
Women are looked down upon in this world though, and I wonder why fantasy worlds insist on keeping misogyny? It’s a fantasy??
I did like that the author pointed out that this is a very case by case thing. It’s the rules that are unfair, but there are still people just living their lives. Zafira’s father loved her, her friend who has a husband who genuinely loves her has nothing to fear, and while Zafira is ‘not like other girls’ she’s not dragging the other women down.

Nasir is just…. Boring.
The book emphasizes every chapter that he’s some dark soulless assassin prince but he doesn’t feel like it, because all his crimes were ordered by his sultan.
His only terrible crime was having an affair with a servant girl, and it’s used as his tragic backstory. Regardless of her motives, am I supposed to feel sorry for HIM that the servant girl had her tongue cut out when they were caught?
Because of that I didn’t like the romance. Zafira, you’re better off without him.

I don’t think I’ll read the sequel because the plot wasn’t for me, but I’m really excited for A tempest of tea because this author can write very well. show less

I will admit that it took me a few chapters of the dual point of views to understand enough of this world to really start enjoying it. I was worried I was missing something, but this author unfolded this world, drew me in, and never released me. I couldn't wait to get back to reading every night as the world felt so real, the characters were complex and ones to cheer for, and the stakes set high for them.

The alternating point of view chapters built the tension and suspense. The writing is some of the best I've encountered--the metaphors are original and fitting to the world. One of my favorites was on page 399: "Her heart pounded as fiercely as if she were running for her life." The banter and sarcastic humor surprised and delighted me show more and even made me laugh. The chapter endings always made me want to turn the page.

This story is so much more than a fantastical world in which characters battle and compete to restore their former lives, it's a story of learning to be yourself, learning to let yourself love and be loved, and a story of friendship and family. I'm excited to read the final book in duology. show less

Firstly, I bought a hardback copy of this book. Was also lucky to receive an advanced copy (before the UK and Austrilain release) through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts opinions expressed here are my own.

Trigger warnings: trauma, death of a loved one, near death experience, violence, blood, misogyny, war, abuse, scars

Zafira is the only one brave enough to face the Arz and come back out whole. She hunts in the forest that is slowly enveloping her home, her country, that sends you either mad or never to be seen again. Once you enter the Arz, it consumes you. Zafira is known as the Hunter, that know one knows is a woman. A woman that feeds the western villages of her calphite, ruled by men and where women are show more allowed no freedom. If her achievements were revealed she’d shunned and rejected.

Nasir is his father tool, made into the emotionless assassin he is today. The sultan has ordered his son to kill countless innocents for the smallest slights or disobedience. Nasir cannot defy his father, for his compassion comes with a price, and he will be punished in the most brutal of ways.

Both are known throughout the kingdom of Arawiya, legends in the own rights and neither of them wants to be.

The Arz is creeping over Arawiya further with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow and soon it will swallow it whole. Magic has been lost to Arawiya for ninety years, and Zafira has been tasked with a quest to restore it. To bring back magic, destroy the Arz and avenge her father’s death at it’s hands. But Zafira isn’t the only one searching for the lost artifact that will restore magic. Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter and anyone else that might get in his way. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.

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This book was absolutely, utterly, brilliant and amazing. I loved this book from beginning to end. As soon as I finished reading We Hunt the Flame I lied on my bed chanting “I need the next book, I need it, I need it, I need it,” because it utterly destroyed me and I need to know what happens next.

I was instantly hooked into this story. I was instantly intrigued by what was happening and I had difficulty putting it down. I loved that the chapters and perspective switched between Zafira and Nasir. Giving two, sometimes opposite and conflicting, insights into the story. I loved that their two points of views started off so very different and showing two different parts of the world. Which slowly began to align as the story progressed and they realised that they needed the other to find the book on Sharr.

The journeys and growth that the characters go through over the course of this novel were heartbreaking at times. So much happened to Zafira and Nasir, to them separately and them together that I don’t know how to put into words the roller coaster this book was.

So many of the characters were dark and conflicted, hiding secrets from others and sometimes themselves. The main group of characters, the zumra, don’t all truly trust each other. Well, Zafira and Nasir don’t seem to trust anyone really. But they all have to work together in order to reach the same goal. As Sharr plays on their fears and loneliness, Sharr (the prision island) is alive in a way and can play them against each other. The beings that had once been trapped during the rein of the Six Sisters have been left unchecked and allowed to roam wild since magic and the Sisters vanished. Many of them are bloodthirsty and want to get their hands on the zumra. So even though they don’t want to work together they have to survive this island.

I loved that they were forced together to stay alive. Going from enemies, begrudging friends/allies, friends but-I’m-not-going-to-admit-it, and potential even more in the sequel (mainly between Zafira and Nasir). Think that there’s also some potential for the found family trope that might work with the groups dynamic.

This book has really stayed with me since I read it and I think that it is one of the best books that has come out in 2019. It is an amazing debut that is rich with magic, love, family, friendship, and so much more. I highly recommend this to anyone that loves fantasy. I would say that this is one of the must read books of 2019.

The only downside of this book is that I don’t have the sequel already. show less

I pre-ordered this book to support a debut author who had received a lot of grief on social media. I've put off reading it because I was burned out on YA fantasy - the love triangles, the teen angst - ugh, no more, please. HOWEVER...

I really enjoyed this book. Faizal's debut is beautiful. I love the setting, the characters, her writing style. She's created a vivid world, with fleshed out characters, and a fun quest novel. The audiobook narration is spot-on. If you are an audiobook fan, it's definitely the way to go with this book. There are plenty of twists in the plot which were fun, although maybe not entirely unexpected. The only thing that bothered me, and the reason that keeps this from being 5 stars, is the romance subplot. Do I show more ship the potential couple? Sure. Did I enjoy the will they/won't they, I want/I shouldn't angst. Absolutely not. I found it distracting and annoying. show less

This would be probably be fine with really thorough editing, but without it, it's almost unreadable. I think, underneath everything, there's a unique fantasy setting and a competent YA plot complete with twists. But, I really struggled to finish the advanced reader's copy I received, because it has a Finnegans Wake quality that I don't think was on purpose. Very, very florid descriptions abound, which isn't everyone's cup of tea to start with, but the real problem is that the author uses nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs with no discrimination for which is usually which. I'm no prescriptivist, but it was rough; I felt like I was having to mentally diagram every third sentence to try to squeeze the meaning out of it. It was a lot show more like like trying to do a magic eye puzzle, and I am terrible at those! show less