We Hunt The Flame
There are so many diverse books out there in the world now! I don't know if it's just because I'm trying to read more widely or I'm just making myself more aware--but I feel like readers have so much more opportunity now to be exposed to characters of diverse ethnicities, religions, cultures, and sexualities than ever before!
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal was published earlier this year and this is a perfect example of a diverse fantasy book that I think a lot of people needed to see. Fantasy books don't have to be only medieval European style books! Faizal says that this fantasy world of hers was inspired by Ancient Arabia. On Goodreads she points out however, that this isn't a "Muslim book" and it is proof that Arab does not equal Muslim or vice versa.
Just because I am unfamiliar with the Arab culture, I wasn't sure how easily I would fall into this fantasy kingdom of Arawiya. While it did take some getting used to (just because of names and language), by the end of the book I felt like I could really picture the setting and I would love to see a movie based on this book!
We Hunt the Flame takes place in Arawiya, a kingdom suffering because of the disappearance of magic. Darkness is taking over the land and the cursed forest of Arz steadily grows and threatens the safety of the people. Zafira, a young woman, has disguised herself as a man and takes on a name, The Hunter, so that she can provide food for her people despite those who doubt the abilities of women. Nasir, the Prince of Death, is the son of the sultan and an assassin who must do his father's bidding or face the consequences. Both of them realize the difficulty of their situation and the difficulty in revealing their true selves.
With Arz growing and time running out, Zafira must fulfill her destiny and go on a quest to recover the lost artifact that would restore magic to the kingdom and save the people she loves. Nasir is sent by his father to also retrieve the artifact--and kill the Hunter! When their paths collide they must discover where their true strength lies, how they can conquer their fears, and come to terms with their true identities before they can save the rest of the kingdom.
I've been on a big reading kick this past week and this book did make me a little nervous. At 472 pages it was the biggest book that I checked out of the library this week and I was worried that I would get bogged down in it. The first part of the book is mostly spent giving backstory and explaining the world and once I got through that and the character introductions, I felt like I was able to settle really well into the story and follow the quick paced action.
Both Zafira and Nasir are very likable characters. You find yourself feeling compassion for the lives that they are forced to lead. They both also have very strong and realistic motivations for the things that they do. The perspective alternates between a third person omniscient type point of view with each chapter focused on one or the other character. I liked that we were able to get both of their perspectives!
This book is meant to be the first in a series. The second book, We Free the Stars, is set to come out sometime next spring (2020) so I'm definitely looking forward to that!
I recommend this book for YA, fantasy lovers, diverse book readers, and anyone who is looking for something refreshing and new! You can purchase a copy from an independent bookseller or Amazon here!
Just because I am unfamiliar with the Arab culture, I wasn't sure how easily I would fall into this fantasy kingdom of Arawiya. While it did take some getting used to (just because of names and language), by the end of the book I felt like I could really picture the setting and I would love to see a movie based on this book!
We Hunt the Flame takes place in Arawiya, a kingdom suffering because of the disappearance of magic. Darkness is taking over the land and the cursed forest of Arz steadily grows and threatens the safety of the people. Zafira, a young woman, has disguised herself as a man and takes on a name, The Hunter, so that she can provide food for her people despite those who doubt the abilities of women. Nasir, the Prince of Death, is the son of the sultan and an assassin who must do his father's bidding or face the consequences. Both of them realize the difficulty of their situation and the difficulty in revealing their true selves.
With Arz growing and time running out, Zafira must fulfill her destiny and go on a quest to recover the lost artifact that would restore magic to the kingdom and save the people she loves. Nasir is sent by his father to also retrieve the artifact--and kill the Hunter! When their paths collide they must discover where their true strength lies, how they can conquer their fears, and come to terms with their true identities before they can save the rest of the kingdom.
I've been on a big reading kick this past week and this book did make me a little nervous. At 472 pages it was the biggest book that I checked out of the library this week and I was worried that I would get bogged down in it. The first part of the book is mostly spent giving backstory and explaining the world and once I got through that and the character introductions, I felt like I was able to settle really well into the story and follow the quick paced action.
Both Zafira and Nasir are very likable characters. You find yourself feeling compassion for the lives that they are forced to lead. They both also have very strong and realistic motivations for the things that they do. The perspective alternates between a third person omniscient type point of view with each chapter focused on one or the other character. I liked that we were able to get both of their perspectives!
This book is meant to be the first in a series. The second book, We Free the Stars, is set to come out sometime next spring (2020) so I'm definitely looking forward to that!
I recommend this book for YA, fantasy lovers, diverse book readers, and anyone who is looking for something refreshing and new! You can purchase a copy from an independent bookseller or Amazon here!
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