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The Demon Race

Alexandria Warwick (Goodreads Author)

3.55 · Rating details · 38 ratings · 26 reviews

Hidalgo meets An Ember in the Ashes in this Middle Eastern-inspired YA fantasy debut.

A race across the desert.

An unimaginable prize.

It occurs once every thousand years: the Demon Race. A test of will and strength, it is a race across the Saraj, a fight for the prize of a lifetime. And it is the key to Namali Hafshar’s freedom.

When shy, seventeen-year-old Namali learns of h ...more

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Paperback, 372 pages

Published September 18th 2018 by Wolf Publishing (first published 2018)

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· 38 ratings · 26 reviews

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Sep 08, 2018 may ➹ rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2018, 4-and-a-half-star, rep-bipoc-asian, diverse, ebook, fantasy, important-messages, my-heart, rep-bipoc, pov-3rd

me: don’t know if I will love this :/ :(
also me: [tears up and nearly cries] [rates it 4.5 stars]

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Sep 06, 2018 Darque Dreamer rated it it was amazing

The Demon Race was intense and edgy. But, it wasn’t just about a dangerous race across the desert for a prize. It was about a race to survive a journey of self discovery. It was about the struggle between light, darkness and the balance between.

Alexandria built an incredible world and story here. There was layer upon layer of rich detail that drew me in and kept me turning the pages. At any given point, I felt like I was in the middle of the Saraj desert with Namali. The writing was vivid and be ...more

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Aug 20, 2018 Annemieke / A Dance with Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Thank you to the author for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Demon Race is a (for now) fantasy standalone set in a desert. It clearly has demons so I was quite ready for this book. And for the most part it delivered. But I have been going back and forth on my rating for a while now. In the end I decided to take my rating to the high end as this is a debut author and I settled on 4 stars. That doesn’t mean I don’t have some bones to pick with it though.

Let us start with the f Thank you to the author for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Demon Race is a (for now) fantasy standalone set in a desert. It clearly has demons so I was quite ready for this book. And for the most part it delivered. But I have been going back and forth on my rating for a while now. In the end I decided to take my rating to the high end as this is a debut author and I settled on 4 stars. That doesn’t mean I don’t have some bones to pick with it though.

Let us start with the face that I enjoyed reading this book. I read it in one sitting and it was quite nice for a change to be able to be done with a book and there not being a sequel I need to wait on. It is a solid wrapped up story. There is still room to expand on this world it is set in but this story is done. The writing was very easy to fall into. And there were very little dull moments in this action packed book. Even so, some of the insights on female oppression felt more like lectures in places. I do appreciate what she tried to do though. Showing the male character his privilege as a man, and in turn showing our female character her privilege as an able bodied person.

As said this story takes place in the desert, and the culture and world seems based on middle eastern culture. The basis of the world is solid but I would have liked some more explaining on their gods perhaps and I would have liked more deepening on the demons. I understand that in this instance the demons were more used as a bad influence on our characters for the demon in themselves, but I would liked to have seen that the creatures they travelled on had been depicted more as individuals, you know. Now they just kind of fell to the background as a plot device and more discarded whenever convenient. I think that was a shame because it could have added so much more to the story and the characters.

Our main character is Namali who is 17 years of age and discovers at the start of the book she is to be married off at the end of the week. As this is not something she wants she leaves to join The Demon Race. She’s used to complying to the male men in her life. And while she took a long time to accept herself as brave her first decision to turn away from everything she has known is brave. She is a bit shy in moments but as we get to know her, and she interacts more with Sameen she becomes more free in her interactions. Namali also wears a veil in front of her mouth. Throughout the book it is clear this is by her own choice and that it means a great deal to her to show her face to someone.

Sameen is one of the kindest human beings I have come across in my recent reads. While he is joining The Demon Race for his own reasons he can’t help but help out Namali where everyone else turns her away. Even if this means his chances are becoming slimmer and slimmer every day. Their romance was obvious from the start but they suit each other. It is also a slower romance and a clean one for sure. There is not even a kiss.

While the romance might be very clean there is violence, blood and mutilation. So it is certainly not a read for those faint of heart. ...more

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Sep 13, 2018 Jordan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

Going into The Demon Race, I expected an adventurous YA novel that was on the darker side, but still something relatively 'of the norm.' I did not expect such a dark, emotional, character-driven, all-around stunning journey to find oneself. I am more than thrilled about this book. This is a standalone fantasy with a Middle Eastern-inspired desert setting and an abundance of demons and daevas. There is a very minor romantic aspect of this book, but i Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

Going into The Demon Race, I expected an adventurous YA novel that was on the darker side, but still something relatively 'of the norm.' I did not expect such a dark, emotional, character-driven, all-around stunning journey to find oneself. I am more than thrilled about this book. This is a standalone fantasy with a Middle Eastern-inspired desert setting and an abundance of demons and daevas. There is a very minor romantic aspect of this book, but it does not overtake the story and there is really nothing physical. There is, however, plenty of violence and disturbing aspects of this novel, so if that's not your thing then I would just keep that in mind.

The culture of this world is Middle Eastern-inspired, but with its own set of gods and religion that I really enjoyed learning about. I love that Warwick created some strong religious stories and rituals around this culture that really cemented it as something that felt authentic. At the same time, however I would have also loved to know even more about some of the other major gods or players. One small disappointment I had was with the daevas themselves. I won't go into the role they play itself because it's a small surprise, but I wanted to know more about them and what they were like. They were a clear representation of evil and sort of 'infected' people with their evil, but I would have liked to have them described more often or even expanded upon whether they had any sort of personality. This is a minor issue, but it is one that would have brought this book to life even more for me and intrigued me even more.

Our main protagonist, Namali, lost her mother a few years prior to the start of the events of this book and has been living alone with her father ever since. Her father has been closed off to her since her mother's death, and at the very beginning of the novel Namali is informed that she will be married off to a merchant, something she does not want to do. I thought Namali was a great character. She's not without her flaws, but she's a surprisingly steadfast young woman who knows what she wants--and what she doesn't--and will do anything she can do get it, a determination that she didn't even realize she had in the beginning of the book. As mentioned, this is a majorly character-driven book, so Namali's development throughout the events of the story are incredibly important and also written extremely well. She's a bit on the quiet side and is often unsure of herself, but at various moments of the book she begins to find her own bravery and find out who she truly is and what she wants from her life. Namali's entire journey through darkness, despair, anger, and hope is something that I found beautiful and that affected me deeply, as I could relate to many of the feelings Namali struggled with, even though our situations are of course vastly different.

The second most prominent character in this book is Sameen, a young man that Namali meets at the beginning of her journey. Sameen is an angel (not literally) and someone I hope I can be like. He's kind, caring, and seems to be a genuinely selfless person who cares about others. He knows what he has to do survival and is willing to do it, and he is also a very loyal person. I don't want to go into Sameen's role too much in this story, but he acts a wonderful balance for Namali's own struggles and is another great character int his book.

This is also a very insightful book with themes such as female oppression, judging others, etc., and I really enjoyed this most of the time. There were a few times where it did start to feel a bit overdone and that the message was being forced into the reader than the merely fully absorbed, but it still didn't bother me too much in the end. It is something that I could see some readers disliking, though, so I thought it was worth mentioning since it was something that even I noticed.

I don't know for sure whether or not the evil attempting to overtake Namali and other characters was meant to have any relation to depression or things in that realm, but this really hit home for me. The struggle between Namali and the evil that attempts to take over both her and the rest of the competitors is one of the biggest conflicts in this book, and it speaks to so many true aspects of life itself. The message that no matter how much darkness overtakes you, no matter how many bad thoughts you might have or fears you have about yourself, there is hope and there is a chance to find yourself again is a huge one in this book, and also one that I think is incredible important.

This is a book that I know I will not forget about easily, if ever, because of how much I wasn't expecting it. I didn't expect to highlight so many paragraphs and phrases that were so real and so relevant to my life and the world itself. The biggest surprise was simply how dark and cruel this book was. The Demon Race goes to some dark places, but it does so in a beautiful, impacting manner. Whether you like the story itself or not, there is no denying Warwick's ability to craft some truly beautiful words and employ a brilliant style of prose.

Overall, I've given The Demon Race four-and-a-half stars. If you like dark, character-driven adventure journeys, then you must pick this one up! ...more

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Sep 21, 2018 Hannah (Ink & Myths) rated it liked it

Shelves: from-the-publisher

I want to thank Alexandria Warwick, for writing this novel and providing me with an ARC of The Demon Race in exchange for an honest review. All quotes were taken from an advanced reader’s copy and may be subject to change.

"Choice. The word meant nothing and everything. Nothing, because she'd never had a choice, and everything for the same reason."

The Demon Race is a gripping book, filled with wonderful mythology and world-building. It’s set in the depths of a desert, a place that holds a I want to thank Alexandria Warwick, for writing this novel and providing me with an ARC of The Demon Race in exchange for an honest review. All quotes were taken from an advanced reader’s copy and may be subject to change.

"Choice. The word meant nothing and everything. Nothing, because she'd never had a choice, and everything for the same reason."

The Demon Race is a gripping book, filled with wonderful mythology and world-building. It’s set in the depths of a desert, a place that holds a lot of secrets and, at its heart, a wish. It's a book about freeing yourself from oppression, about standing up for yourself and fighting for yourself -- all elements which Alexandria Warwick wove beautifully into this story and which made The Demon Race such an important book.

Namali, the protagonist, has a certain darkness insider her heart, that's why I think everyone who enjoys morally grey characters will absolutely adore this. She's also determined and doesn’t give up, doesn’t back down -- even when all the odds are against her. In this regard, The Demon Race is a deeply empowering book and a feminist story nonetheless. Namali goes through a lot of development and that is something I love most in books. I think she turns into something completely different from where she started and the journey she went through was exciting to read about.

“Invisible, but no longer. She had two hands and a will carved of black stone.”

The world building is also wonderful and so is the writing. It’s like being right there, in the desert, the Saraj, and Alexandria Warwick really knows how to make readers feel like they’re right there with the characters.

And yet there are things that I did not love, but I think a lot of them are just my personal preference. This is a novel filled with a lot of plot and sometimes it felt like the development of the characters suffered a bit from that. One character, especially, comes to mind and I would have liked to get to know more about his motives —generally, I would have loved to learn more about what is in the hearts of the different characters, as I feel like only Namali's motives were really known: she wanted to be free. But what about Sameen, for example? What did he see in Namali that inspired him so much? What about the merchant?

"Be brave, Namali." She tucked a thin sheet around her shoulders. "No one will be brave for you."

All in all, I think this is a wonderful debut. The world-building is excellent, filled with long days in the desert, towns I’d like to explore and a lot of fascinating history. I enjoyed the mythology behind the world of The Demon Race a lot and I’d love to see more of it! But as I’m a person who needs to connect to the characters of a story, this might just not be the perfect book for me. I really enjoyed the development of the protagonist, but overall I wanted to get to know the characters more, wanted to know about their desires and their fears, their hopes and their wishes. ...more

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Nov 01, 2018 Larissa (Book Bosomed Blonde) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018

Epic fantasy or not? This book promises darkness, demons, and breaking boundaries, with an epic race battling through the obstacles but what i found was more of an epic struggle of finding yourself in a young and oppressed girl in a world of men. Not exactly what i was expecting.

The writing style is really whimsical and saturated in darkness. I loved the way Warwick was able to incorporate both innocence and evil into such a condensed book. She really makes you think about what it is to be human Epic fantasy or not? This book promises darkness, demons, and breaking boundaries, with an epic race battling through the obstacles but what i found was more of an epic struggle of finding yourself in a young and oppressed girl in a world of men. Not exactly what i was expecting.

The writing style is really whimsical and saturated in darkness. I loved the way Warwick was able to incorporate both innocence and evil into such a condensed book. She really makes you think about what it is to be human and if your struggles are worse than others around you, what you would do to win.

That being said, even though i enjoyed the writing I didn’t really enjoy the plot. I thought it was going to be this winding race across the desert with demons and obstacles at every turn but it was mostly about this oppressed girl trying to find out who she really is. Personally, i wouldn’t have minded this as much if the synopsis actually made it seem like more of a contemporary, but i was expecting a fantasy!!

Namali, our main character is hard to like. She says that she no longer wants to be oppressed and wants to make her own decisions but she constantly cowers at obstacles and relies on her friend who is a male to protect her. Her words and actions don’t match up and frankly, i found her to be annoying and i didn’t want to read from her perspective anymore. Yes, she takes a chance and enters the demon race but everything after that was just conflicting choices and listening to her rattle on about being her own person.

I know it must be hard to break out of your comfort shell and push past all the boundaries blocking you in, but it’s just not the story i was expecting or even wanting to read. I wish there was more to it and that the book focused on the plot more than the characters, but alas, it didn’t. I think this book just really wasn’t for me. The plot sounded interesting but the execution was not what i wanted. I really wish i could have enjoyed it more.

You can also find this review here on my blog. ...more

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Apr 23, 2018 Anthony ➳ KeepReadingForward ➳ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, arc, author

3/5
Date Reviewed: 30 June 2018
This Review was first posted on Keep Reading Forward. If you want to see more, check out our other locations as well as here.

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

In The Demon Race, Namali learns of an arranged marriage, and once she realizes she has no choice, she flees her home in an attempt to avoid the marriage. When an odd chance leads her to discover the Demon Race and the prize the winner shall receives, she suddenly realizes that i ...more

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Aug 06, 2018 Lauren James (storied.adventures) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, adventure, fantasy

Full review on my blog, Storied Adventures

4.5 STARS!!

I reserve 5 stars for books I will definitely re-read. I just don't know yet if this will be one of them.

This book was freaking good. A surprisingly thought provoking read. There were three moral lessons that I got.

1. Just because your circumstances or people around you might be bad at the time, doesn't give you the right to rage at the world. You CAN choose good despite what life throws at you. And yes, it's the hardest thing in the world to ...more

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Aug 29, 2018 Anne Z. rated it it was ok

I have so many things to say ...
Review coming to the blog soon!

For now let me just say this: I am sooooooooooo tired of girls that can do it all in YA. Mary-sues are just not for me!

For the full review (available from Aug 30th) and more Subscribe/Like/Follow

Blog: http://glimpsesofmybooks.blogspot.com
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Sep 29, 2018 Rendz rated it really liked it

4.5

*I was provided a review copy by the author, which does not affect my opinion in any way!*

This was such a surprise read. I will be honest, I expected a really generic fantasy. I’ve read lots of Dangerous Game books, so I felt like I could pin this one easily. And boy was I wrong, wrong, wrong. This book is many things, but above all things it is DEEP. Like it hits you in the soul and you hurt.

What I Liked:
Characters:

Namali: Wow. Can I just say that I love stories where the heroine does not st ...more

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Sep 18, 2018 Rachael rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I received this book from the author in return for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinion.

It occurs once every thousand years: the Demon Race. A test of will and strength, it is a race across the Saraj, a fight for the prize of a lifetime. And it is the key to Namali Hafshar's freedom.

When shy, seventeen-year-old Namali learns of her arranged marriage, she flees home and enters the Demon Race for the chance to change her fate. But to compete, she must cross the Saraj on a daeva, I received this book from the author in return for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinion.

It occurs once every thousand years: the Demon Race. A test of will and strength, it is a race across the Saraj, a fight for the prize of a lifetime. And it is the key to Namali Hafshar's freedom.

When shy, seventeen-year-old Namali learns of her arranged marriage, she flees home and enters the Demon Race for the chance to change her fate. But to compete, she must cross the Saraj on a daeva, a shadow demon that desires its own reward: to infect her soul with darkness.

Namali soon learns that the desert holds more dangers than meets the eye. The only person she can trust is Sameen, a kind competitor seeking his own destiny. As her affection for him grows, however, so too does the darkness in her heart.

In this race of men and demons, only one can win. But the price of winning might be more than Namali is willing to pay.

When the author reached out to me to read The Demon Race, I was skeptical because of the title. I'm not a big fan of demons or anything that is associated with them, but this book was great and it blew me away. I was shocked when I read that this was the authors debut because it's so good! It had a fantastic, diverse story line with a mix of some very lovable and not so lovable characters. Lots of action as we follow Namali across the desert as she races to the Lost City to win a wish so she can get out of her arranged marriage. And there's some romance that is just the perfect amount for a fantasy story like this one.

Namali is a very shy girl who is scared to take risks and do what she wants for herself and I could connect with her so well on that. I used to never speak my mind or speak up when I was growing up. But like Namali we both found our way and who we are. There is a lot of violence and fighting in the story and some scenes were a bit too gruesome for my enjoyment but the action was so thrilling and I just had to keep reading. The setting was perfectly described and I could almost feel the sand and the heat of the desert. The story instantly had my attention from the beginning because of Warwick's writing. It's very detailed with descriptions and it's beautiful.

This story is more than just a race to win a prize. Namali learns a lot through this journey about who she is and what she wants in life. She grows as a character, and as a reader that's all I want from a story. For the characters to really learn something and to take that knowledge and apply it to their lives and grow for themselves.

I highly recommend this story if you like fantasy and a little bit of romance. I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed it and I think you will too!

This book is available to purchase as of today on September 18, 2018 and you can get a copy on Amazon. ...more

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Aug 19, 2018 Stephanie (Bookfever) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, fantasy, 2018-publication, favorites, young-adult, owned-ebooks

When I read the synopsis of The Demon Race I just knew it was something I had to read. A race that occurs every thousand years with a wish as its price, a desert fantasy inspired by the Middle East, a young heroine fleeing her arranged marriage by entering the race, and of course demons. Yasss!

Another surprising thing with this book was that some parts were quite dark and it was definitely something that actually makes you think. Especially in the way of how a lot of women still don't have a voi ...more

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Jan 09, 2019 Nikki rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-request, blog-tour, 2018, blog

THIS REVIEW & MORE → SYNOPSES BY SARGE

"It’s called the Demon Race, and it does only take place every one thousand years. People enter because the prize is worth the risk of crossing the Saraj."

Namali is entrapped in an arranged marriage her father concocted. Upon this realization (and much sooner than anticipated), Namali is left with no choice but to join the Demon Race. Giving up her most prized possession and friend, she barters with a merchant to buy the necessities to enter the race.

"She wo ...more

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Aug 31, 2018 Louise rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, fantasy, ya, standalone

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up The Demon Race towards the end of a long readathon. To make it worse, I’d let the e-arc languish on my Kindle for a good while and somehow — in the time between accepting it, and picking it up — I’d got it into my head that it was some kind of science fiction story. It’s not.

Of course, none of these are bad things, but it did mean The Demon Race had to work a little harder to win me over.

And, boy oh boy, did it!

The I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up The Demon Race towards the end of a long readathon. To make it worse, I’d let the e-arc languish on my Kindle for a good while and somehow — in the time between accepting it, and picking it up — I’d got it into my head that it was some kind of science fiction story. It’s not.

Of course, none of these are bad things, but it did mean The Demon Race had to work a little harder to win me over.

And, boy oh boy, did it!

The World Building.

The Demon Race is set in a Middle Eastern inspired world, but creates its own mythology and history. I really loved the large-scale mythology of Good and Evil that sits inside the story: The Demon Lord, and his rivalry with his brother. I liked how this mythology and religion tied into the character arcs and influenced the ways in which Namali sees herself and moralizes over the choices she has to make in order to complete the race. On a smaller scale, I really like the daevas and the history and mystery around the race itself. I thought the setting was very well described: it was vivid and easy to imagine without becoming repetitive. The cultures were well thought out, and I really appreciated that as Namali and Sameen travelled across the desert, the towns that they encountered had varying and different cultural norms.

The Characters.

This is where The Demon Race really shines. I loved both the main character: Namali and Sameen. Sameen is an absolute cinnamon roll. I loved his strength, and his selflessness. I loved Namali’s self-doubt and her termination to prove herself. I thought she was really relatable as a teenage character. I loved the way both characters interacted together and the way they helped each other throughout their journey. I especially liked how Warwick wrapped up the relationship, picking a less obvious and more intriguing conclusion for the characters. I thought this was a great choice, as it added a realism to the story and pragmatism to the characters.

Overall.

The Demon Race is a really strong story, especially for a debut novel. I did have a couple of issues with pacing, mostly in that we occasionally retread old ground and that there was perhaps a little too much self-reflection from Namali. But the strength of the characterization more than made up for this. The Demon Race is fast-paced and exciting. I didn’t want to put it down and I read through it in huge chunks. The characters were compelling, and will stay with really me.

Overall, it’s a good story that I thoroughly recommend.

Find more of my reviews at foxesfairytale.wordpress.com ...more

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Sep 21, 2018 Jenny (Bookbookowl) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks

Many thanks to to the author for providing me with an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

When Namali realises her father will not budge, no matter how much she protests her arranged marriage, she decides to enter a race. A race that comes once every thousand years and boasts a prize that could free her forever - the winner will be granted a wish.

Although she knows the long race across the desert will be dangerous, with sandstorms, dehydration and other competitors to deal with, Many thanks to to the author for providing me with an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

When Namali realises her father will not budge, no matter how much she protests her arranged marriage, she decides to enter a race. A race that comes once every thousand years and boasts a prize that could free her forever - the winner will be granted a wish.

Although she knows the long race across the desert will be dangerous, with sandstorms, dehydration and other competitors to deal with, she doesn't realise the biggest danger could be holding on to herself, as the demon she must ride tries to overrun her mind and soul with darkness. Meeting up with a competitor seems like a pretty terrible idea, especially such a kind competitor, but as the race goes on, and she is hunted by more than just the desert dangers, Namali starts to realise just how difficult teeming up might be. There is only one wish after all.

I received this book some time ago from the author and it released just a few days ago. I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner. I absolutely LOVED it. Honestly, it's just moved up to one of my top reads of 2018 so far! Firstly, The Demon Race was DARK. It was horrifying, it was beautiful, it was gripping and devastating. The themes of self discovery, oppression and the ways we struggle to see other peoples' troubles were thought provoking in a way that extends beyond the end of the book. I usually struggle with lots of different place names and belief systems, just because if I'm not familiar with them, I find it hard to keep it all straight in my mind as I'm reading, but Alexandria wove the story so skilfully that I was completely immersed in this books' world. The world is Middle Eastern based, but with it's own deities, beliefs and magical creatures.

I loved both Namali and Sameen as characters. They were both complex and grew as characters throughout the book. Sameen was a disabled character and Namali represented the struggles faced by women in the Middle East, while trying to balance her love for her family and retaining her beliefs in what she thought was right. The author did not hold back on the gut wrenching, horrifying danger in the book. I'll be seeing the daeva's in my dreams for nights to come. It was exciting, fast paced and the writing was beautiful!

MY BLOG ~ INSTAGRAM ...more

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Jul 29, 2018 Tânia rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-author

If you liked the film Hidalgo (one of my favourites) and The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater then you should read this The Demon Race.

The writing. The Demon Race is brutal and lyrical novel.Alexandria Warwick's prose is beautiful. Every sentence is captivating. Every quote enthralling. The story-line was so perfectly carved that made the world magical, even if it was dark and violent. The descriptions were so vivid that it was almost as if you were part of the Saraj.

However, the story became ...more

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Sep 18, 2018 Melanie rated it really liked it

Its review time!! Its the middle of the night again I guess I write better at night or something!

But its release day for this book and I'm really excited to share it with you!

So lets start!!

This book was so well thought out! I loved the plot line and the setting they mixed together so well.

A race across the desert so perfect and all the magical elements were so perfect for this book.

I think my favorite thing is the story line is so new to me and that grabbed my attention the first time I saw it ...more

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May 08, 2018 Angela Cuéllar rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-requested-reviews, earc-netgalley-copy

pooled ink Reviews:
3.5 Stars

The Demon Race is a desert-based fantasy featuring a deadly race, a girl grasping for freedom, and a dark magic that just might grant them the light. Be ready for a fast-paced read painted with bright colors and a constant darkness lurking beneath.

Read my FULL review here: https://pooledink.com/2018/07/23/the-... ...more

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Jul 17, 2018 Roxy Carl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sept

Someone PLEASE put this book in my hands so I can read it during nighttime nursing sessions with my newborn!!

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Aug 29, 2018 Nikole Clow rated it really liked it

Review coming soon! :)

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Jun 17, 2018 Brittany Tellefsen (thecontinuingchronicles) rated it liked it

Shelves: 2018-reads, arc-copies, ya-fantasy

Rating: 3.5/5

I was a sent an ARC of this novel in exchange of an honest review.

When shy, obedient Namali learns that her father has orchestrated an arranged marriage between her and a wealthy merchant, she flees. Desperate to escape this marriage, she enters The Demon Race, a race that occurs once every thousand years, a race that grants the winner their greatest wish.

But to win, Namali must cross the Saraj, a vast expanse of desert wasteland and she must cross it on a daeva, a shadow demon tha ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 Sarah rated it it was ok

Oh man, this was such a disappointment. I wanted an exciting race across the desert and deadly demons. What I got instead was a girl whose biggest concern, even while being infected by a demon, was the handsome man who wanted to marry her. This book seemed to forget what it was that it promised in the synopsis. I expected a dark and deadly race with demons and magic. The book would deliver on this every now and then as if it remembered what it was supposed to be about. Then it would switch to Na Oh man, this was such a disappointment. I wanted an exciting race across the desert and deadly demons. What I got instead was a girl whose biggest concern, even while being infected by a demon, was the handsome man who wanted to marry her. This book seemed to forget what it was that it promised in the synopsis. I expected a dark and deadly race with demons and magic. The book would deliver on this every now and then as if it remembered what it was supposed to be about. Then it would switch to Namali arguing with Sameen that women have it bad in the world while also making moon-eyes at him.

So let's talk about the characters. I liked Namali at first. She wasn't the strongest or bravest or smartest or any of it. She was just a girl who grew up on her mother's stories and now lived with a father who couldn't look at her for too long for fear of seeing his dead wife. When Namali's father arranges a marriage for her with a wealthy merchant Namali decides to try and enter the deadly Demon Race to get herself out of the marriage. Now I'm going to be honest here and maybe get a little bit spoilery. If a handsome wealthy man promises to take care of you and give you everything you want AND arranged marriages are part of your culture, what's the big problem? It just didn't feel like it made much sense to me. Especially because Namali had always been an obedient daughter. Her biggest rebellion was treating their animals too kindly and giving them extra treats. Now some things are revealed that paint the merchant in a bad light but at the start of the book, there's no real reason for Namali not to marry him except it hurts the plot. Sameen made no sense. He was too kind and barely affected by his daeva and it just didn't make sense. How does it help you to help your competition? It doesn't. I kept waiting for some reason why he was tagging along and taking care of Namali and nothing was ever revealed that satisfied me.

The only redeeming quality in this book was the mythology and magic woven in. I loved the mythology around The Demon King, though with my Western mindset I couldn't help seeing similarities to the Hades/Persephone myth. I also love the physical transformation that occurred with Namali's mental transformation as she let the daeva infect her more and more. I really wanted to like this book but it just didn't do much for me. ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Agnes rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, favourites, 2019-reads

I actually cried at the end of this book. I seldom cry when reading, but this one hit me just right.

Namali, learning she is to be wed with or without her consent, decides to enter the Demon Race, a race occurring once every thousand years, in which the winner can get a wish granted.

More than a coming of age story, this is a story of self-discovery, of breaking free of the chains imposed by society and family and even oneself. All in the middle of a truly demonic race through a Sahara-like desert ...more

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Apr 18, 2019 Ann Hughey rated it it was amazing

I loved this book. The author can spin a tale and I'm a sucker for a female protagonist fighting back against a patriarchal society to live her best life. ...more

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Sep 17, 2018 Lauren rated it really liked it

3.75/5 stars. Full review TK September 18

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Sally Fuhkyew rated it did not like it
Apr 18, 2019

Ricarda rated it really liked it
Oct 06, 2018

Apr 13, 2018 Alexandria Warwick added it · (Review from the author)

Hey everyone!

You can read the first five chapters of THE DEMON RACE by signing up for my newsletter! The chapters are included in your welcome email.

Link: http://www.alexandriawarwick.com/news...

Happy reading!

Alexandria ...more

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