We Free the Stars

Sands of Arawiya #2

by Hafsah Faizal

The battle on Sharr is over. The dark forest has fallen. Altair may be captive, but Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah are bound for Sultan’s Keep, determined to finish the plan he set in motion: restoring the hearts of the Sisters of Old to the minarets of each caliphate, and finally returning magic to all of Arawiya. But they are low on resources and allies alike, and the kingdom teems with fear of the Lion of the Night’s return.

As the zumra plots to overthrow the kingdom’s darkest threat, Nasir fights to command the magic in his blood. He must learn to hone his power into a weapon, to wield not only against the Lion but against his father, trapped under the Lion’s control. Zafira battles a very different darkness festering in her through her bond with the Jawarat—a darkness that hums with voices, pushing her to the brink of her sanity and to the edge of a chaos she dare not unleash. In spite of the darkness enclosing ever faster, Nasir and Zafira find themselves falling into a love they can’t stand to lose…but time is running out to achieve their ends, and if order is to be restored, drastic sacrifices will have to be made.

Lush and striking, hopeful and devastating, We Free the Stars is the masterful conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya duology by New York Times–bestselling author Hafsah Faizal.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, High Fantasy

592 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2021

About the author

Hafsah Faizal is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of WE HUNT THE FLAME, WE FREE THE STARS and A TEMPEST OF TEA, and the founder of IceyDesigns, where she creates websites for authors and beauteous goodies for everyone else. A Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, when she’s not writing, she can be found designing, playing Assassin’s Creed, or traversing the world. Born in Florida and raised in California, she now resides in Texas with a library of books waiting to be devoured.

Reviews

[Azraa F · Rating 5 out of 5]

...and the Prince of Death never left a job unfinished.

[Cait Jacobs (Caitsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thinking of reading the first book, We Hunt the Flame? Check out my review here!

Quick Stats:
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: I am broken. This book has destroyed me. But in the best possible way.

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Child Abuse, War Themes, Murder //

Release Date: 1/19/2021
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Page Count: 592 pages
Premise:

We Free the Stars is the sequel to We Hunt the Flame, following the zumra after as they continue on their quest to return magic to Arawiya.


- Initial Thoughts -

I am a husk of a human being. I don’t know how to move on after finishing this book.

(actually, I do know how to move on: read the book again... which I might have done)

We Hunt the Flame is one of my all-time favorite books. We Free the Stars had a lot to live up to, but I knew I would end up loving it. I did not expect how much. This book somehow managed to surpass all of my exceedingly high expectations and leave me an absolute mess.


- Writing & Setting -

We all already know that Hafsah Faizal’s writing is gorgeous. This is news to no one. But let me just say it again: the writing in this book is stunning, the prose is elegant without losing a sense of humor, and the setting is fascinating. We got to know Arawiya a little bit in the first book, but We Free the Stars shows us more of this world and made me never want to leave.


- Plot -

This book continues on the quest to restore magic and save Arawiya from the danger that was unleashed at the end of We Hunt the Flame (I’m trying to be vague here for anyone who hasn’t read the first one yet).

Where it took me a minute to get into the first book, I was immediately hooked in We Free the Stars. There was something constantly happening or about to happen. There was also a decent amount of action in this book, which is always fun, while still having time to let the fantastic characters shine.


- Characters -

Speaking of those fantastic characters: I love the zumra with every fibre of my being.

The characters in this book are amazing. You thought you loved them after We Hunt the Flame? Just you wait.

We get three POVs in this book: Zafira, Nasir, and Altair.

I loved the addition of Altair’s perspective. He became one of my favorite characters in We Hunt the Flame and I was so happy to see more of him in We Free the Stars (even though I was constantly worrying about him). Learning more about him was one of my favorite parts of this book.

Nasir and Zafira’s perspectives are equally amazing. They both have gone through a lot in book one and it was great to see them continue to develop and change over the course of this book.

We Free the Stars also puts a good amount of focus on the romance that began in We Hunt the Flame and it was just so perfect. I honestly don’t know how to put into words my feelings over that plotline because my thoughts are still an incoherent mess whenever I try to think of it.

Outside of our POV characters, we see some familiar faces and some new ones. I loved spending even more time with the characters we already knew from We Hunt the Flame, and I also really enjoyed getting to know all of the new characters. There was not a single flat character in this series and I love it so much.


- Conclusion -

Pros- Beautiful writing, fantastic characters, swoon-worthy romance, amazing worldbuilding, addictive plot
Cons- I don’t know what to do with my life now that this series is over. Also, this book made me cry in the middle of a livestream
Overall- 5/5 stars.
I could not have imagined a more perfect finale. This book was everything I could have ever wanted it to be.


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[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

my feelings for this concluding installment mirror my feelings for the first book exactly, so this is probably just going to be a copy/paste review. but hey, consistent authors are worth praising.

again, the main thing carrying this book is definitely the arabian representation. it gives the story a lush and cultural atmosphere that is much needed in the book world. had you taken that away, would this still be worth 4 stars? maybe. maybe not. the characters are still interesting (nasir definitely grew on me in this) and i think they all get a deserving ending, but i still cant get over how much introspection/narrative there is. also, the pacing is still super slow and the length is so long. so if you dont mind a slow burn, plot-wise, then this might be your thing. but overall, its the magical and traditional feel of the story that makes it worth reading.

in short, this is just more of the same from the first book - two equal halves making up a whole story. so if you enjoyed ‘we hunt the flame,’ then i have no doubt you will love this fitting ending. and if you havent read it, then i definitely recommend it for the exotic arabian experience.

↠ 3.5 stars

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

1.) We Hunt the Flame ★★★★★

This duology was everything. From lush prose, to constant twists and turns, to the most beautiful fantasy settings, to also the real life parallels of today, this really had everything that I loved in books. The romance was angsty and perfect. The friendships were complicated and realistic. The sibling bonds warmed every part of my soul. I recommend this story with the sum of my being. What a bright shining light in 2021; I feel so grateful to have read this.

Content & Trigger Warnings: blood, loss of a loved one, death, murder, abandonment, talk of abuse in past, torture, gore, abuse, making a cut to get blood, and anxiety depiction.

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Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤

[Layla · Rating 1 out of 5]

~ 1.5 stars ~


The fact that the word "Laa" was repeated about 84 times is enough reason to dislike this book alone.

I thought that the first book was okay for the most part. Like it was a solid 3 stars, which I just judged on potential, but A LOT annoyed me. This book unfortunately annoyed me even more.

Not only was there an unfathomable amount of repetition, but the sense of humor was absolutely painful. It was very immature if you ask me. There were constant sexual jokes and innuendo, and it wasn't funny, whity, or refreshing. It was annoying. This is a YA book, and regardless of that fact, even if it were an adult book, having that much of something becomes tiresome. It's lazy and effortless humor and the constancy made me so disconnected from the book. And besides, the only people who would laugh at those jokes over and over and over and over again, are middle school boys, therefore, it is invalid in my eyes.

The characters all felt like wasted potential. No real character development. The angsty became more angsty and the annoying became more annoying. The ending also felt unsatisfactory. Very anticlimactic. A lot of subplots were not dealt with well and what was promised or heavily hinted at, was not gone through with and left unresolved. And there were worthless deaths, which is a no for me.

The romance made me miserable. Genuinely. There was no actual bonding and relationship development between Nasir and Zafira. The foundation of their relationship is non-existent. Just a lot of miscommunication, weird tension that doesn't even feel romantic, just uncomfortable, and also a few make out seshes sprinkled in to legitimize that they are in fact in love even though they barely know each other. Their whole relationship was cringe to be honest.

It also seemed to be hinting at a possible future romance between one of the characters, and the character who AcCiDeNtALlY murdered their brother… Anyways… I didn't like that. The whole subplot of that one person being murdered in the first book and how that was dealt with was super weird to begin with anyways, so why was it all complicated even further?

Overall I did not like this book. I was bored and irritated and I am still confused about how the crown Prince and rightful Sultan can only be worth 1000 breads. I'm still open to reading more of this author's works, and despite having a not so great experience with duology, I am still willing to give Faizal another try.

[rose ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

what was this???

i am... genuinely in awe.

i came into this book expecting to have fun, maybe enjoy it a reasonable amount. what i did not expect was to read what was probably the best finale to a series that i have ever experienced.

this was so, so good. everything about it.

normally, even if i love a series finale, i have at least a couple regrets, of storylines that i felt were sloppy or characters that lacked closure. not here. i don’t think i have ever finished a series and felt so, so satisfied.

this story wasn’t easy or entirely lighthearted. the ending didn’t get wrapped up in a neat bow, or rely on cheap or trite twists to try and force sudden shock at the end.

it was lovely, heartbreaking, and hopeful.

it truly felt meaningful.

and i can tell it was meant to be meaningful. you can see the heart and soul that hafsah faizal poured into this beauty. you can see her love and her belief and her hope for these characters and their broken world. her belief in what she has written shines through, and it makes the story just all the greater.

and, hafsah faizal is a truly, truly talented writer. not only does she pour meaning into these pages, she does it so well.

the writing is lyrical and poetic. the plot is perfectly paced and balanced. it’s action packed, but still taking the time to reflect on what is true and what is important.

her characters feel honest and real, relatable to us all in the most heartbreaking ways. the dynamics, friendships, hearts broken and mended again are so impactful and memorable.

in the end, i cannot recommend this series enough.

we hunt the flame was lovely, but we free the stars stole my breath away. you can see hafsah’s improvement from even the first installment to this one, and i cannot wait to see she has in store.













(also, from now on, i don’t care about any romance at all if it’s not whatever it is that zafira and nasir have going on)

[Rameela (Star) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts: Thank you so so much Hafsah for letting me read an early early copy I’m literally so honored and ALSO AN EMOTIONAL MESS 😭 words can’t fully encompass how I feel. But Arawiya will always be a home for me and I will always love the zumra forever and always😭 thank you for this brilliance

[Mariam ☀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Habibti. Hayati. Roohi.”
“Why do you cry?”
“Because my heart cannot contain it.”

an insanely well-executed sequel and conclusion to this fantasy duology. i’ve held this story so close to my heart for almost 2 years now, and I can confirm that I will continue to do so until the end of time. this book zigged when I expected it to zag, and subverted all expectations I had on the direction it was going to go. the ending was absolutely perfect and I will be in the publisher’s DMs until they confirm a spin-off series... there’s SO much more to explore in the world of Arawiya and I hope we get to see more someday.

also.... yeah zafira and nasir deserve their flowers for being one of the BEST YA fantasy couples and I will not shut up about that ever

[Althea ☾]

whoever designs these covers deserve a raise

[kaz.brekkers.future.wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

!!!!!BEYOND FIVE STARS!!!!!
!!!MINOR SPOILERS!!!
ok y'all. I'm bout to test out this new review title where I compare thee book to song lyrics.
Is it weird? most def
is it original? maybe

I loved this book with all my heart. It was 592 pages of pure heartbreak, sadness, and angst.

1) "you said you hated my tone, it made you feel so alone, and so you told me I had to be leaving"-Kettering, the antlers.

You know what hurts more than lovers to enemies. Friends-to bout-to-be-lovers to, you'll-never change-so-why-should-i-give-you-a-chance-to enemies. It's a form of pure, raw guilt and confession. And it hurts when both lovers have endured more than they should ever have to. There were so many times in this book where Nasir and Zafira were seconds away from a kiss, or a true-lovers moment. But something always festered their hearts, like a border or a dog collar that can zap the dog's neck. It was even sadder because they didn't reject each other because of hate, but because of fear. Their love brought out the best and worst in them. It made them whole, but wholeness means embracing the bad parts of yourself and ugly memories. And neither wanted to do that.

2)"I don't wanna be forward, I don't wanna cut corners" bags, clairo

I chose this lyric because I feel like it fit the characters. Zafira, Kifah, Nasir, Saif, and even Aya, were willing to do anything and everything to reach their goal. Whether it was the ultimate dream world, the end of one, or even just a world to themselves. It was awful, because they're just kids, and they put their own health and well-being and happiness on the sidelines just to secure someone else's. They would spend all night torturing themselves for not doing something "the right way" and feel guilty because they had to sacrifice one thing to salvage another. through Faizals beautiful writing, you could see the guilt and hurt and shame tearing them apart. Because being the hero means saving the day, and sometimes you have to do unheroic things to save even a minute of that day.

3) "I hope I don't murder me, I hope I don't burden you", the beach, the neighborhood

I listen to this song on repeat almost every day, because it's so relatable. I listened to it a while ago while reading we free the stars, and just fell apart. It broke me. I mean completely and utterly broke me. For one, the "i hope I don't murder me" really reminds me of Zafira. I mean, this girl worked all fucking day and night to save something that ruined her life. She gave up her town, her people, her job, her family, to help a bunch of murderers and misfits save something as powerful and dirty as magic. She lost herself in the process. The worst part is she doesn't even realize it. She's too busy worrying about the enemy, she can't even think about herself. And the "I hope I don't burden you" is so similar to Nasir's thoughts. This boy basically has a sign over his head, not in his handwriting, saying "FEAR ME, I'M AN EMOTIONLESS MURDERER", when in reality, he's just a scared boy suffering the penalty of heartache and loneliness. He never asked to have a ruthless father, or to be the prince. But that's become his life, that he fears his title might hurt people. It's just the saddest thing, watching them all fall apart because of something they never asked for.

THIS BOOK HAS MY HEART AND SOUL, EVERY FUCKING SHATTERED PIECE


-------------------------------------------------------------
NOOOO. YOU MEAN IT"S OVER. I CRIED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS BOOK!!!!!
Faizal makes me believe in straight people again!!!
Review to come

[Holly | The Caffeinated Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not to be dramatic, but this book series has ruined reading for me. How am I meant to enjoy reading when my expectations have now been set so high? How can I enjoy another set of characters when they aren't the Zumra? How am I meant to enjoy any world that doesn't include Altair?

So thank you Hafsah Faizal, because whilst you have given me my new favourite series, every fantasy book will now pale in comparison.

But on a serious note... GUYS THIS BOOK SERIES.

If you haven't yet read We Hunt The Flame, what are you doing here??? Go read it before you see spoilers!

I adore this book, I will be raving about this book for years to come. Hafsah Faizal could sell me her shopping list in hardback and I would buy it, because everything this author creates is pure magic.

Whilst the start of this book was definitely slower, I still absolutely adored it because these characters just mean so much to me and if I could have it my way, we would have ten more books and a few prequels.

If you want a full review of the series, check out my review of We Hunt The Flame, but yes, this book absolutely delivered and I cannot recommend this series enough.

[Sîvan Sardar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I possibly begin (you’re going to have to excuse my rambling, i’m sobbing like crazy on my bedroom floor)

Firstly, finishing this duology has hit me like a truck to the fucking hut. I have never, in 20 years of living, felt so attached to a set of characters, their lives and story so much and I feel so empty knowing it won’t continue. The way all the characters developed, some becoming more empathetic whilst others more confident is so amazing, I really can’t put into words how I feel and I hope I’m conveying how INCREDIBLE this was

If I could go back in time, and let little Sîvan know that one day she’s not only going to see HERSELF in a book, but a story that captures the beauty of her culture, I think she’d SCREAM AKEHAKEHAJ

Hafsah has created some of the most wonderfully intricate, beautiful characters that are so much more than just words on a page, I felt every emotion as though I was experiencing them myself. It felt as though I was watching events unfold in front of me, I felt myself shying away at times because it felt too intimate, or I almost felt as though I was intruding - do you KNOW how beautifully one must write to feel that way?!!

I am so in awe, and I am so so deeply upset to know their story is over but I’ll never forget how I feel, and the things I would do to go back in time to read this duology all over again with no recollection of what happens is very much alarming


Lastly, a massive shoutout to Lulwa who I read this duology with - this journey WOULDN’T have been half of what it was without her and the fact our friendship blossomed through this series will always be near and dear to me. Here’s to more books representing people like me, this feeling in my heart is so authentic and I pray so desperately that each and every one of you feel this way atleast once in your lives

[Lorelei · Rating 2 out of 5]

~~~2 Stars~~~

I have a feeling this is either going to be a really long kind of rant or really short and to the point. Not sure which though.

I was disappointed by this book. I feel like making this into a duology was a very bad decision and that it should have been a trilogy. Not because I want more time with the characters, but because the ending of this book was a train wreck. There was too much going on in too few chapters and I could not fathom how any of it was possible. I believe the entire climax and resolution happened in the last 20 pages. I also feel like there was so much more to this plot that didn't get covered because of the constraint of only having two books. I hate to say it, but it was kind of like Majesty in the sense that everything that was built up in the first book was pretty much destroyed by page 50.

The Characters
Zafira:
Just make up your mind darling. Do you love him or not? Do you want this or not? Simple questions, simple answers, a whole lot of unnecessarily added complications. Just CHOOSE. I got so tired of the constant back and forth with every single character's decisions. I don't think any of them actually made a decision the entire freaking book. Everything that happened was because they were forced into undesirable situations. (all due to their inability to make decisions, I might add) Zafira had the most extreme case of indecisiveness I have ever seen, and that's saying something because look who's writing this review. There is indecisiveness and then there is Zafira. Zafira, who has to be shoved into everything and doesn't trust anyone, including the zumra. She isn't independent, she's just stupidly isolationist. Let us see who Zafira doesn't trust; ZAFIRA, Nasir, Altair, Kifah, Aya, Lana, Yasmine, literally every other character in this book. (Yes, I did put Zafira because she also doesn't trust herself)

I did like some parts of this book with Zafira in it, but I really hated the chapters from her POV because it was just her worrying about a simple choice. I'm going to move on before I explode from hatred.

Nasir:
Eh. I get it, I really do. The feeling that it is pointless to speak because there is no one out there who wants to listen, but still. These 3 people are your friends, family, and allies in everything, yet you will not speak to them. She is the love of your life and yet, you will not speak to her. I did like Nasir's character more than Zafira's. He at least acknowledged that he had feelings for her, whereas, she just shoved him away over and over and over and over and you get the point. I felt for him because I understand what it is like to be shoved away by the people you love over and over and over again and it sucks, it really does. I, however, do not sympathize with Zafira because she constantly leads him on and then breaks his heart and runs away. I swear that happened at least 20 times.

Altair:
I kind of kept forgetting Altair existed. He just wasn't around for most of the book and I didn't care when he was. I wish I could say that I loved his character as much as I did in the first book, (a consistent theme) but I can't.

Kifah:
Still a bad ass queen.

The Plot
If you couldn't already tell, this plot was VERY repetitive and relied on a lot of cliches and tropes to see it to the end. I tried really hard to like this book and I just failed. The first half of this book just seemed to drag on and on and on and the second half was a rushed trainwreck. Again, either pick one or find some sort of middle ground.

Final Thoughts
It should have been a trilogy

Thank you for your time, goodbye.

[Asma · Rating 5 out of 5]

be jealousssssssss

[Maya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Faizal clearly put effort into this book, yet I vehemently disliked many aspects of it. Hereunder is everything wrong with this book:

THE SEXISM:

I found this book to be incredibly sexist. I don't care what political affiliation a person has, or where they put themselves on the religious spectrum, or the feminism spectrum, or whatever spectrum you have out there. If you cannot abuse and put down females, you should also not be able to abuse and put down males. You say you have a strong female character, but can you ever really be strong if you are UNKIND? Here are some ridiculous examples:

“Men are like fish,” Kifah said, the break in her voice giving away her unease.
“Shiny, and of little brain?” Zafira replied.

“Men,” Kifah said, snorting a laugh.

Now let me just replace that with the word 'women', and let's see how it sounds:

“Women are like fish,” Kifah said, the break in her voice giving away her unease.
“Shiny, and of little brain?” Zafira replied.

“Women,” Kifah said, snorting a laugh.

You may have your opinions, but don't fight me on this - injustice, unkindness, and sexism can exist both from men and women and it is NEVER right, WHATEVER the norm of the times. Once upon a time, men thought it was okay to speak about women like this. Now as a woman, you think it's okay to do the same? Being a woman doesn't give you the license to degrade anyone - whether fellow woman (like me), or a man. What's ironic is that there is a line in the book that goes along the lines of - 'Two wrongs don't make a right.'

THE PROSE:

For the most part, I find Faizal's writing style too flowery and introspective. Her description makes things clumsy and bogged down in detail where there is no need - as many have commented, this book is far longer than it need be.

However, when she gets it right however the results are breathtaking:

Darkness surged in his veins. It exhaled wisps from his fingers and feathered his every glance. And when he thought too hard too fast, it bled up his arms in streams of black.

At another time:

He kept every emotion on a tight leash, hidden behind the ashes of his eyes.

However, for the most part, the description and speech of the characters are too flowery and, frankly, archaic and fake-sounding.

Everyone in the book talks in the same archaic way, for example, Kifah (the 'least' verbose and emotional character) said: “We’re a zumra. We hunted the flame together, found the light in the darkness, but we were far from done, laa? Now we unleash it. We free the stars, shatter the darkness holding us captive, and return the world to the splendor it once was.”

This is completely unbelievable coming from this character, and there are multiple examples of this throughout the book.

“The world thieves childhoods,” Zafira said, thinking of Baba’s bow in her still-soft hands.

Was it really necessary to say 'thieves' instead of 'steals' here? What did it add exactly, if not a brick to the face in how unrealistic it is that someone would actually say this?

THE RELIGIOUS APPROPRIATION/RAMPANT CONTRADICTIONS:

For some reason, in this book, random buildings have 'minarets', like minarets are some Arab version of a tower block or a clock tower or towers of a medieval fortress. Here is a basic definition of a MINARET on Google:

Minaret, (Arabic: “beacon”) in Islamic religious architecture, the tower from which the faithful are called to prayer five times each day by a muezzin, or crier. Such a tower is always connected with a mosque and has one or more balconies or open galleries.

Minarets are exclusive to masjids and the Islamic faith. This is the equivalent of sticking a Buddhist vihara in front of a club, or on a government building.

Secondly, there is the complete misuse of dinars and dirhams (the currency). A dinar is a coin MADE FROM GOLD. A dirham is coin made from silver. Look here:

“Two dinars fifty,” the safi said before Zafira could speak, eyeing her like an urchin come for scraps.
Zafira straightened her shoulders and clinked her coins softly, like a fool. Two and a half dinars was far too much. She should have bargained, should have thrown together a ploy as customers were wont to do, but it was Deen who had done all their marketing.
“What about the flatbread alone?”
“One dinar.”

The price of the food above is going to be £50 (for the one dinar) minimum, because the coins are GOLD. We see later on how the currency system/pricing is completely wrong in this book later on, when Nasir has a bounty on his head for 1000 dinars. Let's break this down. According to the author's understanding of ancient Arabian currency:

One flatbread today is about £1 (and that's still too much).
Therefore one dinar = £1.
Nasir's bounty: 1000 dinars = £1000.

Looks like they didn't really care about catching him afterall!

Overall, the 'Arabian' take of this book was taken straight out of Aladdin, which anyone who has basic understanding of Arab culture will know to be COMPLETELY unlike Arab culture (and many of the elements were taken from India instead). TLDR: the so-called 'Arab' nature of this tale is just hogwash. You don't give people turbans and throw some sand around and call it Arabia.

THE INCORRECT ARABIC:

"They’re calling you Zhahabi Maliki.”
The Golden King.

Though there are variations of classical/fusha Arabic, the grammar across the Arabian peninsula is very standard. In Arabic, when you have an adjective and the thing it is describing, the words are flipped. For example, 'beautiful flower' in English would become 'flower beautiful' in Arabic. The above is a literal, English translation which makes no sense in Arabic.

Dhahab = gold.
Malik = king.

The term should be - Malik adh-Dhahab. Now, kudos to you if you want to invent a new language, yet this tale is advertised as Arabian yet it totally misses the mark like this in many places.

THE EXCESSIVE SEXUAL INNUENDO FOR A YA:

Zafira averted her gaze from the depictions painted across the golden surfaces: men and women unclothed and deeply entwined in various positions.

The quote above is one of the more innocent scenes in the book. Every other page is sprinkled with a sexual innuendo, or mention of sexual tension, sexual desire, or sexual expectations. Prostitutes and belly dancers are constantly offering themselves and throwing themselves at the men in this story. The conversations between Altair and Kifah, and Altair and Nasir consist at least 80% of just sexual jokes. I could barely see where the fantasy element of the book even was in between all the intense sexual desire and toxic romance.

Not to mention that the relationships are purely sexual.

In the first book, she fell for Nasir in a few days’ time – either out of pity or just sexual attraction alone – but definitely not for any real reason with substance. The same ridiculous shift occurred with Nasir, with a huge chasm in his character development. He was ready to kill her, yet, a few days later was inexplicably 'weakened' by her and drawn to her. Whatever ‘love’ they shared is no doubt very shallow. Whilst Zafira is capable of great self-sacrifice, compassion, and forgiving love for Nasir, these qualities seemed to be completely absent from her when she ignored her mother for five years and also didn’t shed even a tear over the death of Deen (not to mention, she actually smiled because of something Altair said, soon after Deen had just died!).

At the end of this series, it still stands as a very toxic relationship consisting of much sword-pointing, physical attacking (on Zafira's part - again with the sexism, apparently for her it's okay to hit a man, whilst male domestic abuse is a very real thing), heart-breaking, ignoring one another, not clarifying huge misunderstandings for days when it would only take a few words to do and etc etc - and I am left dumbfounded as to what it is that magnetised them to one another in the first place? Every time they are together, all they think about is their physical desire, and this lasted throughout their every meeting until the very end of the book.

THE PACING AND TIMELIME BEING COMPLETELY WRONG:

Both books in this series take place over two months:

At some point in the past two months, she had carved out half of her heart and given it to him. That was what she had done.

And sorry to say, but that is completely and utterly unrealistic. They describe each other as family, as a 'zumra' who understand one another like nobody else has ever done - and apparently this all happened within two months? A task, an epic adventure, the success, the return, the secrets being exposed, the final battle, victory, and dying love - in TWO MONTHS? It is just extremely unbelievable.

In regards to pacing, as others have said, this book could have been halved and you would have gotten the same amount of character development and plot and you wouldn't have missed a thing. The characters are so introspective (all coincidentally thinking in the same achaic, verbose, flowery manner that spans a page to express a single thought) that the introspection swallows the book whole and leaves little room for any action of progress to be made.

The culmination of every faux pas above has made this book one of the worst I've read in a long, long time. I am all for supporting minority authors, I am from a minority myself - but I don't have such an inferiority complex that anyone who rolls in with a measure of success will become my idol - sense and reason, equality and consideration, will always come first.

[marwah · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ 5 stars ]

"Habibti," her husband said, touching a kiss to her lips.
There was a scar at her breast, and another in her heart,
for people had died because she lived.
"Hayati," he breathed, pressing another to her ear and stealing her thoughts.
Around her, silver gossamer. Above, a painted sea of stars.
"Roohi," he rasped, feathering her jaw until they were both panting until a hot tear rolled down his face and fell to the hollow beneath her shoulder, searing her bare skin.
"Why do you cry?" Zafira whispered.
Roohi, roohi, roohi. He stitched her soul anew.
"Because my heart cannot contain it."

*intense screaming*
what do I do now. how will I move on from zafiranasir. HOW WILL I MOVE ON FROM THIS. HOW.

Everyone please thank Hafsah Faizal for giving us one of the best duologies to exist I will not accept any slander or criticism about this MASTERPIECE. I will always love the zumara and going to miss all of them so fucking much :’)
Altair will always have a special place in my heart <3
i told my baba about us habibi <3

absolute perfection.

[Athena of Velaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We were not born to fight, but our cradles were built from struggles and hardship. Pens, swords, sticks—weapons shoved into our fists as soon as we’re old enough to grasp them. So we fight because the world will cut our throats otherwise. We fight, because we won’t go down without one.”

We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal is the sequel every aspiring author wants to write. Full of magic, romance, intrigue, friendship, and family, this novel picks up directly after We Hunt the Flame , the first novel in the Sands of Arawiya Duology. The two main characters--Zafira and Nasir--have just begun to deal with the loss they battled on Sharr, but they have released a new foe who will stop at nothing until he retrieves Nasir’s throne. Forced to return to Sultan’s Keep, they battle monsters without and within, desperate to restore magic to Arawiya.

“Darkness doesn’t need to be destroyed. We need the dark as much as we need light. It makes us bold, as much as it makes us afraid.” She smiled. “Darkness needs only to be tamed.”

Inspired by the rich folklore of Ancient Arabia, We Free the Stars expertly combines popular YA fantasy elements with a stunning backdrop for a unique story. The writing is lyrical and passionate, with prose so lovely that the reader will wish they could frame every page. The villain has clear and logical motivations, making him easy to understand despite the atrocities he commits. The main cast of characters each have defined personalities and diverse backgrounds, bringing together different aspects of their world.

“Tears aren’t a measure of heart. We grieve in different ways.”

Zafira, the Huntress of Demenhur, spent most of her life hunting in the Arz (a malevolent forest) to support her community. Though she gets amazing character development in We Hunt the Flame, this book is where her character comes alive. Zafira battles with her sanity and free will, crafting a narrative that remains intense throughout the entirety of the novel. I loved how Nasir was the only one who could pull her back from the brink, and though their romance was amazing, I appreciated that it was never shoved down the reader’s throat.

“Hope was the beast that could never be slain, the light that blazed in every harrowing dark.”

Speaking of Nasir, the Prince of Death managed to steal the spotlight once again. Forced to return to his childhood home, he battles both the past and present as he attempts to become the sultan Arawiya needs. His throne was never taken for granted, and the fact that he mirrors the main villain in power adds another intricate layer to an already stunning masterpiece. His desire to protect Zafira, mixed with his understanding that she needs to be independent, secured their romance as one of the healthiest in YA Fantasy, especially considering it started as enemies to lovers.

“He knew of a person who would take her to the ends of the world, if only she would ask. He would take the stars from the sky and fashion them into a crown, if only she would have it.”

The side cast of characters--if they can even be called that--were just as well developed as the main pair. Kifah especially had her moment in the sun: the revelation about her sexuality never reduced her to a stereotype or seemed like a forced add on. Altair, for all his snark and charisma, remains layered and deep. Zafira’s younger sister Lana was an ingenious addition to the main cast, for she forced Zafira to come to terms with the fact that Lana had grown up, and that how we view people is not always how they are.

“My girl will wield weapons, and she will wield them well, for it takes a special kind of courage to hold power and know when not to use it.”

In addition to the amazing cast of characters, the plot stood out. Without a dull moment, it dug hooked claws into the heart of the reader and dragged them along until the end. Every chapter felt important to the story as a whole, and every page served a purpose. Despite the longer length of the book, there wasn’t any wasted space. The use of extreme emotions--including anger and grief--brought a fantastical story into the real world. Even if readers can’t relate to wielding swords and spells, they can certainly find themselves in the feeling that powers the novel. Overall, We Free the Stars is an achingly human fantasy: an addition every YA lover will want to add to their bookshelves immediately.

“They suffered alone. Quiet and brave. It was easy to believe that anyone who did not speak of suffering did not suffer.”

Pre Review:
You know when you finish a book and it’s so good, so you just stare into space thinking about it? That’s this book. Still true after multiple reads.

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I didn't enjoy We Free the Stars as much as the first book, I did still rather enjoy this one. I'm so grateful that for once in my life a series has been completed without killing off my favorite character. I was literally so worried my favorite would be killed, but he's safe and I'm so relieved.

To start off my review, I need to repeat something from my review of We Hunt the Flame, this book and this series desperately needed a terminology guide in the physical book itself. I know that there's one online, but it's a hassle to have to use my phone while reading a physical book. An author needs to know their audience and if their audience is a group that won't know most of the terms in the book, a terminology guide is a necessity. A lot of my time reading this book was just filled with me skimming over terms or trying to figure out the terms and being utterly confused. Also, a note to anyone who is planning on reading this book: either reread We Hunt the Flame before reading this one or read this one directly after reading We Hunt the Flame for the first time. With the terms used in the series and the complex world building, it will be fairly difficult to read We Free the Stars if you read it a while after you read the first book.

The two major things that made me enjoy this book were the characters and the descriptions. Almost all of the characters are extremely lovable and they're all really complex. There is no boring or uninteresting character. Each character aides in the story and has a personality that is unlike all the other characters. The descriptions were beautiful. From reading even one page of this book, you can picture the world perfectly. I hope that Netflix adapts this series into a show some day because even though it will have slow parts, the cinematography would be jaw dropping and beautiful.

My two biggest issues with this book were that the POVs slightly changed and Zafira's character arc unraveled in a frustrating way. The POVs in this book weren't in first person and were instead in third person limited. This change was unnecessary and it made me connect to the story less. Also, what's the point of adding in a third POV but barely giving that third POV many chapters? It just annoyed me to no end that my favorite character got a POV but that he only got a few chapters in this nearly 600 page long book. And Zafira's story arc... wow. It's not the worst thing I've ever read, but it didn't live up to my hopes. It was like Rey's story arc in Rise of the Skywalker. It wasn't extremely bad, but you'd hoped for something different.

Overall though this book was a mostly enjoyable read to me even though it had many flaws. I am extremely attached to these characters and I'd love a novella added to this series at some point. Maybe a fast paced battle with Altair or a romantic scene with Zafira and Nasir? Definitely read the first book if the synopsis is interesting to you, but whether you read the second book or not is completely up to you.

[Amy Imogene Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 lyrically long stars

Lush and lyrical, beautifully romantic, and a wonderful duology finale... (but longgggg.)

Writing: ★★★★ 1/2
Characters/Romance: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★ 1/2

We Free the Stars is the final book in the Arawiya series. For thoughts on the first book, check out my review here.

Below there are SPOILERS for the first book, We Hunt the Flame. I repeat, SPOILERS for the first book!

Ok, they gone? Good! Let's talk about this one.

Following the events of We Hunt the Flame, our group of rebels/adventurers are reeling. The Lion of the Night is at large with a dangerous agenda, they've lost Altair, and the remaining members of the group are struggling to cope with a recent loss and the implications of the fight yet to come.

Zafira, Nasir, and the team are bound for Sultan’s Keep, determined to restore the hearts of the Sisters of Old to the minarets of each caliphate—thus returning magic to all of Arawiya.

Zafira is the fabled Hunter of the realm, who spent most of her years masquerading as a man who was known for his ability to find anything. Now armed with a mind-to-mind connection to a powerful magical text and outed as a Huntress, not a Hunter, she's struggling to adjust to her new situation amidst the panic of their quest. Oh, and there's the exciting (or distracting?) feelings she's experiencing for the crown prince, Nasir.

Nasir, the crown prince of Arawiya and the famed assassin known as the Prince of Death, is also dealing with some shattering revelations. Having just found out that he has a brother—and discovering that the brother is his commander at arms and lifelong reluctant frenemy, Altair—is enough to make him stop in his tracks. But then to discover that his father, the evil Sultan, is also under the Lion's mind control and therefore not the monster Nasir believed him to be for years? Yikes. Nasir is, to put it mildly, a bit of an emotional mess and attempting to hide it. And there's also the fated pull he feels for Zafira too, in case he didn't have enough going on.

With court politics, assassinations, intrigue, and deadly games of cat and mouse to come, We Free the Stars takes off with a lot on its plate. Will Arawiya be saved?

My thoughts:
So I need to address the elephant in the room right off the bat: the pacing of this novel really suffered with the extreme length of this book. Even though it was only roughly 100 pages longer than the first book, this installment felt every inch of its extra page count.

I think this was a difficult series to wrap up, honestly, and it speaks to the author's talented sentences and character development that I still loved it... even when it dragged on. And it did drag. Part of what made me fixate on the length was the somewhat aimless portion around the 250-350 page mark where I felt like the characters were all aimlessly pacing from space to space, waiting for the shoe to drop and filling the time with movement to feel productive. That sounds super dramatic—but I feel like it's accurate. I enjoyed those portions for the conversations and the romantic angst, but even my "character drama"-preferring self was ready for some action after a while.

However, despite those qualms above, I really did love this book.

Hafsah Faizal is a beautiful writer and I fell in love with her characters and this world. Nasir and Zafira's romance stands alone in my head for its refreshing blend of good "old fashioned" YA angst and drama mixed with a sensual edge that didn't rely on raw sexual insta-lust to make it work. I was also a huge fan of the side characters and their unique emotional arcs.

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[Noura Khalid (theperksofbeingnoura) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is happy and sad all at once! These emotions! 😭❤

[clara ✧･ﾟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i finished We Hunt the Flame thinking : this is the best book i’ve ever read. and then Hafsah Faizal writes We Free the Stars.

this book was literal perfection, there’s no other word for it. her writing never ceases to amaze me ; as someone whose first language isn’t english, i tend not to notice this kind of thing as much, but it was such a delight to read because of her prose.

the characters are so well written and developed too, i fell in love with every single one of them. thank you miss Faizal for creating my all time favorite book boyfriend, Nasir Ghameq ! my standards for men are now higher than they’ve ever been !!! and the ROMANCE ?! immaculate !!

this is a WELLLL deserved 5/5 and definitely the best book of 2021 so far. i just know it’ll take weeks for me to get over it !!

[Fanna]

We Hunt The Flame (#1) ★★★★★

September 03, 2020: After loving the first book so much, you can't expect me to NOT BE BEGGING TO READ THIS EARLY so everyone, please pray for me because I want to read it now,,,

[Maëlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

☆ 5 / 5 ☆

We Hunt the Flame: 5 / 5

“We were not born to fight, but our cradles were built from struggles and hardships. Pens, swords, sticks- weapons shoved into our fists as soon as we’re old enough to grasp them. So we fight, because the world will cut our throats otherwise.”

I have completely and utterly fallen in love with Hafsah Faizal’s writing and storytelling. The Sands of Arawiya duology has truly given me such joy and I can’t believe it took me this long to get to it. I can however say that this story and these characters will be staying with me a long time.

This installment picks up where we left off, with the crew sailing back to Sultan’s Keep on one side, and the Lion and Altair on the other. We meet more safins of the HIgh Circle, allies to the restoration of magic to Arawiya. However, cooperation isn’t always easy and old wounds keep being reopened.

“She was the bladed compass, honed by the Lion and wielded by the Jawarat. She was ruin, she was havoc, and she reveled in it.”

After the strife Zafira has encountered on Shaar, it should be a relief for her to head back to Arawiya and the people she’s known all her life. However, without the Arz, without magic, without the Lion and his grooming, with her village decimated and with such a heavy heart, she doesn’t know who she can be. While thrilled to be by her sister’s side once again, she slowly comes to terms with Lana growing up without her realising and that she was never quite as sweet or innocent as she remembered her. I loved seeing their interactions so much, seeing how much they care for one another, and Lana with her unrestrained will to help the wounded and angry thoughts really stole the show for me!

Zafira is also reluctant to see Yasmine again, to explain to her how her brother died, unable to find the words to bring her that pain and sorrow. So she finds a strange sort of comfort in her bond with the Jawarat, despite its obvious desire for chaos and control over her. It gradually indulges in her anger, in her pain and loss, in what she could do if she had magic again. While she tries to fight against its most murderous intents, it becomes harder for her heart to not seethe with righteous violence.

“Somewhere on Shaar his heart had found a beat, and he intended to keep it going.”

Nasir has to deal with his own ghosts and has to come to a decision where it comes to his father. He furiously believes that breaking the medallion will break the Lion’s control over him and bring back the kind man he once knew. But abuse leaves undeniable traces and even with this little bit of hope in his heart, he doesn’t know how he can reconcile the face of his father with love. Nasir still despises the expectations that come with him being the Prince, and the cost and burden that power comes with. His shadow powers are difficult to control and his emotions are piling up to be too much to rail in. He’s definitely more open in this book than he was in the first one but Altair’s absence weighs on him more than he’d like to admit.

Altair himself has to wrestle with the new knowledge that the Lion is his father and that all his plotting might’ve been in vain. I absolutely loved having some chapters from his perspective here, showing a more vulnerable side of him. It was especially interesting to see his true feelings for both his parents, how the shame his mother felt about herself was projected onto him, and how he slowly finds empathy for the Lion. It’s a dangerous path but one he can’t help taking under the influence of his father’s mind games.

“You seem to have no trouble being the end of me.”

The plot may keep the members of the zumra apart at times, but when they come back together it is with so much heart, even if it could rip yours to shreds. I love their dynamic as a group but also how they work in pairs. Obviously Zafira and Nasir’s relationship gives me all the angst and moments wrought with yearning I could ever want with a tension few can write as well as Hafsah Faizal. Nasir truly had some beautiful lines in this book but it’s all the unsaid words and almost moments that hold me in their clutches. My heart truly sings with joy every time we get to have Altair and Kifah on page together. They have such a perfect dynamic that can’t help but make you smile and laugh even in the most desperate of moments.

“Do you understand? You’ll have me. No matter how thick the night, I will always be there to light your way.”

All characters grapple with grief and their identity in this book, with little time to think about themselves after this war and the author never forgets to give more dimension to a conflict that would otherwise seem too straightforward. The ending was so perfect and bittersweet, giving us everything we could want but still leaving the lives of these characters a little imperfect. I’ve honestly been blown away by this series and I can’t wait to read more works from this author and discover all the worlds they have to offer.

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Buddy read with Melanie ♡

[meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

altair al-badawi marry me

[Chaya (on Break) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was easy to believe that anyone who did not speak of suffering did not suffer.

I think I need days to process it. But then also I won't be able to do justice to this book.
The beginning was very sad. I was just waiting for the sun to hide behind clouds and it would have been officially a very sad, grey day. I would have sat by window and looked out, trying to channel inner disney princess but failing(because I have the grace of a frog). But wait. THE BOOK IS WORTH IT. Every ounce of sadness is justified

.

Without wasting any more time, I am going to talk about the romance in the book.

It is extremely slowburn. I wanted to claw my eyes out with irritation.

“Your turn. What color do you like most?”
“You,” he said, so softly it was only sound.

The intensity of his gaze stole the air from her lungs. She shook her head. “That—”

“Every color that makes you.”

Do you see what I mean. JUST KISS FOR LOVE'S SAKE
They both were dancing, coming close and going away and I was yelling 'Go to your girl you daama idiot'
I felt like a thirsty person roaming a desert. Living just by dregs of romance. At one point, I was ready to name my first born Sharr if they kissed.

And just because I want to frustrate you, here are 2 more.

The breeze toyed with her hair, and he wanted to tuck the wayward strands behind her ear. His fingers closed into a fist.

“It feels as if I haven’t breathed since you fell,” he said finally.

Now we proceed to second most important thing, SARCASM

It was plentiful. I have no complains in that department. Here are some for your entertainment

“You are to wear an abaya!” the shorter one said, her eyes streaked with kohl. The other nodded enthusiastically. The curtains stirred, the near-evening breeze joining the excitement.

“Am I?” Zafira asked dryly. “I was afraid I’d have to go naked.”

Go Zafira.

Kifah cast him a sidelong glance. “Did you just put me in a position above yours? You do know a qa’id commands a general, yes?”

Altair grinned, and Kifah groaned before he even opened his mouth.

“I have no qualms about putting women above me.”

Altair and his double edged saying. I missed him.

He crouched. “If you tell me, little one, I’ll ask the kitchens for an extra piece of kanafah just for you.”

She lifted an eyebrow at him. “I’m fourteen, and I can weave a needle through your remaining eyelid.”

Do you still think I look dashing?”

Nasir tamped down a smile when Kifah gave Altair a look. “I never thought you looked dashing.”

“He’s the crown prince.” Lana sniffed, offended on behalf of a fool she didn’t even know.

“Crown prince my—”

Every emotion in the book was very overdramatically portrayed. We say sadness but the book says 'another shovel digging in already hollow heart'. You have to give it to author she has way with words.

If you still have any doubts left that I liked this book, I would say that I feel lucky to be part of this zumra. Forever and Always.

“We’re a zumra. We hunted the flame together, found the light in the darkness, but we were far from done, laa? Now we unleash it. We free the stars, shatter the darkness holding us captive, and return the world to the splendor it once was.”

My heart has survived it is a surprise. You can never stop midway in this book. I had my heart in throat whole time

And just beacause I love to torture, here is last one.

“Please,” he whispered and begged. His compass. His queen. His life. “Don’t go.”

I still can't believe this is over.

[✨ Helena ✨]

I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

[Sanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been holding in my feelings on this book since May, and now that I'm finally allowed to share, I don't know how to explain how perfect this book is.

We Free the Stars conveys a complexity of emotions I can scarcely put into words. People live and die, betray and save each other, close themselves off and open themselves up. It's not so much what happens, as it is how does each character react to it, and why.

When We Hunt the Flame ended, we were left with many questions, lots of pain, and the smallest seedlings of hope. The story Hafsah weaves in this sequel addresses all of it, and she does it well. Everyone wants to know who will live and die, which character gets a happy ending, which doesn't. It's not for me to say how all of that turns out, but I can say each and every single character gets the ending they deserve. Each decision Hafsah made in telling this tale is perfectly in line with the character's identities and story arc. To say she does this story justice would be putting it mildly.

If you had any (valid) complaints or concerns about We Hunt the Flame, know that this book has none of those flaws. WHTF was Hafsah's debut, and the writing reflected room for growth, as all debuts do. But the growth in Hafsah's writing is immediately obvious in We Free the Stars. You can easily tell she's working on her craft and constantly pushing herself to write the best book, instead of settling on 'good enough' to get something written. The writing, pacing, and mechanics are all well developed in this sequel. Not to mention, her use of symbolism is so on point, I want her to win awards for that alone.

But, what really drew me into this book was not the writing style. While lovely, it's Hafsah's dedication to these characters and giving them a story that's true to themselves that made me love this book with all my heart. It's the way she showcases their relationships, and how important they are to each other, and the lengths they'll go to prove it. The emotions they feel are so real and raw, it's very easy to forget it's fiction, because of how powerful you as a reader feel as a result. Don't even get me started on how well she writes grief and guilt. Yes, there are time this book will make you laugh (how could you not, with Altair around?), but you'll also have cried at least once by the end of this book, and you're gonna be yelling throughout. This is a 'close the book mid page and stare at a wall, while contemplating throwing it across the room' kinda book.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I can't imagine any fan of We Hunt the Flame reading this book and being disappointed. It really is just that good.

[Bright Star · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We free the stars, shatter the darkness holding us captive, and return the world to the splendor it once was.”


I should write a review. I should write a comment. I should write... something. But I can't find the words to describe how much I loved this book. I finished We Free the Stars two days ago but my mind is still there, in Arawiya, with the zumra. It's hard to say goodbye because I've loved this world and these characters from the very first page. I've laughed, suffered, rejoiced with them and now that the story has come to an end... I feel sad, empty. Because I don't want to leave them. But I have to. And feeling this way is the proof of how UTTERLY beautiful this book was. It had everything I hoped for: characters' development, strong and detailed worldbuilding, lyrical writing style, family bonds, friendship and love. I couldn't have asked for more. Thank you Hafsah for this duology. I will never forget it.

[Lu]

Um. I feel empty and sad, and now I'm gonna cry.
This dualogy was perfect. I refuse to hear any slander.
Hafsah is literally a queen, and if anyone says any bad thing about her book I will happily commit a felony.

[Kalena W · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars, everyone got such a good ending

One thing I can for sure say about Hafsah Faizel is that her writing, and how she creates a story, is consistent. She can be counted on to bring in similar elements of what was good in the first book into this one, and write the plot similar to the first one. If you enjoyed We Hunt the Flame I think you will greatly enjoy the sequel, it's quite reflective of the first one.

I really liked experiencing this story, after the cliffhanger of the last book this picks up right up. But I feel like it was a bit long, even if I really enjoyed seeing how everything played out. In the end as well, I feel it was wrapped up a little bit too well. On the plus side, the character's storylines were all wrapped up SUPER nicely better than a lot of stories. This story truly felt meaningful, especially because of all the quotes I found in this that made me emotional. As well, the prose is simply beautiful, for the setting and characters, and I will never complain about it.

Zafira was just as amazing in this book as in the last book. She went through some character growth in this book as well, after the last one she felt like she had no purpose. And after what influenced her in this book turned against her, she really started taking things into her own hands. She always has in a sense, taken things into her own hands, when she was the hunter. She always fought to have a place in this world where women were not given opportunities. It is really great to see. She veered more towards morally-gray in this book but stayed pure-of-heart according to the book (and me lol). Her story you really can't just read someone explain it, you have to read it to understand and she is an amazing character.

Nasir is still my favorite, he acts like he's all tough and dark but in reality, he doesn't know how to talk to ANYONE in this book, and it's funny. His internal struggle in this book is very much about who is, and who he wants to become. He tries to move past all the damage he has done before, but it seems to follow him like a shadow (or death). But all of his actions in this book are done for others, for the good of the land and people. He lost a lot in this book but he also gained a lot, his ending was wonderful and really what he deserves.

Altair was a character I honestly wasn't expecting to see a lot of in this book, but here we are! I'm not complaining at all either. He is literally sun-incarnate in this book and he went through too much, but he never lost hope or his positive attitude. I truly enjoyed seeing him with Nasir again, and the others because they weren't the same without him. His character arc was not as obvious as the mains Nasir and Zafira, but if you paid close attention then you would have caught it. He got the ending he truly deserved too and I am proud of him.

Kifah was just fine, I appreciated her fighting spirit in this book as we got to spend more time with her. As a whole though, I didn't feel she went through any amazing or large character arc, but I still enjoyed seeing her there. She was a good companion for all of them, lending support to Zafira, giving advice to Nasir, and trading jokes with Altair. They truly are the best group and could not have done it without her.

The Lion & The King, first off the lion gave me darkling vibes in this book with how he acted towards Zafira. Of course, she never did anything back, but the way it was playing out I saw it. As well, we learned more about his past in this book and it explains how he got to be the way he is. Of course, it explains it but doesn't justify it, or as the book says two wrongs don't make a right. The King didn't feel like anything special to me, I know he was the father to Nasir and had importance there, but honestly just really don't like how his story played out. Luckily, this wasn't his book.

The romance between Zafira and Nasir is really everything I want and such amazing enemies to lovers, one of the best. At times, I feel they might have fallen too far into the will they - won't they trope, but on the basis, I understand what it was intended to be. But most of their interactions had me smiling, even with that ^ trope coming into play they supported one another like no other. They did lots for each other and tried their best to keep one another grounded, to give each other a sense of meaning in life. I really love them and I think their ending was good, although I would have liked to see it play out a little more.

Overall, a super great end to the series, and Hafsah is a very consistent writer so if you liked the first one, I recommend reading this too. It is super thick and some chapters may not feel important, but to me, each and every one of them played into this being an amazing story. Because there were SO many quotes I found to be marvelous and wrote down, I'm going to include them below. So SPOILERS if you haven't read We Hunt the Flame or We Free the Stars yet! SPOILERS:

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Darkness surged in his veins" (3) vs "Power bled from her bones" (8)

"The world thieves childhoods" (11)

"Death commands the tremor in the living. Live as if you are death himself. Command him as if you are his master. Depend on no one, for even your shadow will forsake you in your darkest hour" (32)

"What color do you like most?' 'Every color that makes you" (103)

"My girl will wield weapons, and she will wield them well, for it takes a special kind of courage to hold power and know when not to use it" (108)

"You're like a room full of books. Every time I see you, I discover something new." (111)

"Tear me open azizi. Slit my throat and see if the blood I bleed is black or red" (117)

"It was easy to believe that anyone who did not speak of suffering did not suffer" (161)

"Smile fair one' 'Anything else while I'm in a good mood? Should I sing prettily while I slit your throat?" (169)

"Do I not understand you as well? Am I yours azizi?' Yes, she thought. He was hers. Her companion, her succor, her prey. He was hers to end. Hers to kill" (226)

"Emotions don't define us, it's what you do with them that's important" (259)

"Being the Prince of Death was akin to being the sun he supposed. Hard to look at, but, did everyone want to look" (292)

"The world has no right sitting on your shoulders, yet you've given it more than you will ever owe" (355)

"For he would forever be a slave to that which he didn't know" (374)

"There were men who deserved forgiveness and a second chance, and others who deserved only to suffer for what they'd done" (392)

"No he did not love her. The word for what he felt for Zafira bint Iskandar did not yet exist" (401)

"When she was near him, the very rhythm of the world became something else. A wild, terrifying, incomprehensible thing" (472)

"Hope was the beast that could never be slain, the light that blazed in every harrowing dark" (516)