We Hunt the Flame

I really loved We Hunt the Flame. It is a well-written fantasy inspired by Middle Eastern culture. The world building is skillful, the magic system fascinating, and the characters complex. The land of Arawiya once vibrant and flourishing, has lost its good magic, has become cursed and suffers under a cruel Sultan. Zafira is the legendary Demenhune Hunter who masquerades as a man to brave a dark, treacherous forest called the Arz so that she can feed her people. The Arz is invading Arawiya, threatening to destroy it. Zafira is offered the chance to venture to a mysterious island in a quest for an artifact that will restore good magic to her land and defeat the Arz. Nasir, the Sultan’s son, an assassin who does his bidding, is tasked with using Zafira to find the artifact and then kill her. They are joined on the island by other characters, with their own, at first, mysterious agendas. I liked all the characters and watching how their relationships grew and changed. I loved Altair and Kifah. There were some quite unexpected twists. Lush descriptions of the setting, people, clothes and food abound. The romance was slowly developed and did not dominate the story. I am grateful to have read this right as the sequel is published so I don't have to wait. Highly recommended.

I will admit that it took me a few chapters of the dual point of views to understand enough of this world to really start enjoying it. I was worried I was missing something, but this author unfolded this world, drew me in, and never released me. I couldn't wait to get back to reading every night as the world felt so real, the characters were complex and ones to cheer for, and the stakes set high for them. The alternating point of view chapters built the tension and suspense. The writing is some of the best I've encountered--the metaphors are original and fitting to the world. One of my favorites was on page 399: "Her heart pounded as fiercely as if she were running for her life." The banter and sarcastic humor surprised and delighted me and even made me laugh. The chapter endings always made me want to turn the page. This story is so much more than a fantastical world in which characters battle and compete to restore their former lives, it's a story of learning to be yourself, learning to let yourself love and be loved, and a story of friendship and family. I'm excited to read the final book in duology.

A beautiful start to an Arabian-inspired fantasy duology - 4.5 Stars - "We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves." Zafira is the Hunter, a girl who disguises herself as a man. She travels regularly to the mysterious and dangerous forest of Arz in order to hunt for her village. When she gets the chance to get rid of the Arz forever by retrieving a magical artifact, she decides to go to Sharr, a mysterious and deadly island. Meanwhile, Nasir, the prince of Arawiya, is also sent to Sharr, but he is sent by his father with orders to kill the Hunter and steal the artifact. "A life without purpose may be no life, but a life without love is nothing but an existence." We Hunt the Flame features a fantastical Arabian inspired world with a veeeeeeeeery slow-burn romance. Things I loved: - As others have mentioned, Hafsah Faizal's writing is BEAUTIFUL. It's lyrical and absolutely entrancing. - I loved all the characters! (even though some of them frustrated me a little bit because of their stubbornness) - World-building was great in my opinion, though I was a little confused with all the information thrown at me in the first section of the book. Things I disliked: - There were some parts of the book that I felt were a little less engaging (though most of the book was pretty fast-paced and interesting). - As I mentioned before, I felt that the world could have been introduced a little better in the beginning as it was a little difficult to understand at first. I definitely recommend this book to those who love fantasy and/or books with flowery writing. I really enjoyed this, and am so excited for the release of the sequel!