A satisfying conclusion.
Reeling after the battle on Sharr, the zumra must find a way to retrieve their captive ally, the lost heart of a Sister of Old, and prepare Arawiya for the return of the Lion of the Night and the war to come.
Altair’s capture creates confusion for Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah, who are torn between a rescue attempt and following his plans, but without all five hearts they cannot restore magic to Arawiya. The zumra and their allies must also prepare for the Lion’s coming attack and the traps of the sultan, Nasir’s father, who is under the Lion’s control. Through an accidental blood pact, Zafira is bound to the Jawarat, a magical tome of the Sisters’ memories, whose presence in her innermost thoughts suggests terrible power and destruction. When the Lion steals the Jawarat, Zafira must risk using blood magic to set things to right, unaware of the seeds of doubt the Lion has already planted in Altair. Getting off to a slow start with minimal recap of the events of We Hunt the Flame (2019), this Sands of Arawiya duology closer will not disappoint readers with its plot twists, banter, tormented romance, and multiple betrayals and reveals. While at times overly ornate, Faizal’s prose truly shines in creating effective action scenes and dialogue. Characters from various regions and races—human, elflike safin, and ifrit—have skin tones ranging from pale to dark brown. Kifah is cued as asexual and aromantic.
A satisfying conclusion. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-374-31157-5
Page Count: 592
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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