FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
I kid you not, about two days before I started this book, I was thinking to myself how cool it would be to have a story about humanoid stars. I then picked up this book, and what do I find but a story about humanoid stars? (Clearly I read the synopsis with utmost attention.) This was such an exciting ride that I loved from start to finish.
Characters: Jorrin is quite the protagonist. He has a good balance of admirable and flawed characteristics, which all make so much sense in light of his backstory. I genuinely can’t tell if he’s going to end up with a positive or negative arc by the end of the series, which is exciting!
Nouri was a fun character, as well. I loved the sibling dynamic between him and Jorrin—we need more stories with healthy brother relationships! I’m curious to see where he ends up (especially given… that ending.)
Content: There’s a decent amount of violence, with characters fighting and receiving/inflicting injuries. One character struggles with intense anger issues. Some of the violence gets a little graphic, but it’s never over the top—just descriptions of blood and pain.
There are little hints of romance (one character apparently has a soft spot for the ladies), but nothing ever goes beyond commenting on someone’s beauty. It was refreshing to read a story not centered on a romance!
Writing: First, let me just say: the worldbuilding. Wow. This desert world feels so real! It’s rooted in Persian mythology, which I wasn’t familiar with before but am now curious to learn more about. The magic system is cool without being overly complicated, and everything just makes so much sense. Well done!
The plot seized my attention from the beginning and kept me invested all the way to the end. I somehow missed that this is a series (again, I definitely paid attention to the synopsis…), so I wasn’t expecting that cliffhanger ending. When’s the next book coming out, again?
Summary: I’m so glad I got to read this exciting adventure. With themes of dealing with grief, letting go of the past, and faith when all faith is gone, this would be a great read for anyone aged 14+.
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