Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot! Firstly, as someone who is Middle Eastern, I really enjoyed seeing Arabic phrases being exchanged between characters and experiencing nostalgia when they eat Middle Eastern dishes and desserts. I genuinely valued the Middle Eastern representation because they are relatable in some ways! In addition, while the book was told in third person, the author created a dual POV with Zafira and Nasir, which I enjoyed. The beginning can be a bit slow since it involves worldbuilding and setting the scene for the main characters' backgrounds, but it starts to pick up after that. Hafsah Faizal has a unique and alluring way of describing her scenes, and I could visualize the settings and build a movie in my mind.
Aside from descriptive settings, the zumra was so loveable. Altair was definitely one of my favorite characters with his comedic and witty comments. The banter between Nasir and him was always so entertaining and lightened the mood. In addition, I wished we could have learned more about Benyamin because he had such a complex past that his personality could've shined more. He was a very knowledgeable character who valued trust above all else, which, in some ways, was admirable. Kifah was also such a strong character that I hope to read more about her in We Free the Stars!
Furthermore, Nasir is a complex, strong, and mysterious character I love dearly. I wanted to take a moment to talk about the black feather Nasir places on the bodies of those who passed because it is such a powerful action. After researching, I discovered that a black feather could symbolize death and mourning. Also, when a black feather is buried with someone, it can be so that the person's spirit can find its way to the afterlife. Honestly, I could be reading too much into the black feather, and I understand that the black feather was also a symbol to say that "The Prince of Death was here." Still, I believe that the more profound meaning of why Nasir uses the black feather is to mourn for the person's life in some way. Nasir never wanted to harm or murder anyone, but he was placed in a tight position where he had to in order to protect the lives of those closest to him. That said, I genuinely think the symbol of the black feather really adds to his character and brings an essential aspect of his personality that could have been neglected if a reader didn't consider the possible hidden meaning.
However, I gave this book a 3-star rating for the lack of plot building toward three major plot twists. The plot twists did leave me excited to finish the rest of the book, but I found it strange that such large plot twists were given to us one after the other and toward the end of the book. It felt like such abrupt announcements that I wish the execution had been done by building the plot to lead up to the plot twists. I hope these plot twists will be explained in more detail in We Free the Stars since I can envision many character developments from these revelations. In addition to revelations, I hope we learn more about Altair's history in We Free the Stars. As I was reading, I found it extremely mysterious how Altair is highly knowledgeable and insightful on topics many characters were unaware of. There is something about him that the readers don't know about, and I hope I can find the answers to my suspicions in the next book!
Ultimately, the book was not only enjoyable and exciting but also left me with a plethora of lingering questions that fueled an insatiable curiosity, compelling me to dive straight into the second book.
Aside from descriptive settings, the zumra was so loveable. Altair was definitely one of my favorite characters with his comedic and witty comments. The banter between Nasir and him was always so entertaining and lightened the mood. In addition, I wished we could have learned more about Benyamin because he had such a complex past that his personality could've shined more. He was a very knowledgeable character who valued trust above all else, which, in some ways, was admirable. Kifah was also such a strong character that I hope to read more about her in We Free the Stars!
Furthermore, Nasir is a complex, strong, and mysterious character I love dearly. I wanted to take a moment to talk about the black feather Nasir places on the bodies of those who passed because it is such a powerful action. After researching, I discovered that a black feather could symbolize death and mourning. Also, when a black feather is buried with someone, it can be so that the person's spirit can find its way to the afterlife. Honestly, I could be reading too much into the black feather, and I understand that the black feather was also a symbol to say that "The Prince of Death was here." Still, I believe that the more profound meaning of why Nasir uses the black feather is to mourn for the person's life in some way. Nasir never wanted to harm or murder anyone, but he was placed in a tight position where he had to in order to protect the lives of those closest to him. That said, I genuinely think the symbol of the black feather really adds to his character and brings an essential aspect of his personality that could have been neglected if a reader didn't consider the possible hidden meaning.
However, I gave this book a 3-star rating for the lack of plot building toward three major plot twists. The plot twists did leave me excited to finish the rest of the book, but I found it strange that such large plot twists were given to us one after the other and toward the end of the book. It felt like such abrupt announcements that I wish the execution had been done by building the plot to lead up to the plot twists. I hope these plot twists will be explained in more detail in We Free the Stars since I can envision many character developments from these revelations. In addition to revelations, I hope we learn more about Altair's history in We Free the Stars. As I was reading, I found it extremely mysterious how Altair is highly knowledgeable and insightful on topics many characters were unaware of. There is something about him that the readers don't know about, and I hope I can find the answers to my suspicions in the next book!
Ultimately, the book was not only enjoyable and exciting but also left me with a plethora of lingering questions that fueled an insatiable curiosity, compelling me to dive straight into the second book.