The Final Strife

Will revisit in the new year 

I found this to be a completely engaging listen and I devoured it. I loved so many things about it, especially in the Griots' stories interspersed throughout the book. I really liked three of the four POVs, but one felt very one-dimensional and he contributed to the loss of a star. There were some excellent plot reveals and I was satisfied with the ending. There's quite a bit of nice setups, ethical conundrums and mysteries/questions for the rest of the series. I plan to continue on.

An epic fantasy where the Warden's empire runs on a caste system based on blood color. The Wardens and the rest of the Embers (red-bloods) are at the top. Years ago, a group of rebel Dusters (blue-bloods) entered the Warden's keep and swapped out 12 red-blooded babies with 12 of their own. Some survived and some were killed, what will happen when their paths cross?

I think epic fantasy readers would want to check this out, especially those interested in non-Western inspired fantasy. This could also be a good entry point into epics. There's some complex worldbuilding, maneuvering, and intricacies, but I think it is overall easy to follow. I also think this could have worked as a YA on many levels, but not in a way that put me off, so I think older teens and adults alike would enjoy this. It shows you what it is from the beginning, so if you don't like it from the start I think that's a good signal of if you'll like it or not. Also has a trans POV and I think the world is queernorm, it is at least about gender. There is also a smidge of sapphic romance.

There are a lot of trigger warnings in this book, look them up if you have any. Most overtly to me is a rampant and on-page drug addiction of the main POV, slavery, and many flashbacks or references to child abuse (physical and mental).

A book full of excellent world building and interesting ideas, I definitely feel like I learnt something. I really enjoyed the two main characters and their developing relationship. The main character swears brilliantly and the dialogue is really fun.

I found the plot of the first half of the book a little prosaic, however the second half of the book really kicks in and I am looking forward to the sequel.

Edit- Just found out that all the violence in this book really took place in history. Which has blown my mind.

This was good!!

I really liked the unique world this is set in, the different groups of people based on the different blood colours and I really enjoyed the trials and the ‘bloodwerk'.

Whilst Sylah was quite unlikable for the start of the book, Anoor made up for it with her bright and funny character and I liked the relationship between the two.

The twists towards the end of the book really setup the next one well and I'm excited to get to it soon.

3.5

Some facts just didn't add up and not a fan of the romance in the book.

20+ stars

This must be, without a doubt, the best fantasy I've read this year. I have now purchased this book in all the editions it is available in. I highly recommend the audiobook. It alone is an experience. As a debut, I'm left dumbfounded at how amazing this book was.

It's incredibly hard to write this review. To unravel the intricacies interwoven in this book... If you allow yourself to sit with this book and let the book sit with you, it will reach the depths of your soul. This book will trigger memories that only your DNA will recognize. This book speaks to the native people who because they've lived a mostly peaceful life are welcoming and generous. This book speaks to colonialism and erasure, the perception of balance of power, and the imbalance of power. It speaks to if you say a thing enough people will only remember that thing and not what came before it. It speaks to suppression and the lengths people will go to end that suppression.

Saara El-Arifi put so much thought and care not only into the world building, character development and plot but into the sensitive area of addiction. I ran into a review where they claimed there was fat shaming in the book. Not once was there any shaming. There was a point in the story where Sylah has been given Anoor's clothing to wear and it is at this point that she realizes how much weight she has lost because of the addiction. It was a moment of self-reflection and one where she needed to decide if she was truly going to work on kicking the habit. With that said, other strong points were the queernormative society and compelling women driving the story: Sylah, Anoor and Hassa.

You will find your fast paced fantasy, with great world building, sprinkled with twists and turns, magic, hate, love and intrigue. You will find great storytelling where each detail is fleshed out. I'm just here to tell you, you will find so much more.

A clever take on racial tensions in a fantasy setting. Racism is often a challenging topic to take on, and this one takes it a step further by making the colour of a persons blood literally the defining characteristic of their social standing. With 3 castes of people living in the empire the tensions between the haves and the have nots are cleverly manipulated by those at the top. The reveals and twists cleverly act to undermine the social order and the basis for the regime, but also the motivations of some of the rebel characters as well, creating a wonderfully murky moral picture despite the obvious bias of the society.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The very real oppression, the politicking and the hidden agendas all work together to produce a fascinating cocktail. Very much looking forward to see where this series goes

This is a story about an Empire divided by the color of blood. If your blood is red, you are worthy. If it's blue, you're nothing. White blood, and you are maimed and silenced. The Empire is wrong and it must fall.
This book follows three women from different backgrounds with a common goal, to topple the Empire.
I loved these characters so much! The story is fantastic! It's got African mythology, Arabian mythology. It's action-packed with some political intrigue. So much to love. I'm definitely reading the next one.

I received a copy from net galley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.