jabirch's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
jackie1324's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
evitaveda's review against another edition
3.5
“Are we disturbing your pleasant evening with our silly talk of equality?”
The Daughters of Izdihar is a feminist, fantasy story inspired by Egyptian mythology, and I was absolutely thrilled to pick it up.
The storyline itself was interesting. The society our two main characters lived in was so utterly misogynistic and I enjoyed seeing Nehal and Giorgina discovering where they belonged, and the lengths they were willing to go to. I loved the feminist themes and how the book showed the struggles the women went through for the right to vote. I also found it had an insightful way of showing how men were able to control the narrative. The story was mostly concerned with politics but there was a bit of elemental magic and romance as well. A nice blend.
Where the story kind of let me down was with the characters. Nehal, although strong and determined, often came off as rash and thoughtless. The way she rushed into things without thinking about anyone else, really grated on me. Giorgina was more interesting and felt more rounded as a character, but her thoughts got a bit repetitive after a while. Also, I really wanted more communication and scenes between the two MCs. I love seeing vastly different people interact with each other, but at times I felt like Nehal and Giorgina were characters from separate books.
Oh, and almost all the men in this book suuuucked! Such patriarchal douchebags.
I did really like the way the book ended and will definitely pick up the sequel when it comes out!
Read if you like:
✨Political fantasy
✨Elemental magic
✨LGBTQ+ representation
✨Feminist stories
✨Being annoyed with men 95% of the time
rosie_reads_7's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kdeutsch's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
anouk90's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lishc's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
leahdrago01's review
5.0
this was absolutely incredible. a sapphic fantasy with elemental magic that very closely reflects our own, specifically inspired by modern egyptian history and the fight for women's rights. with rage filled fmcs, fighting first for their rights and, by the end of the book, for their lives, all while realizing just how far their powers can go and how far they're willing to push their morals, leaving with a cliff hanger that has me antsy for the next book in the series.
impie's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rootgroves01's review against another edition
Holding my review until the Harper Collins strike is over.