booksalacarte's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Final Strife- 3.5⭐️ 3🌶️
Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.
Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.
Clear is the blood of the slaves, of the crushed, of the invisible.
Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the empire from the red-blooded ruling classes’ tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.
Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts.
Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. And when she joins forces with Sylah and Anoor, together these grains of sand will become a storm.
As the empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn
✨My Opinion✨
Slow burn
Slow burn
Sapphic
Missed legacy
Classism
Revolution
Slow paced
Switched at birth
Grumpy sunshine
Rivals to lovers
It was a good read, but not mind blowing. I am happy with continuing the series, but not desperate for the next book.
The backstory and world building was expansive and very thorough. I was amazed by how in depth everything went. It was really well done. The magic system was unique in its introduction. I’m looking forward to reading more about it.
It was slow going for the first half of the book. The plot finally getting traction didn’t make up for the lulls, in my opinion.
It was slow going for the first half of the book. The plot finally getting traction didn’t make up for the lulls, in my opinion.
I was a little put out with things being mentioned multiple times before being physically described, case in point; Erus. I didn’t even realize it was a giant sand lizard until it was being ridden when Sylah delivering the dresses… I thought it was like a camel or donkey. I still don’t have a clear mental picture of what it looks like, or how it pulls a carriage!
The main characters could have been flushed out a little more. Sylah was very hard to like. Really hard. Most of the book is her dealing with addiction and grief. Her personality beyond that was pretty petulant. Anoor was childish as well, but I would have enjoyed a more solid arc into her maturity. I often forgot that I was reading new adult rather than young adult, until the in the story spice happened.
Disability rep, but only because of mass mutilation as infants. Brutal, but I guess I understand how it plays into the plot. Hassa was a great character that wasn’t explored more until the second half of the book, and even then seemingly as a throwaway addition. Her story line was more compelling than the main one, by far!
I wish that the trials would have been more prevalent in the story telling. They felt really important in leading up to them, then glossed over when we finally got to them. It would have been great character building to see them more thoroughly through Anoor’s eyes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
kcmg710's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS BOOK ISNT MORE POPULAR!?
I’ve been on booktok for a while now (as I know many of us have) and I’ve only seen this book on there twice maybe? (That could be just my booktok I guess but still).
I’m so engrossed in the world that El-Arifi has created that I don’t want to go onto another book, I’m struggling to bring myself to do it 😂. I literally put off reading the last 2 chapters for 2 weeks just so I didn’t have to say goodbye to the characters that I’ve grown to love.
I feel like when I first started The Final Strife I was abit overwhelmed by everything going on and trying to remember all the different names and places ect. (if I wasn’t a dummy and had realised there was a glossary in the back the whole time I wouldn’t have had this struggle 🤦🏽♀️ I don’t know if other editions have it, sorry, but I’m assuming so) but I quickly became so immersed into everything; the action, the people, the politics going on and I soon fell in love.
This book is slept on, I’m so gutted that I can’t jump straight into the next one in the series (the battle drum) and that I have to wait until May.
I’ve been on booktok for a while now (as I know many of us have) and I’ve only seen this book on there twice maybe? (That could be just my booktok I guess but still).
I’m so engrossed in the world that El-Arifi has created that I don’t want to go onto another book, I’m struggling to bring myself to do it 😂. I literally put off reading the last 2 chapters for 2 weeks just so I didn’t have to say goodbye to the characters that I’ve grown to love.
I feel like when I first started The Final Strife I was abit overwhelmed by everything going on and trying to remember all the different names and places ect. (if I wasn’t a dummy and had realised there was a glossary in the back the whole time I wouldn’t have had this struggle 🤦🏽♀️ I don’t know if other editions have it, sorry, but I’m assuming so) but I quickly became so immersed into everything; the action, the people, the politics going on and I soon fell in love.
This book is slept on, I’m so gutted that I can’t jump straight into the next one in the series (the battle drum) and that I have to wait until May.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Child death, Violence, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Body shaming and Blood
cozyscones's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Slavery, Classism, Gore, Sexual content, Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Addiction, Confinement, Police brutality, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Body shaming, Torture, and Fatphobia
Minor: Vomit and Excrement
meshell's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
5.0
I wasn't connecting with this book in the first few chapters so I took a little break and came back to and I'm really glad I did because I got really into it. I had no idea where it would end up, because I didn't read anything about it and thankfully a friend recommended it or mentioned it, so I knew it was worth reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, Classism, Colonisation, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Fatphobia
gurofl's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I liked it in the start, but after a while I lost a bit of interest. There's little development of the plot in the middle.
I liked the character Anoor, the start of the relationship between the two main characters, the quest, and that the society is very diverse (both when it comes to identity and sexuality). And I would be interested to find out what happens next with the empire and the politics if I hadn't been so annoyed with the characters feeling like they're teenagers when they are 20-22.
It feels like this borders between adult and young adult fantasy. What I didn't like: the characters are a bit flat, things become very melodramatic at times, and the characters' mood swings a lot very fast.
The ending was quite interesting, but the juvenile feel of things is putting me off continuing with this series.
I liked the character Anoor, the start of the relationship between the two main characters, the quest, and that the society is very diverse (both when it comes to identity and sexuality). And I would be interested to find out what happens next with the empire and the politics if I hadn't been so annoyed with the characters feeling like they're teenagers when they are 20-22.
It feels like this borders between adult and young adult fantasy. What I didn't like: the characters are a bit flat, things become very melodramatic at times, and the characters' mood swings a lot very fast.
The ending was quite interesting, but the juvenile feel of things is putting me off continuing with this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Colonisation
Moderate: Classism and Drug use
Minor: Ableism, Body horror, Racism, Confinement, Fatphobia, Genocide, Kidnapping, Addiction, and Police brutality
ofbooksandechos's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Bello bello
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, and Slavery
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Police brutality, Racism, Child abuse, and Torture
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Child death, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Fatphobia
azrah786's review against another edition
4.5
**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, blood, gore, injury, self harm, torture, confinement, suicidal ideation, death, child death, death of parent, murder, addiction, drug use, slavery, classism, racism, child abuse, ableism, fatphobia/body shaming, grief
--
The Final Strife is an absolutely magnificent first instalment in an all new epic fantasy trilogy all about rebellion and survival.
We’re introduced to an empire governed by a blood based class system where the people are kept just as in check by the deadly Tidewind that ravages the land by night. Those with red blood, Embers are of the ruling class with magic in their blood and the Aktibar, a set of trials which appoints the next set of Wardens to rule the empire is soon approaching.
Sylah, an Ember stolen from her family as a child by a Duster(those of the working class with blue blood) rebel group was raised with the sole purpose to infiltrate these trials and overthrow those in charge, that is until the rebellion was crushed leaving Sylah the only surviving child from the group. However, Sylah’s hope is reignited when an opportunity to see her mission through falls into her hands through Anoor, the daughter of one of the ruling Wardens of the empire.
Now this is a chunky read but El-Arifi’s narration has a compelling rhythm to it that is just as masterful as that of the Griots (storytellers) within her book.
The worldbuilding has roots in Arabian and Ghanian lore and is so vividly immersive and complex, with each turn of the page, each twist of the story feeding us more of the culture, politics, history and secrets of this world.
It is slow going and the time jumps did throw me off at times – also when the point of view switched up within the chapters but this may be more down to the layout of the digital arc - but I just couldn’t put the book and when I had to I couldn’t get these characters out of my mind. There’s an equally frustrating and fascinating quality to each of the main players in this tale and their development and relationships with one another was so well written.
I can’t wait to read more!
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars
CW: violence, blood, gore, injury, self harm, torture, confinement, suicidal ideation, death, child death, death of parent, murder, addiction, drug use, slavery, classism, racism, child abuse, ableism, fatphobia/body shaming, grief
--
The Final Strife is an absolutely magnificent first instalment in an all new epic fantasy trilogy all about rebellion and survival.
We’re introduced to an empire governed by a blood based class system where the people are kept just as in check by the deadly Tidewind that ravages the land by night. Those with red blood, Embers are of the ruling class with magic in their blood and the Aktibar, a set of trials which appoints the next set of Wardens to rule the empire is soon approaching.
Sylah, an Ember stolen from her family as a child by a Duster(those of the working class with blue blood) rebel group was raised with the sole purpose to infiltrate these trials and overthrow those in charge, that is until the rebellion was crushed leaving Sylah the only surviving child from the group. However, Sylah’s hope is reignited when an opportunity to see her mission through falls into her hands through Anoor, the daughter of one of the ruling Wardens of the empire.
Now this is a chunky read but El-Arifi’s narration has a compelling rhythm to it that is just as masterful as that of the Griots (storytellers) within her book.
The worldbuilding has roots in Arabian and Ghanian lore and is so vividly immersive and complex, with each turn of the page, each twist of the story feeding us more of the culture, politics, history and secrets of this world.
It is slow going and the time jumps did throw me off at times – also when the point of view switched up within the chapters but this may be more down to the layout of the digital arc - but I just couldn’t put the book and when I had to I couldn’t get these characters out of my mind. There’s an equally frustrating and fascinating quality to each of the main players in this tale and their development and relationships with one another was so well written.
I can’t wait to read more!
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Child death, Torture, Fatphobia, Self harm, Death, Drug use, Racism, Murder, Death of parent, Addiction, Ableism, Body shaming, Grief, Slavery, and Classism
luckylulureads's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Addiction, and Confinement
Moderate: Ableism, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Classism, Colonisation, Sexual content, Gore, and Body shaming
lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Violence
Minor: Fatphobia
littlecabbage's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The Final Strife grabs you by the collar and pulls you into a new world where people are classified by blood, color, and caste system. With Sylah as your guide, you are introduced to a world as flawed and driven as she is. Raised as a renegade, Sylah's efforts lead her into the closet of Annor, the warden's daughter. As the opener for a trilogy, you can tell through the 600 pages that there is a deep world worth exploring.
Although the story is compelling, the plot moved at times too quickly and too often overemphasized foreshadowing for future plot points and books. There are moments when you ask, 'why are you mentioning that again' only to assume it will come up in a later chapter or book.
Overall, it was a solid read. Add this to your TBR if you're looking for wlw, fantasy, or want to expand your imagination in a way that includes black and brown people. El-Arifi shows how exciting the mythology of Africa and Arabia can be when used to inspire stories that relate to today. I'm excited to see her future work and where Sylah's story goes.
**Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of The Final Strife**
Although the story is compelling, the plot moved at times too quickly and too often overemphasized foreshadowing for future plot points and books. There are moments when you ask, 'why are you mentioning that again' only to assume it will come up in a later chapter or book.
Overall, it was a solid read. Add this to your TBR if you're looking for wlw, fantasy, or want to expand your imagination in a way that includes black and brown people. El-Arifi shows how exciting the mythology of Africa and Arabia can be when used to inspire stories that relate to today. I'm excited to see her future work and where Sylah's story goes.
**Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of The Final Strife**
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Violence, and Drug abuse