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A review by tagoreketabkhane31
The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad
4.0
I genuinely enjoyed this story that Nafiza Azad presented. It is a high fantasy read, taking heavy inspiration from the subcontinent and its heritage in religious, linguistic and mythological diversity. The Candle and the Flame is perfect for fans of the Daevabad triliogy, the Sands of Arawiya duology and the Burnt Empire.
The story centers on the city of Noor (an amalgamation of many different subcontinent cities, primarily Delhi) and its mix of diverse people, and you meet Fatima, an 18 year old girl who is one of three surviving people from an attack of Shayateen Djinn in the city that killed the entire population. Fatima discovers her connection to the Ifrit Djinn and their power, and this brings her into the sphere of the Maharaj and the politics of the palace, and along with the Emir Zulfikar.
From the beginning, the level of attention both to Islam and the Desi identity in language, food, clothing and etiquette was very much great representation. From Fatima observing her prayers, living with her Hindu adopted sister - and even though the religions are not named in the novel, it is understood by readers who are familiar, that the characters inhabit a world that has Muslims with Hindus mixed in as well. There are characters from a fictional China, Arabia, Turkish states and other areas that were on the real Silk Road (with even the Silk Road mentioned in the book as part of this world) and I appreciated the level of attention to detail that Azad put into the book. This is very much how an #OwnVoices novel in fantasy should be.
What did prevent me from giving this the full five stars was the detached narrative style that Azad employed throughout the novel. There were moments, especially during climaxes and heartfelt moments between Fatima and Zulfikar that the intensity was taken away because of the detached narrative. I also had issues with the time jumps that were not specified clearly.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly, and I can't wait to see what Azad comes with next.
The story centers on the city of Noor (an amalgamation of many different subcontinent cities, primarily Delhi) and its mix of diverse people, and you meet Fatima, an 18 year old girl who is one of three surviving people from an attack of Shayateen Djinn in the city that killed the entire population. Fatima discovers her connection to the Ifrit Djinn and their power, and this brings her into the sphere of the Maharaj and the politics of the palace, and along with the Emir Zulfikar.
From the beginning, the level of attention both to Islam and the Desi identity in language, food, clothing and etiquette was very much great representation. From Fatima observing her prayers, living with her Hindu adopted sister - and even though the religions are not named in the novel, it is understood by readers who are familiar, that the characters inhabit a world that has Muslims with Hindus mixed in as well. There are characters from a fictional China, Arabia, Turkish states and other areas that were on the real Silk Road (with even the Silk Road mentioned in the book as part of this world) and I appreciated the level of attention to detail that Azad put into the book. This is very much how an #OwnVoices novel in fantasy should be.
What did prevent me from giving this the full five stars was the detached narrative style that Azad employed throughout the novel. There were moments, especially during climaxes and heartfelt moments between Fatima and Zulfikar that the intensity was taken away because of the detached narrative. I also had issues with the time jumps that were not specified clearly.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly, and I can't wait to see what Azad comes with next.