A review by fadingapple
The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
3.5
3.5/5 stars
There were a lot of things about this book I really liked - the world was interesting, I loved Giorgina, and the conflict/political issues were relevant and well rendered. However, I found too many of the main cast difficult to relate to and like to elevate to a higher rating.
Nehal and Nico, I believe, are intended to be opposites of each other just as Nehal and Giorgina are, but differently. The comparison between the women are more obvious - one is rich, one is poor; one is privileged, one is powerless; one goes through life headstrong and reckless, one has hide to stay safe. But I believe there are similar, but more subtle, comparisons with Nehal and Nico - both are wealthy and from influential homes, forced into a marriage they don’t want. But, where Nehal uses her privilege as a blinder and motivation for doing whatever she wants, Nico is blind to his influence and the impact that influence has on others (like Giorgina). As for Giorgina, she sees the others much more clearly than they see themselves, but only near the end realizes the power she wields herself.
My biggest issues were with Nehal and Nico, who I felt were often insufferable and gained very little in the way of meaningful character development. The sapphic storyline also just felt awkwardly placed - perhaps it will gain more relevance in the next book but the homophobia and rumors were there before the relationship started and the weight of it coming to fruition didn’t seem to impact the story in any meaningful way. The women were still outspoken women and weavers - 2 offenses men could never let stand, regardless of their sexual preference, so it just felt like a “pile more” situation.
That said, I did really enjoy the themes of female empowerment and challenging the status quo in this book. While I think the character could use more development, they are effectively used to tell an important story that I enjoyed and think people need to read. The world itself was very interesting as well and I enjoyed the imagery and descriptions of both landscapes and weaving.
Overall I did really enjoy the story and look forward to the sequel. It was written well, I think there is just room for additional maturity in pacing, character development, and general depth of motivation. I still recommend it to all my fantasy lovers!
There were a lot of things about this book I really liked - the world was interesting, I loved Giorgina, and the conflict/political issues were relevant and well rendered. However, I found too many of the main cast difficult to relate to and like to elevate to a higher rating.
Nehal and Nico, I believe, are intended to be opposites of each other just as Nehal and Giorgina are, but differently. The comparison between the women are more obvious - one is rich, one is poor; one is privileged, one is powerless; one goes through life headstrong and reckless, one has hide to stay safe. But I believe there are similar, but more subtle, comparisons with Nehal and Nico - both are wealthy and from influential homes, forced into a marriage they don’t want. But, where Nehal uses her privilege as a blinder and motivation for doing whatever she wants, Nico is blind to his influence and the impact that influence has on others (like Giorgina). As for Giorgina, she sees the others much more clearly than they see themselves, but only near the end realizes the power she wields herself.
My biggest issues were with Nehal and Nico, who I felt were often insufferable and gained very little in the way of meaningful character development. The sapphic storyline also just felt awkwardly placed - perhaps it will gain more relevance in the next book but the homophobia and rumors were there before the relationship started and the weight of it coming to fruition didn’t seem to impact the story in any meaningful way. The women were still outspoken women and weavers - 2 offenses men could never let stand, regardless of their sexual preference, so it just felt like a “pile more” situation.
That said, I did really enjoy the themes of female empowerment and challenging the status quo in this book. While I think the character could use more development, they are effectively used to tell an important story that I enjoyed and think people need to read. The world itself was very interesting as well and I enjoyed the imagery and descriptions of both landscapes and weaving.
Overall I did really enjoy the story and look forward to the sequel. It was written well, I think there is just room for additional maturity in pacing, character development, and general depth of motivation. I still recommend it to all my fantasy lovers!