i loved being a passenger on soraya’s journey of morality, power, and self-acceptance. the world-building was absolutely wonderful, would love (and could totally see) an on-screen adaptation! such a feministic, empowering fantasy read. and the romance was very sweet and very quote-worthy.

Phew I am on a roll baby. Anyways this was so great!!! I mean sure Soraya did a few things that might be stupid in hindsight but I mean she was very sheltered throughout her life so I understand. 

The subtle enemies to lovers with Parvaneh was simply <3<3.

Also

the way Azad was so manipulate even I was bamboozled. But maybe that’s the bloodlust talking idk

Finally I have to say that I loved

the fact that Soraya got her powers back towards the end. Just when I was thinking Oh her powers sure weren’t developed the author was like BAM

Honestly I’m glad I finally got around to reading this. Very much worth it. 

i’ve recently realized that persian mythology is my favorite to read retellings of, and this blended so many elements of existing tales together to create something really special.

 “she had always wanted to extinguish the persistent spark of anger that burned deep in her heart, so sure that it would turn her into a monster. she hadn’t realized that her anger could only exist because she still had hope. once hope was gone, there was no point in fighting, and so she had no need for anger anymore.”

first, i adore soraya. she is not perfect, or forgiving, or even kind at every turn. she has justifiable resentment towards her family for the way she had to grow up. the parallels between her and azad and parvaneh were excellent because ultimately this is a story about making selfish mistakes and how we go about either trying to fix them or committing to what we’ve done so that the original act “wasn’t for nothing.” 

i only wish there had been more scenes of parvaneh and soraya’s relationship, because it seems slightly underdeveloped? i love their dynamic and their attraction to each other makes sense, i guess i just wish there was more of it. 

I thought this was interesting, and I really liked the love triangle. I can't believe I spent my young adult years reading about stupid boys when I could have read about awesome women. More women with powers pleaseeee.

This was so so so good. In the beginning it took me but to get into it but once I did I fell in love. The plot is so intricate and connected in a way that feel authentic. I felt like every twist and turn of the story was earned and I think my expectations for how the story would unfold were constantly shattered without feeling too far out of left field. The characters are so rich and complex, but you don’t feel like abuse or war crimes get excused. The romance is sweet and warm and I think well-paced. It’s kind of enemies to lovers, though I feel that oversimplifies their dynamic. I just I love this book. If you are a fan of fantasy or love sapphic books you have to read this .

Overall Thoughts:
⁕ Bashardoust writes about grief, loneliness and loss SO WELL! I really was taken aback by how artfully she utilized the characters to create conflict centered around these themes.

⁕ Soraya’s development as the main character is solid. I thought it was particularly clever how Bashardoust juxtaposed two of the minor characters to show the alternative “paths” Soraya could take, and used her understanding of them to help her grapple with her inner conflict.

⁕ Some of the plot developments felt a little too convenient, a little too easy. As terrible as it sounds, I wanted the characters to suffer just a little more before being saved. It didn’t feel as gratifying as I would have liked when they were.

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While there was nothing inherently wrong with this book, it didn’t stand out to me as one especially captivating or memorable. I never got attached to the characters, and Soraya’s arc was one I’d seen multiple times before in some way or another, without any way to make hers stand out.

I went in expecting a sapphic romance, and while technically I did get one, it was more of an undertone than a focal point. Again, there’s nothing wrong with that, as romance isn’t and doesn’t have to be central to every story. It was more of a misunderstanding on my part. I did like it, though.

Also, the antagonist? I saw that coming a mile away. Even if I didn’t guess all the details, the brunt of it was quite obvious. Nearly every fairytale I’ve come across tells you that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. And beyond the reveal, it didn’t feel like any part of the story was particularly intense or any of the obstacles were truly fearsome.

Overall: good world-building, plain characters, and nothing really surprising throughout the book. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a fantasy that’s not quite so intense, or a very character-driven retelling. I do think there are people that will enjoy this book; I just ended up pretty indifferent toward it.

Representation