Michael Barnes
Set in a fantastical Egyptian-inspired world, with an elemental based magic for those gifted with it, unless they are women in which case they are dangerous. It doesn't help that history speaks of a woman who could employ all the elements (Yes Avatar the last airbender acknowledged) and destroyed a city.
The story alternates between two young women: Nehal Darweesh is forced to agree to a marriage to help her family settle her father’s gambling debts. Nehal, however, will not go quietly and manages to convince her new husband, Niccolo Baldinotti, to allow her to enrol in the Alamaxa Academy of the Weaving Arts to study waterweaving. Nico is equally uninterested in the marriage, as he intended to marry Giorgina Shukry until his father learned she was of a lower status. Giorgina, meanwhile, unbeknownst to her family, has joined the Daughters of Izdihar, a group of women from all levels of society fighting for their rights—to a vote, to education, to a life not subservient to men. Soon, Nehal too becomes interested in the Daughters of Izdihar and is drawn to their charismatic leader, Malak Mamdouh. Power, however, is not so easily given up, and the Daughters of Izdihar face both scorn and violence. Meanwhile, factions within the government and outside of Ramsawa’s borders continue to view the magical ability to control an element, taught at the Alamaxa Academy, with suspicion and fear.
The conclusion to this first half of the duology ends with the city facing an invading army.
It's an impressive debut from Hadeer Elsbai. What I also enjoyed was the arguments raised against the the women's demand for recognition were the one's that were raise whenever women sought political or social freedoms so I was very satisfying to know their narrow minded misogyny is just that bigotry.
From page 177 ""Hah! Change! You think men will change their minds when women force their hands? At best, they'll ignore you. at worst they'll call you agitators and terrorists and throw you in prison. Or they'll spite us by taking away what few rights we do have." now when have I heard that before.
I just wish we didn't have to keep arguing these points, decade after decade after decade.
Set in a fantastical Egyptian-inspired world, with an elemental based magic for those gifted with it, unless they are women in which case they are dangerous. It doesn't help that history speaks of a woman who could employ all the elements (Yes Avatar the last airbender acknowledged) and destroyed a city.
The story alternates between two young women: Nehal Darweesh is forced to agree to a marriage to help her family settle her father’s gambling debts. Nehal, however, will not go quietly and manages to convince her new husband, Niccolo Baldinotti, to allow her to enrol in the Alamaxa Academy of the Weaving Arts to study waterweaving. Nico is equally uninterested in the marriage, as he intended to marry Giorgina Shukry until his father learned she was of a lower status. Giorgina, meanwhile, unbeknownst to her family, has joined the Daughters of Izdihar, a group of women from all levels of society fighting for their rights—to a vote, to education, to a life not subservient to men. Soon, Nehal too becomes interested in the Daughters of Izdihar and is drawn to their charismatic leader, Malak Mamdouh. Power, however, is not so easily given up, and the Daughters of Izdihar face both scorn and violence. Meanwhile, factions within the government and outside of Ramsawa’s borders continue to view the magical ability to control an element, taught at the Alamaxa Academy, with suspicion and fear.
The conclusion to this first half of the duology ends with the city facing an invading army.
It's an impressive debut from Hadeer Elsbai. What I also enjoyed was the arguments raised against the the women's demand for recognition were the one's that were raise whenever women sought political or social freedoms so I was very satisfying to know their narrow minded misogyny is just that bigotry.
From page 177 ""Hah! Change! You think men will change their minds when women force their hands? At best, they'll ignore you. at worst they'll call you agitators and terrorists and throw you in prison. Or they'll spite us by taking away what few rights we do have." now when have I heard that before.
I just wish we didn't have to keep arguing these points, decade after decade after decade.