The Daughters of Izdihar
Ratings14
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings14
Average rating3.7
'A gorgeous, clever feminist fantasy novel rich with magic, politics, hunger and fire. An absolute must-read' Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne Trapped in an arranged marriage to a man she does not love, Nehal dreams of attending the Weaving Academy. There, she can take control of her powers, bending any water to her will, and pursue a glorious future on the battlefield with the first all-female military regiment. Her husband, indifferent and secretive, is in love with another woman, a poor bookseller named Giorgina. Giorgina has her own secret. She is an earthweaver with dangerously uncontrollable powers. Her only solace comes from meetings with the Daughters of Izdihar, a women's rights group fighting for freedom. They come from very different means, yet Nehal and Giorgina have more in common than they think. Enticed by the group's enigmatic leader Malak Mamdouh, the two women are drawn into a web of politics, violence and threats of war as they find themselves fighting to earn - and keep - a lasting freedom. A powerful feminist fantasy set in an Egyptian-inspired world, with breathtaking elemental magic and sapphic romance, perfect for fans of The Jasmine Throne and The Once and Future Witches. Praise for The Daughters of Izdihar: 'Hadeer Elsbai has written a powerful story of sisterhood, love, and struggle within a rich, vibrant world with complicated characters that leap from the page to smash the patriarchy!' P. Djèlí Clark, author of A Master of Djinn 'A wondrously rich fantasy that highlights the true struggle to revolutionize a society. . . a debut not to be missed' Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass 'Action-packed, magic-filled, and led by two fierce, vividly-rendered women, The Daughters of Izdihar is a compelling and empowering debut' Ava Reid, author of Juniper and Thorn 'A thrilling tale of two women's fight for rights in their patriarchal society, peppered with elemental magic, politics, and a relentless desire for that which is wrongly forbidden.' Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter 'A powerful fantasy novel filled with clever magic, intriguing politics, and compelling characters who forge a path toward justice, no matter the obstacle' Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief 'An absolutely enthralling tale of two women striving for a better world' Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Queen of Blood 'Magnificent, complex, compelling' Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer
Reviews with the most likes.
GIVE. ME. MORE. FEMININE. RAGE. BOOKS.
This book had me by the eyeballs. And the rage! There is so much rage in this book and it is definitely warranted. I was standing with the characters cheering, screaming for them at each moment.
While the elemental magic was amazing, it was the suffragette themes that drew me in and wouldn't let go. Everyone needs to read this book. Women fighting for their rights, how the government and police force would twist things to make them come out in a good light, and add elemental magic where some people are denied the ability to learn how to control it, and you have chaos.
Characters.
Both main characters drew me in in vastly different ways. There is N strong willed, determined, hardstrong in the best way. She would fight tooth and claw for what she wants.
Then there is G who is subdued, quiet, stuffing down her emotions to protect others.
Nehal comes from a noble family. Noble in name only. Her father has squandered all their money away. To pay for the sins of her father, she is being forced into marriage for the bride price.
Nehal is also a water weaver. She has very little control of her weaving and wants to join the Alamaxa Academy to learn to control it. Then she could join the military and fight.
Unfortunately, women have no rights so it doesn't matter what she wants. All she can do is hope her husband is a decent man that will allow her some freedom.
There's so much more going on in this book, but I don't want to spoil anything. I loved it!
I love the women taking a stand. I really liked the magic and characters. It would've been 5 stars, but I wanted more world building and I also wanted to know more about the history of the magic. Other than that, I thought it was great.
The ending was fantastic! There is a lot to resolve in the next book and I am ready for it right now!
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an e-arc.
7/10
Interesting setting (Egyptian) and plot background (women's suffrage), with interesting characters that suffers a bit from cliche or basic dialogue in more complex situations, and a subpar magic system. The magic system is quite literally ATLA. Not inspired by...it is exactly the same, to the point that there is a conversation in this book about bloodbending (“bloodweaving”) that is almost identical to the conversation Katara has with that old lady in ATLA. It was so frustratingly similiar I docked half a star. Rookie mistake.
But otherwise, a lot to like here. All three of the main characters felt distinct and despite setting up an obvious love triangle, actually veered away from it and did interesting things. If the author improves in the sequel, it could be very good.
