“Nobody knows that Zafira is the Hunter. Forced to disguise herself as a man, she braves the cursed forest to feed her people. If she is exposed as a girl, all of her achievements will be rejected. Nasir is the infamous Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If he refuses he will be punished in the most brutal of ways. Both are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya – but neither wants to be. And when Zafira embarks on a quest to restore magic to her suffering world, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve magic and kill the hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds, and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine…” (Amazon)
Review of We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
My rating: 4.5/5
We Hunt the Flame is the first part of Sands of Arawiya duology, and I’m really looking forward to the second part, We Free the Stars, when it comes out at the beginning of 2021.
Some tropes appearing in We Hunt the Flame have been slightly overdone, with Zafira’s quest and the growing attraction between two main protagonists handled in a quite typical narrative. And yet this book has found me at the right moment and enchanted me.
The world created by Hafsah Faizal, and inspired by Ancient Arabia, is rich and detailed, and takes you on a fantastic journey where your imagery will be satisfied to the highest level. With many interesting characters we meet along with Zafira on the way, and the tension increasing as they journey progresses, We Hunt the Flame has been a great read.
I have devoured We Hunt the Flame in the form of an audiobook, and I suspect it was the reason why I have liked it so much. The interchanging narration, giving the reader a greater insight into Zafira and Nasir’s feelings, thoughts and the past, has been intensified by a great narration by Fiona Hardingham and Steve West.
All in all, We Hunt the Flame has been a great book, and while I have some mixed feelings about the story, I loved the setting and the atmosphere created by Hafsah Faizal. And let’s not forget about the cover which is absolutely gorgeous, and I will need to hunt a hardback copy of this book!
Who is the book for: I would recommend this book for fans of fantasy with reach settings and atmosphere. If you have enjoyed Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton or The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty you may enjoy this book. You can get your copy here.
Alicja Writes 
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