We Hunt the Flame - Hafsah Faizal

Deep within the masses of books found between library shelves, there are always those that are simply awe-inspiring, and this one is undoubtedly on the list. From the very first page you are lured into an unfamiliar world: one of full of magic and life. The book revolves around an ancient Arabian-styled theme named Arawiya, written quite entrancingly, which was rather fascinating to me as there are not many authors that go for this style and actually manage to turn out an entertaining piece.

The protagonists are Zafira bint Iskandar, a female huntress who distinguishes herself as a male, afraid of her prized accomplishments being stripped from her if her village was to figure out her true gender. And Nasir Ghameq, an assassin prince who stands up and opposes those who refuse to follow the wording of his repressive father, the Sultan.

If the personalities themselves were not fascinating enough, the overall character development and world-building drew my attention in further. However, the uniqueness of it all was due to the lack of vivid details; the vagueness enables one to set loose their imagination. The plot itself was quite powerful, being neither too simple to bore, or too complex to frustrate. The finest component would be the uage of well.... popular Arabic words. A glossary was also provided for all the non-Arabic speakers; a plus point to understanding the book fully. The Forest of Arz, a dark, cursed forest that seems to be seeping closer to permanent bleakness each passing day is an extremely important setting. The haunting descriptions had me flipping through the pages in a matter of seconds. It was as if every aspect of this book represented something: the Arz embodied a slowly engulfing darkness while the characters were caught in its tangle, fighting their battles within.

People lived because she was killed. People died because he lived.

Zafira plans to plot against the king and end his rule over her land, ultimately scheming against Nasir as well. Through tragedies, deaths, sweetness, and new companions we see these two, polar opposites in their destinies, bond over an entangled path. Between the two main personas and supporting characters, the establishment of varied, multiple character dynamics was certainly entertaining to the say the least. If you are looking for new fictional characters to love then this book is for you!

Apart from the actual book itself, taking into consideration how this was one of Hafsah Faizal's first works, I can easily say that I'm phenomenally impressed. It was engaging from start to end, and a whole lot of fun to sit back, relax, and read. As I mentioned earlier, We Hunt the Flame is a mixture of magic, power, and fierceness. Overall, I would recommend giving this book a go, it won't disappoint!!

Together, we will raise the dunes from the earth, and rain death from the sky. Together, we are capable of anything.

-We Hunt the Flame