Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: We Hunt the Flame is a stunning debut. This book is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. You do not want to miss out on this one of a kind read.

“We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves.”

(I know this is the quote everyone is using in their reviews but HOW COULD YOU NOT?? It’s so perfect)

[ Related: Currently Reading – We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal (Thoughts & Predictions) ]

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Torture, Suicide Mention, Child Abuse, Animal Death, War Themes, Murder, Misogyny //

“A life without purpose may be no life, but a life without love is nothing but an existence.”

Release Date: 5/14/2019
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Page Count: 472
Premise:
We Hunt the Flame takes place in Arawiya, a kingdom divided into five caliphates, inspired by ancient Arabia. Zafira is one of the only people able to venture into the Arz, a magical forest, and come back unaffected. Disguised as The Hunter, she uses this ability to feed her village. But when she is told of a way she might be able to get rid of the Arz forever, she travels to the mysterious island of Sharr. Nasir is an assassin, son of the Sultan and Prince of Death. When his father sends him after The Hunter with orders to find what The Hunter is after then kill him, Nasir does not hesitate. But Sharr is full of ancient magic and forgotten powers, and with old threats rising, their quests, and their lives, are in jeopardy.

Read more for all of my thoughts on this amazing book!!

“There is a certain beauty in chaos, magnificence in the uncontrollable.”

Me @ my mess of a life

Writing & Setting

Hafsah Faizal’s writing style is absolutely beautiful. Her prose is perfection. There are so many gorgeous lines in this book. But at the same time, there’s also plenty of humor and wit. Seriously, the banter between characters in this book is fantastic. But the writing isn’t the only unique and beautiful aspect of this book– there’s also the world. There are a lot of Arabian influences in Arawiya that I absolutely loved, plus some unique aspects that stand out. However, it does take some time to get used to the world and understand the politics, history, and magic, but with the help of the map, the online glossary, and some nice exposition, it eventually falls into place. 

“A monster will always be enslaved to a master.”

Plot

Because there is a bit of an adjustment period to learn the world of this book, the beginning can feel slow. I would say it took me around 170 pages to really get immersed in this world and start flying through. That said, once it picks up, this book is perfect. There’s plenty of action, great character moments, and oh my god are there some twists!! I really did not see a lot of it coming, which doesn’t happen to me often. 

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

Yay power of friendship?

Characters

I would die for the zumra. The main group of characters are all very well developed, each with their own unique personalities and backstories. It’s rare that a book can get me to cry over a character who wasn’t my absolute favorite (not that this character wasn’t amazing, they just weren’t my number 1 fave), but this book did. That just goes to show how good every single character in this book is. 
Nasir and Zafira are our two main protagonists, and I love them both so much. They each have great motivations and character development, and I can’t wait to see where they go in the sequel. I also wanted to mention Altair, because I love him so much. His interactions with Nasir made me laugh so many times in this book. Nasir really is the quiet emo guy, while Altair is sunlight in human form, so you can imagine what that dynamic is like. It’s perfection.

“Darkness is my destiny.” 

Nasir sounds like 13 year old me after discovering MCR. I love him.

[ Related: My 19 Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2019 (Plus 81 More) ]

Conclusion

Pros- Amazing characters, beautiful writing, unique world
Cons- The beginning is slow 
Overall- 5/5 stars. 
We Hunt the Flame is astounding. This book is captivating, enthralling, and any other positive adjective you can think of. This book blew me away, and I can’t wait for the sequel to kill me (because based on this one’s ending, I know it will).

If You Liked We Hunt The Flame, I’d Recommend:

• The Tiger At Midnight (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy #1) by Swati Teerdhala – [ Review ]
• The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh – [ Review ]

Bonus! More Quotes I Love:

“There was nothing more respectable and dangerous than a woman of confidence.”

“Zafira bit back a snarl. They were both insufferable children. With death counts.”

“‘You know nothing of love or loss,’ the Huntress hissed, and Nasir flinched from her gaze, so cold it burned. ‘You’re likely among the privileged who tumble a different woman every night, only to kill her by sunrise.’
Nasir donned a wolfish smile. ‘Fancy yourself a Shahrazad, then?’”

“The darkness was always happy to see her.”

“He would not fear the darkness. He was the darkness.” 

“A thousand leagues and a thousand sands. For you, a thousand times I would defy the sun.”

Have you read We Hunt The Flame?? Did the ending destroy you like it destroyed me, because oh my god I’m dead

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