We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal came in second for the Dragon’s Award 2020 (My yearly top 10 of favourite reads). The story takes the reader to a mysterious fantasy world inspired by Ancient Arabia. But nothing is as it seems in this 1001 nights setting: in enchanted forests, the hunter becomes the prey; in cursed cities, a secret is hidden behind a fragile peace; and in a magic kingdom, all magic seems to have been lost forever.

Update: You can now also read my spoiler-free review of the entire duology!

We Hunt the Flame

At the beginning of the book, we meet Zafira, the Hunter. In a cursed world in which women are considered to be the source of all evil, she finds herself forced to dress up as a man to provide her village with food. But this is not without danger: not only can no one discover her true identity, every trip into the forest is also a flirtation with death. Thanks to her reputation as an excellent hunter, she’s selected to go on a quest to retrieve an artifact that will destroy the curse and bring magic back to the land. However, that plan does not take into account the hidden agenda of the Sultan. He sends his son Nasir, the Prince of Death, to find the artifact…and to kill the Hunter.

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

I think Zafira is a strong main character, but it was Nasir who stole my heart as of the start. The murderer with a soul, the man who constantly tries to balance on the thin line between good and evil. The chemistry that develops between both characters allows the reader to get lost in this magical but deadly world. The complexity caused by constantly negotiating duty and feelings is rendered in a very believable and vulnerable way. Because of this, the characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished the novel.

Zafira and Nasir are the two main narrators, but there’s another important character that we must not forget: Altair, the powerful general of the Sultan. If you’re anything like me, you must be thinking “a general, so that must be an old, serious character that will make sure the law is always obeyed”. However, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Altair is a young and spontaneous  bon vivant who brings humour to the story and who has made me laugh out loud multiple times. He couldn’t be more different from the closed off Nasir and his carefree ways often add that little something that the narrative needs at that precise time.

When I started reading the book, I needed some chapters to get used to the writing. The sentences are quite complex and the vocabulary is not that easy either. The author uses a lot of Arabic terminology that are only explained once (don’t panic, there’s a glossary and pronunciation guide available online). After a while, you completely get lost in the poetic rhythm of the story and the language, though. I’m always fond of anything that makes me think of 1001 nights, but this book was without a doubt one of my favourite ones published in 2019. Five out of five gemstones:

Age Category: I usually see this book described as a Young Adult, but due to the rather complex style, I would classify it as a New Adult myself (there’s no spice, however).

Representation: asexual supporting character

Trigger Warnings (click here, may contain spoilers)

Warnings for parental abuse, manipulation, misogyny and PTSD/Trauma.

Do you want to discover more?

If my review inspired you to pick up the book, don’t hesitate to check it out at Goodreads or at the below online stores. If you decide to buy it via one of the following links, I will receive a small percentage at no extra charge for you!

Amazon.nl: Paperback English Edition

Amazon.nl: Hardcover English Edition

The publisher also posted a nice trailer online:

And if you were one of the lucky ones who pre-ordered the book, you might have received these awesome illustrations made by the fabulous ARZ28 who you might know from Fairyloot Art Prints & goodies (there are five in total):

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We Hunt the Flame is the first part in the Sands of Arawiya duology. Part two, We Free the Stars, was published in January 2021 and is just as great! My review will be published soon. Update: you can find my review here.

Do you love fantasy stories about mysterious assassins with a soul? Then you should definitely check out the master pieces by  Robin Hobb. She has written multiple trilogies that are interconnected and that tell (directly or indirectly) the story of Fitz, a royal bastard trained as a spy and assassin. The first trilogy is called the Farseer Trilogy. Highly recommended! Normally, I’m not the biggest fan of  “epic” fantasy, but this series stole my heart as of the very start. I have to admit that I’ve always wanted to clip Fitz round the ears because of all his stupid decisions throughout the years, but luckily there’s his best friend, the Fool. He’s one of my favourite characters of all time.

Seeing that I love 1001 nights but do not have many similar stories in my collection, I’ve been on the lookout for recommendations to put on my TBR list. I’ve been told that the following two books definitely qualify.

The Wrath & The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh is a retelling of Scheherazade’s story. Every night, the Caliph marries a new bride and every morning, she’s killed. Shahrzad volunteers to become his next wife, determined to avenge her murdered friend and end his reign of terror. Sounds great if you ask me!

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty takes the reader to 18th century Cairo and tells the story of Nahri, a con-artist who does not believe in magic until she accidently summons a Djinn warrior. I’m curious to read this!

Did you already read one of these books? If so, what did you think about them?