The first half of this book is a bit slow but once you hit the halfway mark it gets much more interesting! We need more diverse fantasy and this was so good. Technically I'm giving this 4.5/5 but that is still a really high rating. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy.

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I first heard about this book I did not know what I was in for. This was by far one of the most interesting J Fantasy books I have read but also one of the most confusing books I have read. I am in love with the storyline and the character of Zafira. I always think the story takes a brilliant turn when the main heroine has a strong name. While reading this book I got a sense of similarity with the setting of Shakespearian times where all men were set to act and work and in this setting Zafira had to disguise herself as a man in order to feed her kingdom and get credit for all her achievements??? Plus, the character of Nasir as I was reading sounded very intimidating and gruff but as I read on and hearing about the war and the conflict it brought to Arz then the story picked up and got good. However, due to some vocabulary and scenes midway through the book I would not classify this book as JFiction but YFiction.

That is why we give this book 3 stars.

Hafsah crafts a masterful story using beautiful prose and action sequences. The characters in this story are believable and are likable. I also enjoyed how the stories are intertwined and connected. Overall, this was a very enjoyable story.