Title: The Final Strife
Author: Saara El-Arifi
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 496
Release Date: 23 June 2022
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Hello fellow booklovers, I’m backwith a review for one of my most recent reads by and incredible debut author you should definitely have on your radar.
Inspired by Ghanian and Arabian folklore, Saara El-Arifi’s The Final Strife is a detailed and intricately woven epic fantasy; full of political intrigue, bloodmages and a band of misfits you’ll most definitely root for—set in an unjust (and cutthroat) world where magic and power are inextricably linked.
Synopsis
Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.
Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.
Clear is the blood of the servants, of the crushed, of the invisible.
Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the Empire from the red-blooded ruling classes’ tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.
Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the Empire. But dust always rises in a storm.
Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution.
As the Empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn.
Review
I really enjoyed this! The pace was a little slow to start, but with most of the important info seamlessly blended into its most action-packed scenes you do get to skip a lot of boring, info dump style exposition that alot of fantasy plots favour. At a whopping 496 pages (640 for the exclusive edition) it’s fairly long book so do keep in mind if you prefer to read shorter (less than 400 pages) stories.
The worldbuilding was incredible! I loved how richly detailed and expansive it was. Thanks to the multiple POVs, we experience the lifestyles of all three classes and witness firsthand the corruption and injustice that prevails. Sylah is the biggest POV character and although incredibly flawed, she’s a really relatable and endearing character. When we first meet her she’s an addict, her story is messy and bloody but through it all she manages to persevere and I loved that.
Hassa and Anoor likewise, are both really interesting characters that despite the difference in their stations (one raised in the lap of luxury, the other raised as a slave) do suffer their fair share of trauma at the hands of the Embers. Anoor, sheltered from life outside of the Warden’s keep really experiences an awakening to the cruelty and injustice that exists, the truth of which spurs her emotional arc.
Hassa remains a bit of a mystery for the majority of the book, disappearing and reappearing several but it’s not until the second half of the book that we finally get a real glimpse into her motivations and reasonings. I can’t wait to she more of her going forward.
A lot of darker themes and issues are explored such as : drug abuse, addiction, graphic violence, blood, death (including death of a child and death of a parent), grief and child abuse which may be upsetting or triggering for some—so do please bear that in mind before reading.
Overall, this was a gripping and action packed fantasy that fans of Sue Lynn Tan and S.A Chakraborty are bound to enjoy.
Also, thanks to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the e-arc.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
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