Hafsah Faizal is an American Muslim and brand designer. She's the founder of IceyDesigns, where she creates websites for authors and beauteous goodies for everyone else. When she's not writing, she can be found dreaming up her next design, deciding between Assassin's Creed and Skyrim, or traversing the world. Born in Florida and raised in California, she now resides in Texas with her family and a library of books waiting to be devoured. We Hunt the Flame is her first novel. You can find Hafsah at hafsahfaizal.com. You can find more of my reviews of her work here.
Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira is exposed as a girl, all of her achievements will be rejected; if Nasir displays his compassion, his father will punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be. War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. While Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine. Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.
Zafira, when we first meet her, is struggling with the trauma of her past and what her future is going to look like. Her sister of her heart is being married off, which is its own kind of death. Her relationship with her own family is strained, based on what happened five years ago. So, she dons a cape and a disguise to find purpose within her life, which takes her into the dark enchanted forest of the Arz. Zafira is an immensely complex and nuanced character from the start. It was her character arc of identity that sold this fantasy for me. Zafira wants to bring magic back to Arawiya more than anything, but she's never truly experienced magic before—so why does she really want magic back? Her uncovering the true answer to this question for herself was incredibly powerful. I love how Faizal gives strength to a female narrative about honor and love for people. Especially when her female main character faces too many risks if she dared reveal her true identity. Faizal doesn't make Zafira's arc clear or easy—in fact, one of the earliest character deaths is the most nuanced event of the whole text and will stick with Zafira well into the second book, if I had to guess—which is another reason to cheer for Zafira when she finally reaches the end of the first journey. Zafira struggles with many layers of identity and grief throughout the course of the novel, layered in with all the fun action-packed moments of adventure. It is these identity struggles and triumphs that make We Hunt the Flame the book it is, and I have to thank Faizal for giving Zafira life within her words.
Nasir and Altair are some of my favorite characters, second and third only to Zafira. Their easy banter is hilarious and Altair's bright presence makes some of the heavier parts of the text feel lighter. The two are foils to each other, which is immediately visible when they begin the journey to Sharr together. I wished they were brothers from their second interaction, recognizing my own silly brothers in their banter. Even if they weren't brothers, I saw that they were poised to have one of the best bromances the young adult fantasy genre has ever seen. We were watching Nasir uncover who he is underneath all of the trauma—a pretty similar kind of character arc as Zafira is undergoing—while also uncovering who he is (ei. son of the Sultan, son of the Sultana, etc.). It was through Nasir's eyes that we really got to uncover the plot of the story as well—Faizal expertly balances both this character arc and the plot points within his chapters/point of view moments. And when some of the best plot twists were taken during his chapters, I won't lie, my jaw dropped multiple times! The one on page 385 (hardcover) had me screaming. It was so well done and was probably one of the most fulfilling moments of the text.
This fantasy is Middle Eastern inspired, much like Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes quartet. However, this book could not be more different than Tahir's series, which isn't a slight to either author or fantasy world! Faizal's world is full of magic from the get-go—Faizal's lyrical way of describing the cursed world of Arawiya makes you fall right into the snowy landscapes of Demenhur or the opulent floors of the Sultan's Keep. Most of the book is spent on an island in the middle of the sea called Sharr, and yet Faizal takes the time to world build all five caliphates that make up the kingdom. When you first land in We Hunt the Flame, the world of Arawiya might feel overwhelming, which is pretty natural when entering a lush fantasy. But once you meet Zafira and understand her losses and stakes, you also become acquainted with the Arz. When you meet Nasir, you become acquainted with the dark magic surrounding the Sultan. And even if you miss a piece of information earlier on, Faizal is fantastic with repetition and cementing her world for the reader so they don't miss a beat. That is something I greatly appreciated, because sometimes my eyes skirt over pieces of information and a repetition of it is all I need so that when a reveal happens in the future, I am appropriately shocked. I can't wait to see how Arawiya has changed after the events of We Hunt the Flame, and I'm even more excited to see how Faizal will explore those changes with her words and characters!
The alternating chapters between Zafira and Nasir was a great style choice. It makes the reader look forward to when their storylines are going to collide. It also forces the reader to get invested in both of their stakes, and what it will really mean for each of them if they end up pitted against each other. The alternating chapters also allow Faizal to world-build twice, in a sense. What the world looks like to Zafira is wildly different than the way Nasir experiences life in Arawiya. Both world views are imperative to understanding the kingdom, and in heightening the stakes of the quest the main characters undertake. When the chapters are short back-to-backs (and even, near the end, switching POV in the middle), this choice makes the novel an exciting page-turner. The length of the chapters does a lot of work to pick up excitement or to slow the action down so we can examine something closer—whether that be individual feelings, the plots of the antagonists, or the relationships Zafira and Nasir have with other characters.
Zafira and Nasir make it out of Sharr, but not without their losses. Each triumph is tempered by a loss, all of which they intend to avenge. And with that cliffhanger, every reader of We Hunt the Flame will be searching for some answers of their own. This will all take place in the sequel, We Free the Stars. Stay tuned for my review!
*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*
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