We Free the Stars

by Hafsah Faizal

Overview

A New York Times-Bestseller from the author of A Tempest of Tea!

Lush and striking, hopeful and devastating, We Free the Stars is the conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya duology by New York Times bestselling author Hafsah Faizal.

Darkness surged in his veins. Power bled from her bones.

The battle on Sharr is over. The Arz has fallen. Altair may be captive, but Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah are bound for Sultan’s Keep, determined to finish the plan Altair set in motion: restoring the hearts of the Sisters of Old to the minarets of each caliphate, finally bringing magic to all of Arawiya. But they are low on resources and allies alike, and the kingdom teems with fear of the Lion of the Night’s return.

As the zumra plots to overthrow Arawiya’s darkest threat, Nasir fights to command the magic in his blood. He must learn to hone his power, to wield it against not only the Lion but his father as well, trapped under the Lion’s control. Zafira battles a very different darkness festering in her through her bond with the Jawarat—it hums with voices, pushing her to the brink of sanity and to the edge of a chaos she dares not unleash. In spite of everything, Zafira and Nasir find themselves falling into a love they can’t stand to lose . . . But time is running out, and if order is to be restored, drastic sacrifices will have to be made.

Don’t miss these other titles from Hafsah Faizal:

We Hunt the Flame, the commercially acclaimed first book in the Sands of Arawiya duology

A Tempest of Tea, the instant #1 New York Times–Bestseller

A Steeping of Blood, second book in the Blood & Tea duology

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374311575
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	01/19/2021
Series:	Sands of Arawiya Series , #2
Pages:	592
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.90(d)
Lexile:	HL760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Hafsah Faizal is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of A Tempest of Tea, The Wishless Ones, and the Sands of Arawiya duology and the founder of IceyDesigns, where she creates websites for authors and beauteous goodies for everyone else. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, she was born in Florida and raised in California. She now resides in North Carolina with her husband and a library of books waiting to be devoured.

Editorial Reviews

Each achingly raw character arc is fully realized, delivering a satisfying close to the zumra’s story. Faizal’s craft continues to evolve as she demonstrates a facility with language and literary technique, drawing readers into a fantasy world and into the lives of characters that feel impressively real. Moments of humor and edge-of-your-seat action easily balance the book’s dark, tragic depths, creating a memorable story at the height of the fantasy genre.” —Booklist, starred review

“This Sands of Arawiya duology closer will not disappoint readers with its plot twists, banter, tormented romance, and multiple betrayals and reveals. . .Faizal’s prose truly shines in creating effective action scenes and dialogue. . .A satisfying conclusion.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Faizal continues the lush world building that marked the first of this duology, expanding upon the Persian-inspired setting and guiding readers through all of Arawiya, introducing new cultural aspects and making the stakes clear; especially deft here is the portrayal of trauma on a mass scale. . .Those who were left breathless by the previous installment will heave a sigh of relief.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Praise for We Hunt the Flame:

“Drawing inspiration from ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame gives exquisitely detailed insight into a cultural experience; this debut, about identity and unlikely allies, features subtly nuanced and deeply reflective characters. Layering high-stakes action with moods ranging from casual humor to raw anguish, Faizal bends fantasy tropes to her will to tell a fresh and gripping story about love, honor, and self-discovery that will leave readers scrambling for more.” —Booklist, starred review

“Faizal matches a sweeping, ancient Arabian setting of shifting sand dunes, crumbling ruins, and fickle magic with an engrossing tale of political intrigue and human and divine warring powers. That sense of epicness, however, is carefully grounded by her deeply flawed, morally conflicted, and endlessly fascinating characters; as individuals, they are each interesting, but it’s the developing dynamic among the group that is truly compelling. . .Fans of Bardugo’s Six of Crows or Chokshi’s The Star-Touched Queen will be thrilled with the book’s impressive world building, stellar cast, and intricate story.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

“Lyrical and filled with adventure, a slow-burn romance, and an unforgettable cast of characters in a world based on ancient Arabia, this is a debut series not to be missed. . .Fans of Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes and Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone should get excited for their next obsession.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“Faizal builds a world of immense detail and complexity. Readers smell the different foods in the marketplace and begin to understand the many layers of each culture in Arawiya. . .Faizal explores the strength of an independent female character in a world that silences women. As a result, Zafira’s courage will teach readers the power of the human spirit.” —VOYA, starred review

“Debut author Faizal paints a vivid world, inspired by ancient Arabia and its mythology, that will appeal to fantasy and romance readers as well as fans of the Assassin's Creed video games. . .An appealing spin on traditional fantasy elements.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Hafsah Faizal creates a dazzling and beautiful world that will make you not want to put this book down.” —Seventeen Magazine

“Faizal’s strong debut develops its engaging premise with evocative worldbuilding and memorable characters. . .Lush descriptions of setting and food offer a vivid atmosphere, and the slow-brewing romance is an engaging contrast to the harrowing emotional and physical journey at the heart of the story.” —Publishers Weekly

“Hafsah Faizal's writing is so lush and evocative that We Hunt the Flame is gripping right from the first page.” —PopSugar

From the Publisher

02/26/2021

Gr 9 Up—Determined to finish their quest to return magic to Arawiya, Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah head to the island of Sharr. But the Lion of the Night has returned and he holds Altair and the final heart captive. The stakes are high as the heroes attempt to gather allies and strength while fighting their own battles: Nasir learning to wield his new magical abilities and Zafira fighting to maintain autonomy within her bond with the Jawarat. If at times the pacing feels off and the language a bit stilted or too flowery for the moment, both are forgiven in the strength of Faizal's characters and the expanse of the glorious world she has built. The characters shine as they did in We Hunt the Flame, and fans of the growing affection between Zafira and Nasir will not be disappointed. VERDICT An action-packed conclusion. Purchase where the first book was loved.—India Winslow, formerly at Cary Memorial Lib., Lexington, MA

School Library Journal

2020-10-27
Reeling after the battle on Sharr, the zumra must find a way to retrieve their captive ally, the lost heart of a Sister of Old, and prepare Arawiya for the return of the Lion of the Night and the war to come.

Altair’s capture creates confusion for Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah, who are torn between a rescue attempt and following his plans, but without all five hearts they cannot restore magic to Arawiya. The zumra and their allies must also prepare for the Lion’s coming attack and the traps of the sultan, Nasir’s father, who is under the Lion’s control. Through an accidental blood pact, Zafira is bound to the Jawarat, a magical tome of the Sisters’ memories, whose presence in her innermost thoughts suggests terrible power and destruction. When the Lion steals the Jawarat, Zafira must risk using blood magic to set things to right, unaware of the seeds of doubt the Lion has already planted in Altair. Getting off to a slow start with minimal recap of the events of We Hunt the Flame (2019), this Sands of Arawiya duology closer will not disappoint readers with its plot twists, banter, tormented romance, and multiple betrayals and reveals. While at times overly ornate, Faizal’s prose truly shines in creating effective action scenes and dialogue. Characters from various regions and races—human, elflike safin, and ifrit—have skin tones ranging from pale to dark brown. Kifah is cued as asexual and aromantic.

A satisfying conclusion. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews