The Final Strife is an intricate and vast fantasy tale. It is easily one of my top favorite fantasy books of 2022; I loved it!! Saara El-Arifi takes so much care in crafting the magic system: from social norms, to the material used to build houses, to how the world treats people who bleed a certain color. The world-building is immense and leads to a stunningly epic tale. I already can’t wait to reread it! 

Anoor and Sylah are so much fun to watch interact first as frenemies and eventually to lovers. While Anoor and Sylah come from wildly different worlds, they are simultaneously tied together on a bone-deep level. I loved that The Final Strife was a queer-norm world. Hassa was one of my favorite characters because of her creativity and loyalty to her friends. Anoor and Sylah are dynamic and compelling characters. It was riveting to see them grow together and uncover the secrets of their world. 

I can’t wait to see how the journey continues in the next book! The Final Strife is rich with storytelling, rhythm, and world-building. I would highly recommend it to anyone. This would be the perfect book for fans of C.L. Clark (The Unbroken) and Samantha Shannon (The Priory of the Orange Tree). Fans of sapphic romance, magical tournaments, and deeply twisted secrets will absolutely love this book!! 

Thank you to Saara El-Arifi, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, Del Rey, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.