3.5 stars
I hadn't even heard of this book before it came in the September OwlCrate box. Honestly, some of my favorite subscription-box books end up being books that have flown under the radar.

Anyway, after a slow start, I really ended up enjoying this debut novel more than I expected.

What I liked:

1. The culture. This story is sci-fi and takes place in a fictional solar system. That being said, the culture of the people in this world takes inspiration heavily from Arabic culture. From fashion to body art to poetry, this culture felt very rich to me.

2. The politics. The conflicts between the different groups in this story was intriguing to me, especially the structure of the monarchy and the fact that the rightful heir of the throne belongs to both groups, which pretty much makes her hated by everyone.

3. Maram's arc. I liked her complexity. After really disliking her in the beginning, I found myself rooting for her by the end of the book. Her relationship with Amani was probably my favorite thing about the book.

4. The romance. A small disclaimer: I like romance in my books. I thought this one was really well done. Sweet but also angsty. I liked the scenes of them getting to know each other.

5. The writing/prose. I know this kind of thing is super subjective, but I thought this was very well-written, especially considering the fact that it was a debut. There were times I stopped myself and went back to read passages aloud. This author has a very lyrical style without being overly descriptive, which I really appreciate. My enjoyment of the writing is what brought this book from a 3 to a 4 star rating.

All that being said, this book wasn't perfect.

What I didn't like:

1. The end. I didn't hate the ending, but it felt a little lackluster to me. I guess I was expecting some sort of twist or cliffhanger and I didn't really get that. That's not to say that everything was all neatly wrapped up, because it wasn't. Our characters' hearts and lives are left in very precarious places. But it also wasn't so exhilarating that I will curse the fact that I have to wait a year for the second book. It just kind of ended and I'm okay. Maybe it's completely sadistic, but I want to be devastated. I want to gnash my teeth and pull out my hair (figuratively speaking) at the thought of having to wait for the next installment.

2. As much as I liked Maram and Amani's relationship, I do wish there had been a little more of it. To be honest, the first hundred pages or so felt rushed. I wanted to see more of a transformation of Amani. I wanted to be on the inside of her lessons, learning about Maram and her world in the process. But much of this section felt glossed over. We hear more about the lessons after the fact than we actually witness.

3. I could also say a similar thing about the romance, although I enjoyed these characters and their relationship as a whole. I wish there were a couple more scenes of them at odds with each other before the romantic element of their relationship starts.

Other odds and ends:

1. This book is technically sci-fi, but the technological elements aren't overdone. People who haven't read a lot of sci-fi or haven't enjoyed sci-fi in the past shouldn't let the fact that it takes place in another galaxy deter them from giving it a shot. It honestly reads more like a fantasy than a sci-fi.

2. This novel gave me Diabolic vibes quite often. If you enjoyed that book I would think you would enjoy this as well. I also get slight Remnant Chronicles vibes from this, probably from some of the historical lore.

I guess at the end of the day, I wanted more. This book is just over 300 pages, and I would've easily been down for another hundred pages in the development of the world, the characters, and the political system. That being said, I feel like this is a really solid debut and could see many people enjoying this.