#Review - All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi #YA #Fantasy

Series: This Woven Kingdom # 3
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

The third installment in the bestselling epic romantic fantasy series based on Persian folklore, by the powerhouse author of the Shatter Me series, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, and An Emotion of Great Delight.

Picking up at the explosive cliff-hanger ending of These Infinite Threads, Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, has been stolen away to the neighboring kingdom of Tulan by Cyrus, its mercurial ruler. He plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen. Only then will he be able to fulfill his own bargain with the devil.

Alizeh is determined to escape, until she realizes that Cyrus's plan may be the key to fulfilling her own destiny—and that she may actually have begun to trust him.

Back in Ardunia, Kamran has been trying to pick up the pieces after his grandfather's murder, only to find out that the palace advisers have betrayed him. He seizes upon a mysterious parcel, left to him by his grandfather, that holds a magical way for Kamran to finally get to Tulan to find Alizeh. And along the way he finds an unlikely trio of supporters to aid him in his journey.

All This Twisted Glory, by Tahereh Mafi, is the third installment in the authors This Woven Kingdom series. This story picks up right where the cliffhanger ending to These Infinite Threads. Key Character: Cyrus of Tulan, Alizeh of the Jinn, and Kamran of Ardunia. Alizeh is a Jinn with extraordinary powers that she’s forced to conceal to survive in the human-run world. She can stand her ground and fight off any threat that comes her way all on her own—even a team of six men sent to execute her. 

For 18 years, she's hidden away from those who would do anything to find her. Although the Jinn no longer have an official leader, she’s the heir to their throne and destined to lead her people out of hiding and back into power. Even though she was spirited away to Tulan on a dragon, Alizeh is learning that her captor has made an awful bargain with the devil. A bargain that seemingly only can be broken if she agrees to marry Cyrus. Alizeh also knows that she must accept that she is the Queen of the Jinn, an idea that could have everlasting impacts on the world around her. 

Cyrus is haunted by the bargain he made with the devil and his obsession in making sure Alizeh fulfills the prophecy that says "Melt the ice in salt. Braid the Thrones at Sea. In the Woven Kingdom, Clay and Fire shall Be." He is a tortured soul who even his own mother would love to kill if she had the chance. He's killed Diviners, he's killed the King of Andunian, He allegedly killed his own father, and he's turned his back on his calling as a Diviner. All because of a bargain he made with Iblees. The more we learn about Cyrus, the more I am conflicted in my feelings, especially about Alizeh. 

Meanwhile, Kamran has been trying to pick up the pieces after his grandfather's murder, only to find out that the palace advisers have betrayed him. He seizes upon a mysterious parcel, left to him by his grandfather, that holds a magical way for Kamran to finally get to Tulan to find Alizeh. On the spur of the moment, she finds unusual assistance from a legendary bird named Simorgh who takes him, Miss Huda, Omid, Deen, and Hazan to Tulan in hopes of rescuing Alizeh. Here he finds things aren't what they seem. Kamran in many ways is a secondary character because much of the story focuses on Cyrus. 

Tahereh was inspired in great part by the epic poem “Shahnameh,” one of the greatest literary masterpieces in Persian history and culture. In Islam, Jinn are believed to truly exist, and many fear their power and feel that it’s better to leave them alone. Tahereh has always been fascinated by them and by people’s reactions to them. When I first started this series, it was supposed to be Kamran and Alizeh. Now it seems it's Cyrus and Alizeh, while Kamran and Huda seem to have something interesting brewing. I am disappointed. It was my belief that this was the finale, but once you get the the mid point of the story, it becomes obvious that there will be yet another book in this series.

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#Review - These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi #YA #Fantasy

Series: This Woven Kingdom # 2
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

The second book in an epic, romantic fantasy trilogy based on Persian folklore, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare called “exquisitely crafted,” by bestselling and National Book Award–nominated author Tahereh Mafi.

Alizeh is the heir to the Jinn throne and fulfills a long-foretold prophecy of a Jinn sovereign destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under the rule of humans.

Kamran is the heir to the human throne, and he’s being pressured to marry before he becomes king. When he falls in love with Alizeh and subsequently learns her true identity, he must question everything he’s been taught about Jinn and their future in his kingdom.

These Infinite Threads picks up at the explosive cliff-hanger ending of the New York Times bestselling novel This Woven Kingdom, and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir.

 

These Infinite Threads, by author Tahereh Mafi, is the second installment in the authors This Woven Kingdom series. This story alternate's between Kamran and Alizeh. It picks up right where This Woven Kingdom left off with a wild cliffhanger ending. The series was inspired in great part by the epic poem Shahnameh, one of the greatest literary masterpieces in Persian history and culture. Alizeh is a Jinn with extraordinary powers that she’s forced to conceal to survive in a world controlled by humans. 

She can fight off any threat that comes her way all on her own—even a team of six men sent to execute her. Though the Jinn no longer have an official leader, she’s the heir to the throne and is destined to lead her people out of hiding and back into power. Kamran has been hardened by war and by loss. Only Alizeh can bring out his softer, more tender side, and he’d do anything to protect her—even risking his life and defying his grandfather, the king.  

With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives. Kamran’s grandfather, the king of Ardunia, lays dead, the terrible secret of his deal with the devil exposed to the world. Cyrus, the mysterious copper-haired royal, has stolen Alizeh away to Tulan, the neighboring kingdom where he rules. 

Cyrus has made his own deal with the devil (Iblees) one that would require Alizeh to betray her feelings for Kamran if she’s to reclaim the Jinn throne. Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces of his broken kingdom. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows for certain is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she’s not yet become queen of Tulan.

Meanwhile, Alizeh finds that Tulan is a entirely different world. A world where there are Jinn here eager to find their savior and a mother who really hates her own son because of what he did to take the crown from his father is willing to make a deal with she has no clue may very well be her enemy. While she has no desire to become Queen or marry Cyrus, both Alizeh and Cyrus know that in order to defeat the devil, sacrifices must be made. I am a bit confused in that the relationship between Cyrus and Alizeh seems to be overriding what was supposed to be between Alizeh and Kamran. 

Tahereh has created an incredibly rich and lush world, and the sumptuous details describing Alizeh’s seamstress work, the bustling marketplace, and the glittering castle bring it to vibrant life on the page. This story is a feast for the senses—readers will be able to taste the sweet pomegranates and smell the freshly baked baklava, and will never look at fireflies in the same way ever again. Mafi treats readers to sumptuous world-building. Like an intricate Islamic flower mural, Mafi’s story expands deliberately, each small revelation rising from the one before, delivering deeply satisfying epiphanies at the end of each chapter. 

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#Review - This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi #YA #Fantasy

Series: This Woven Kingdom # 1
Format: Hardcover, 512 pages
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy based on Persian folklore.

Long ago his grandfather had explained that on the day of his coronation, Kamran would receive two visits.

The first, from the Devil.

The other, from a Diviner.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award–nominated superstar author Tahereh Mafi blends an intricate, absorbing world, steamy romance, and glimmering magic with Persian mythology. 

This Woven Kingdom is the first installment in author Tahereh Mafi's This Woven Kingdom series. Tahereh was inspired in great part by the epic poem Shahnameh, one of the greatest literary masterpieces in Persian history and culture. Tahereh has woven a story from the legends from Persian culture, putting a unique and exciting spin on court intrigue fantasy that will appeal to fans of and newcomers to the genre alike. This new, magical trilogy is unlike anything she’s ever written before, but includes the spellbinding romance and intricate worldbuilding of her other books. 

Thanks to the Fire Accords, Jinn and humans are allowed to mix. Jinn are forged by the essence of fire, while humans are called clay. The story alternates between two main characters: Alizeh and Prince Kamran. Alizeh is a Jinn with extraordinary powers that she’s forced to conceal to survive in a world controlled by humans. She can fight off any threat that comes her way all on her own—even a team of six men sent to execute her. Though the Jinn no longer have an official leader, she’s the heir to the throne and is destined to lead her people out of hiding and back into power. 

Alizeh's parents forfeited their lives so that she can live. She has a natural aversion to the darkness and spends most of her days being a slave to rich people while also being an unsanctioned seamstress. She wears a mask to hide her features, fearing that if anyone saw her real eyes, they would punish her. Alizeh is a survivor, fated to be a queen. Fire is her blood, water is her life. Two kings vie for her hand--one with his heart, the other to repay a debt, both foolish to consider her a pawn. And the devil, called Iblees, seems always to be pulling the strings.

Kamran is next in line to the throne of Ardunia. Kamran has been hardened by war and by loss. He's been gone from home for over a year, so when he sees a girl disarm an attacker like a flyswatter squashing a fly, he takes interest in her. Could she be a spy sent to infiltrate Ardunia? Ardunia is the largest country in the known world. They have the largest army in the known world. Yet, the possible return of the Jinn, and their prophesied Queen, has King Zaal on edge and demanding that Kamran find her and eliminate her. Kamran's only real friend seems to be Hazan who is a mystery that needs solving.

Only Alizeh can bring out Kamran's softer, more tender side, and he’d do anything to protect her—even risking his life and defying his grandfather, the king. Alizeh and Kamran have a relationship puts them both in danger, but they can’t resist the pull they feel toward each other, and their chemistry is explosive. 

Tahereh has created an incredibly rich and lush world, and the sumptuous details describing Alizeh’s seamstress work, the bustling marketplace, and the glimmering castle bring it to vibrant life on the page. This story is a feast for the senses—readers will be able to taste the sweet pomegranates and smell the freshly baked baklava, and will never look at fireflies in the same way ever again. I would have liked more explanation of Alizeh's abilities, and why they didn't come to her after her parents sacrifice.

Truth in reviewing: I have not read any other books from this author, so I can't in good conscious claim to be an expert and am unable to compare it to any previous series she may have read. I will say that at no time while I was reading this story, did it feel as though it was bogged down with unnecessary detours. The book tends to flow easily, yes, even with the book being over 500 pages long. The book does end on a shattering cliffhanger, and yes, I do intend to find out what happens next. 

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