Staff Pick
The intricate, character-driven plotting of Graceling, the world-building of Rebel of the Sands, and the boundary-defying heroines of Tamora Pierce collide in this fierce debut from Hafsah Faizal. The Hunter is renowned in Arawiya, for he alone can enter the deadly magical forest of the Arz and return with food to spare. Prince Nasir is spoken of too, but in whispers, for he is his father’s best and cruelest assassin. But there are things the rumor mill gets wrong: the Hunter is a young woman, Zafira, who would be accosted by her caliphate if it were known she has been doing what her leaders insist is a man’s duty. And while what they say of Nasir is true, it isn’t true by choice. When Zafira and Nasir are pushed together on a quest to return magic to Arawiya and heal their hurting land, they may embolden each other to be the best versions of themselves — if they don’t kill each other first. Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
A BuzzFeed Pick for "YA Books You Absolutely Must Read This Spring"
A Bustle's Most Anticipated 2019 YA Release
A Paste Magazine's Top 10 Most Anticipated YA Novels of 2019
A Paste Magazine Best YA Book of 2019
A PopSugar Best YA Book of 2019
"Lyrical and spellbinding" Marieke Njikamp, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, Hafsah Faizal's We Hunt the Flame — first in the Sands of Arawiya duology — is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.
People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.
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 was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would 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. When 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.
About the Author
Hafsah Faizal is the New York Times bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, and 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 designing, 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. Visit her at hafsahfaizal.com.