The Final Strife

by Saara El-Arifi

5 out of 5

Synopsis

In the first book of a visionary fantasy trilogy with its roots in the mythology of Africa and Arabia, three women band together against a cruel empire that divides people by blood.

Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.

Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.

Clear is the blood of the slaves, of the crushed, of the invisible.

Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the empire from the red-blooded ruling classes’ tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.

Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts.

Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. And when she joins forces with Sylah and Anoor, together these grains of sand will become a storm.

As the empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn.

Book One of The Ending Fire Trilogy

Review

Sylah was one of the red-blooded children stolen by blue-blooded rebels in a long-sighted rebellion.

After the death of most of her allies, Sylah has spent years becoming no-one, until a moment of madness brings her to meet Anoor, the girl she had been swapped with.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Final Strife follows 3 narrators. Sylah, a red-blooded rebel, who was raised to overthrow the system. Anoor, the blue-blooded girl who was dispensable. And Hassa, a speechless ghosting who knows everybody's secrets.

Sylah is our main character. She was trained from a young age to enter the Aktibar and become the new Warden - a red-blooded Ember with a blue-blooded Duster heart. Of the twelve stolen children, Sylah was the best and most-promising... until her family was killed.

Now she has spent years in the gutter, chasing her next hit of joba seeds, to keep her tragic life away. Getting deeper into debt, she decides to go after the girl who stole her life of luxury.

Anoor was sacrificed by her blue-blood parents, swapped for the stolen red-blooded children, left to die like the rest of the twelve.

The only reason she's alive isn't some warm-hearted gesture from her foster-mother. It was a cold, calculating decision by the Warden of Strength. She can't let people know that the rebels managed to steal her real daughter. As much as she hates the weak, pathetic blue-blood Anoor, the Warden keeps up the pretense in public at least, that they are family.

Anoor decides to challenge her fate by entering the Aktibar and proving her 'mother' wrong.

Hassa is a ghosting - the clear-blooded lowest-class citizens. After a failed revolution generations ago, all ghosting are forbidden from writing or speaking, and have their hands and tongues removed as penance for their ancestor's crimes. The ghostings are indentured servants, and the lowest of the low.

Hassa might not be able to speak, but they listen and know everything. Their status of being invisible and ignored by the Dusters and Embers is awful, but also allows them some freedom.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It started by following Sylah, establishing how terrible life is in the duster quarters, and builds up some tantalising background.

I thought I had the plot pegged - that the drug-addicted 'Chosen One' would beat her demons and win the Aktibar... but I was pleasantly surprised by the direction it took!

I was also surprised by how much I liked Anoor, as she comes off as very shallow, and a bit silly in the beginning. She's obsessed with dresses and reading magazines, and despite being friends with the servants, she's very naive about the unfair class system in place.

But she's got a stubborn streak. She wants to prove herself by entering the Aktibar, and she sees Sylah as the perfect training partner.

Reading about the two of them was very entertaining. They are from completely different backgrounds, and they do butt heads, but it's so satisfying watching their friendship and budding relationship grow.

The plot itself was great, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

As the book goes on, you realise that the history recorded by the Embers isn't that long, and there are growing questions about what happened before, and if there are other survivors in the wider world.

I thought the intrigue, and the central plot were all perfectly balanced. It kept me guessing until the end, what would actually happen.

Next book please.

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