I had very mixed feelings on this one throughout - I loved the premise and the fantasy elements but really didn’t like the characterisation of certain characters and the often one-note plot. This new feminist fantasy duology definitely had everything you could wish for from the description and it really did create a rich magic-fuelled world focused on the power of women and their fight for change.

However, I sometimes struggled to emphasise with the characters because one of the protagonists was the most irritating, entitled person I have ever read about who did not understand the gravity of the situation at all and it was often painful to read. There was no awareness from her and I would also say, no character ARC that it was a slog to get through her characters. In addition, due to the strong morals of the story, there was often no leeway with the plot so the discussions didn’t feel unique and it was often repetitive. Despite this, I did love the fantasy element of this one with the magic system being very intricate and unique. The atmosphere and setting also made it super engaging to the point I would consider reading the second instalment.

TW: murder, misogyny, police brutality, sexism, homophobia

Synopsis: Nehal is a high-class woman who wants nothing more than to hone her waterweaving skills and join the Daughters of Izdihar. Giorgina is a poor but respectable woman who works hard for her family while moonlighting with the Daughters. But, despite their worlds being classes apart, the two have more in common than they think.

CW/TW: Sexism/Misogyny/Mentions of Rape/Mentions of Abortion/Imprisonment/Patriarchal abuse/Arranged Marriage (forced)/Disownment/Violence/Death/Blood/Rebellion/Homophobia/Queerphobia/Queer as a slur

Rep: Sapphic MC (unspecified, implied as potentially bi) | Sapphic secondary character (unspecified, implied lesbian) | Gay side character | Egyptian inspired cast and setting.

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai is a phenomenal political and feminist fantasy that will have you tearing through the pages.

Hadeer Elsbai is an excellent writer who manages to weave a slow but powerful magic-infused story filled with political tensions that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The prose is rich and immersive but easy to follow. The descriptions are gorgeous and vivid, the dialogue is natural and strong, and the perspectives work well to progress the story. Overall, we get two main POV’s: Nehal and Giorgina. I absolutely loved both POV’s and thought they complimented each other well and also managed to keep the story balanced and well paced. I really enjoyed both perspectives and and found they were driven by strong voices.

The actual story is equally compelling. First we have two contrasting POV’s. Nehal our high-class but headstrong woman who wants to be a weaver, and Giorgina a lower-class clever woman who secretly helps the Daughters. Nehal’s main driving force throughout the book is that she wants to master her water weaving and join the Daughters to fight with them. But weaving is seen as distasteful and Nehal needs to marry to maintain her family’s status, something she does not want to do.

Alternatively, Giorgina strives to maintain a good reputation, provide for her family while also fighting for her rights. However, when her only hope at crafting a better life for herself slips through her fingers everything changes.

The two’s stories collide as Nehal tries to find a way into the Daughters, and Giorgina tries to maintain her reputation. With this, the politics of fighting for women’s rights, the distrust surrounding weavers and the social-class tensions begins to grow.

I absolutely loved the political feminist aspect of this story! I loved the rebellion, the Daughters, the characters drive to have equality – it was all so well written and crafted that it was so so easy to connect with a feel for their cause. As the story goes on the politics becomes more complex and difficult to navigate and I thought it was shown very well and felt very realistic to how progressive movements occur!

I don’t want to spoil anything because it’s quite easy to! But, one of the things I also loved was how different the characters all are and their own roles and views of the political landscape. Nehal is privileged and with this comes a slight blindness to the realities of this rebellion, while Giorgina is a bit more knowledgeable she also has a lot more to lose should her involvement be know. The personal dynamics entwined with the political tensions was perfectly addressed and explored and worked to add depth to both the story and characters themselves.

Of course this is a fantasy and so there is magic! Elemental magic is not new but the way it is explored in this book feels refreshing. I enjoyed seeing the different types of weaving, how society views weavers, and how these powers can change/grow if cultivated – it felt natural and well incorporated into the the books social context. I look forward to learning more about this magic!

I have already told you how much I love Nehal and Giorgina but to revisit this. Nehal is the definition of CHAOTIC and I love that for her. She knows exactly what she wants and likes to often act first and think later which leads to some amusing and dangerous scenarios. She is tiny but fierce and I love her carefree attitude! She contrasts well with Giorgina who is more reserved, thoughtful and logical, ad while she is driven by emotion at times she is also mindful of how things reflect on her. Giorgina is an interesting character who slowly breaks out of her shell as the book goes on. The rest of the cast are equally great, I love so many of the female characters – they are so many strong and individuals ones who really stand out and drive the events of the book. Of course, we also get a sapphic romance, but we also learn of other queer side characters too.

Overall, The Daughters Of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai is a stunning first book to what I’m expecting to be a fantastic series! It was so well crafted and I was constantly intrigued!

*Thank you to @Orbitbooks for the #Netgalley eARC in exchange for an honest review*

I was fascinated by the setting and by the world building because I think they're essential in this story.
It's set in a Middle East like world but it could be set in XIX century Europe as there're some similarity.
I like this story and I think it's important because there's still some women who cannot choose, who cannot go to school and who can be blackmailed if they had a child out of wedlock.
This is the story this book is telling: women who want to be able to choose, to manage their powers and live with the one they love.
The characters are interesting even if I found Georgina a bit weak. I would like to know more about the magic system and the story of the country.
i can't wait to read the second part of this duology as it ended with a cliffhanger.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I saw Egypt, women with elemental magic fighting for their rights and I was like, I must read this.

I was not disappointed.

This is written from a couple of viewpoints, one from a member of the aristocracy who has water magic she uses but isn't trained in, and one with earth magic that she tries to supress from the working class.

It's a wonderful mix of some romance, some magic wielding and politics all in a very well written bundle. I knew as soon as I finished my e-arc of this that I had to order a physical copy and got a beautiful special edition from The Broken Binding.

I enjoyed both the povs here and they really built together to give a good picture. I'm not 100% sure about the world as it felt fantasy and magical and then had trains and such in and it took me out the story a tad.
It was well written and I enjoyed the plot, but could have done with more general world building and a bit of history to the world.
But I really appreciate the I for we did get wasn't just an info dump and it was well paced over the book.
The book also had strong powerful women and feminist vibes and I loved that. We need more strong powerful women.
Looking forward to see what else this author produces

The Daughters of Izdihar is a tale of conflict, tradition against non-traditionalism, and the right to equality against the menacing tentacles of power and politics. It is the tale of women fighting for equality in a society that does not see them as equal. This is something I have seen in my own culture too, coming from an Indian background. What I have found fascinating about the entire debate regarding equality is how often it can get mired in the dense and dark underworld of politics. Do not doubt this, this is a fantasy world inspired by in my estimation, a 19th-century version of Egypt.

The story undoubtedly focuses on the Daughters of Izdihar, a group fighting for the right to fight alongside the army of Alaxama. Their goal is simple, to raise the rights of women and to have better rights. Yet there is a patriarchal society that prevents this from happening. At the same time, I felt the central character of this story was Nico. The main character for me was Giorgina, a brave woman who has to deal with the intolerance of her father, Abas, and other men that do not respect her. Yet she persists, she is determined, and she holds out. It is her determination and her scholarly knowledge that makes her a fantastic character. There is more to her than we know. Nico may not be bold, or confrontational.

But I felt he often got the short end of the stick, because of his reluctance. But he would make a good husband in my opinion, but the pressures of getting married to Nehal, make him stuck in a marriage that is not beneficial for the both of them. I've seen marriages in Indian society where the parents will want to pressure their children into marriages that sure, benefit them, but not the couple personally. It is this stupid style of pressure that prevents society from going forward. And we have Malak Mamdouh, one of the most charismatic characters of all. She does more havoc on society and she is unapologetic in her ways, which makes her an interesting personality to behold. There is a huge range and cast of characters, each having their own flaws, vices, and good in them. There are complex decisions for what the characters do - and in time you understand just how much of a flawed society this is.

I have written about this before in my reviews, but at one point Egypt under Muhammad Ali, Pasha and Governor of Egypt rebelled against the Ottomans in 1830. By this point, the Ottomans were declining and the Greeks declared their wars of independence. Muhammed Ali took advantage of this chaos and came all the way to the gates of Constantinople, or Istanbul. European pressure however prevented him from doing so. During the years, the British took over Egypt and deposed him of his rule. I'll not go into specific detail, but the main thing is that Egypt had a mini-golden age. It was going into an era where it would have rivaled the European Powers. Imagine this fantasy novel as a sort of, what if Egypt had thrown off the shackles of European colonialism. But that potential was robbed.

Because in this novel, you'll come across police with muskets, legendary foods inspired by the Arabian world, coffee, and more. The world-building is on point in meticulous detail. There is not a moment where you will not wander and experience the world, the rich sights of the cities, the kingdoms, and the politics. It's an epic tale full of magic as well, and how weaving is considered 'dangerous' which I find ridiculous, but at the same to have such power is a blessing in disguise too. One must know how to control what it is. In the end, it is a triumphant tale of women standing up for their rights, but it is a journey of complex decisions and political obstruction that holds Alamaxa back. It is an excellent fantasy novel that you need to check out now.

In the next novel, I'd like to see more of Nico and Nehal, and Giorgina for sure. Nico is bolder, using his power to become the man he will be in the near future. Nehal emerges from the shackles of society and uses her influence to find her way, and Giorgina too forges her own patch, and maybe be with the man that she loves.

That’s it?! This is how it ends? You’re telling me I must wait to get more? Noooo!

Ok so as you can tell I really liked this one. Especially the characters are great. They feel really life-like and realistic, with understandable flaws that just feel real.
Of course, this book tackles a lot of heavy topics, mainly sexism. So, warning: This book will make you angry. Justifiably so, it does a great job of translating the characters' frustrations into language. I also really appreciated that it tackled the influence class politics can have on feminism and the fight for basic rights. Because it’s not the same for all of us.

I am not qualified to tell you how well it reflects the modern Egyptian history it is inspired by, please read a review from an own voices reviewer for that aspect.

I was positively surprised by how that whole: ‘I married your lover, but I had no choice’ thing worked out between the two main characters. It was just really well handled without falling into Love Triangle clichés.

Also, there’s elemental magic. What’s not to love?

Yeah, ok the magic and magic school aspects were maybe a little underdeveloped if you ask me. I also have to say, it really drags in the middle. The beginning third and the last third are great but I found the middle to be a bit boring.

In conclusion: Absolutely great read that has a few weak points, 4.25/5

The Daughters of Izdihar was everything I wanted by a novel marketed as "two women's quest to fight for women's rights in an Egypt-inspired world with elemental magic". I have read a couple of fantasy books that tackle sexism on a large scale, centring on a group of women fighting for their basic human rights, and while I usually enjoy most of them, The Daughters of Izdihar hits home more than those other books. Part of the reason might be because the world feels so real and close to me. I grew up in a conservative South Asian Muslim country where religious dogma and extremism meant that women were treated as sub-human creatures. A lot of the struggles depicted in Elsbai's book are still rampant/normalized in countries such as my own. Not to mention the feminist revolution taking place in Iran is eerily similar to how the Daughters are treated in this book. Elsbai shows us the ugly truth of the patriarchal society we live in, a place where women are denied the right to vote, go out on their own, sign legal documents, and not be allowed to pursue education. This is the reality faced by women and young girls in Afghanistan and Saudia Arabia. Women who dare to speak out are jailed and beaten and abused.

Both of Elsbai's leading characters are unique perspectives on how sexism affects women differently depending on their social class. Nehal, a wealthy sheltered woman, who doesn't really care about the consequences of her actions because she has her wealth and privilege to fall back on is a study of how most rich women might not care about misogyny in society because they are so sheltered. Meanwhile, Giorgina coming from a poor household, and having no security in life has a more muted or hesitant perspective in fighting for her rights. Not to mention the numerous other members of the Daughters who each have their own circumstances and choose to fight their battles accordingly. I feel like depictions like this, show that there is no such thing as a bad feminist.

I loved the character development of both characters, how Nehal eventually opens her eyes to injustice, and how Giorgina finally gains the courage to live her own life, by stepping out of the shadow cast by her controlling father. Another thing I found interesting was how Nico, Giorgina's love interest was shown to be a very passive person when it came to matters that did not affect him that deeply. It showed the lack of initiative by many men who claim to be "allies".

This book is also unapologetically queer which given the community it's set in, hits painfully home for me. The writing is nothing extraordinary but for a debut book, I would say it's still pretty good given other recent debuts. The worldbuilding is lush and you can see the author's love for her culture in the way she describes the foods and architecture. The magic system is very Avatar-style elemental magic, and I'm excited to learn more about Nehal and Giorgina's growing powers in book two.

The Daughters of Izdihar takes the patriarchy and rips it to shreds. We desperately need more WOC writing books about feminism because they shed light on how underprivileged women in underdeveloped countries are still suffering. Unfortunately, the racist bias in the publishing industry is obvious, given the lack of marketing this book had. Seems like people only care about domestic violence when Collen Hoover rights about it...

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for providing me an ARC of this!

There are several things that I liked about this book. I love the concept of the weavers, and also I did enjoy the world building and the characters, especially Nehal and Giorgina - both as main characters that are completely different from another but has the same will. Even with the same motivation, they have different backgrounds and come from different classes, and I liked how Hadeer explored that aspect through out the book. There were definitely moments of me being annoyed with both of them - Nehal's action definitely comes off as childish, stubborn and selfish sometimes, and Giorgina with her jealousy and judgements over Nehal - but you couldn't help but root for them.

I also love the idea of the Daughters of Izdihar and what they represent. Reading this book was hard, partly due to how real these problems are to our own life, and how the topics being discussed here is relevant to our own. I was also angry and in rage for the women here for the misogyny that they have to go through. I would definitely recommend this for those who want a fierce feminist fantasy! I also was not expecting this to to have a sapphic relationship so kuddos to that as well!

Some aspects that I didn't like however, was how the characters felt younger than they actually were, some characters definitely felt more 2-dimensional than others. and that the writing has way too much telling but not showing. Another thing was that the pacing definitely was sort of off sometimes, and that since there are subplots in this (like the weaving academy, the romance), I feel like there was way too much going on so some of these subplots are not explored to their potential yet, making it hard for me to root for/enjoy. Also as much as I want to root for Nehal and Malak, I did think that it was way too quick and sudden. Also was just not a big fan of Nico and Giorgina as well.

I also do think that the ending is a perfect set up for the next one, so hopefully I'll be interested in reading the sequel because it definitely has a potential.

I totally enjoyed this compelling fantasy story set up in an Egypt inspired world. It's feminist, queer, and also deals with status/money, thus describing real world issues in a fantasy setting. Women are fighting for the right to vote, to make their own decisions (instead of their male guardians) and more, in a world where magic exists but is mostly shunned in their country. We follow two main characters, Nehal and Giorgina, both with very different privileges in terms on wealth/status, and different personalities. I found these POVs very effective at making us care and see the issues with different perspectives. And it made me experience to some extent what the characters experience, which was heart wrenching and necessary at the same time.
The language is simple and straightforward but not in a bad way as the story flows and I was hooked. There are some inconsistencies or events that feel are here for the sake of the plot.
The story doesn't sugar coat anything or shelter the main characters - I'm looking forward to book 2!

- This review was published on Goodreads, LibraryThing and the StoryGraph on 16 January 2023

Ever since I heard about The Daughters of Izdihar, I was so excited! It was easy to become captivated by Nehal. If you love characters who are quick to action, determined in the face of danger, and stubborn - meet Nehal. Not only does her family's fortune weigh on her back, but she's determined to fight the sexism and join the Weaving Academy. I love a woman on a mission to embrace her power and also some questioning representation! At the same time, Giorgina has, in some ways, similar challenges to Nehal.

Both forced to make decisions for their families - albeit with different stakes - she's a character who is continuously forced to pick between love and family. Duty and power. The ways in which the patriarchy is just looking for reasons to justify their oppression. The Daughters of Izdihar is a book which delivers magical training montages, rebellions, and women who are fighting for their voice and rights.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of "The Daughters of Izdihar".
This book blew away my mind. It's set in a world inspired by the Middle East and touches on the topics of reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ people, and suffragettes,...
Our main characters Nehal (a wealthy noblewoman) and Giorgina (who's poor) both fight for their rights in a world dominated by men. Nehal wants to be able to join the Weaver Academy, while Giorgina wants to be able to marry Nico (who had to marry Nehal). Both women come from different backgrounds but fight for a common goal. Their right to choose who to love and the right to vote.
This book is highly political which I really liked. The fantasy world is rich and interesting
I'd love to see what will happen next.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Daughters of Izdihar’ by Hadeer Elsbai.

This debut novel is the first part of Elsbai’s Alamaxa Duology set in Ramsawa, a fictional land inspired by historical Egypt. It is told from two alternating viewpoints.

Nehal is a daughter of the House Darweesh. She dreams of attending the Weaving Academy where she will be able to develop and control her power of bending any water to her will. After this Nehal hopes to pursue a glorious future on the battlefield as part of the first all-female military regiment. However, her family has other plans and has negotiated her marriage to Niccolo Baldinotti.

Neither she nor Niccolo love each other and indeed he is in love with another woman, a poor bookseller named Giorgina. They come to an agreement that it will be a marriage in name only and he will pay her tuition to the Academy while he is free to continue his relationship with Giorgina.

Yet Giorgina isn’t particularly thrilled by the idea of becoming his concubine. She also has her own secret: she is an earthweaver though her untrained powers are dangerously unstable. She finds solace in attending meetings of the Daughters of Izdihar, a women's rights group fighting for greater freedoms in this restrictive patriarchal society.

While they come from very different backgrounds, Nehal and Giorgina discover that they have more in common than they think. Enticed by the group's enigmatic leader Malak Mamdouh, the two women are drawn into a web of politics, violence and threats of war as they find themselves fighting to earn - and keep - a lasting freedom.

I was impressed with Hadeer Elsbai’s world building. She opens the novel with maps along with geographic descriptions. While there is no stated time period, the mention of trains alongside palanquins (covered litters) as well as women seeking the vote brought to mind the early 20th Century. However, this is very much a fantasy with a fascinating magical system of elemental weavers and indications of supernatural forces.

There is a subtle sapphic element to the story though I felt that this restraint very much suited the personalities of the women as well as the nature of the society.

‘The Daughters of Izdihar’ was certainly an intriguing opening volume incorporating feminist and recognisable social issues into a fantasy setting. I shall look forward to its conclusion in due course.

Hadeer Elsbai's The Daughters of Izdihar is a gripping fantasy story set in an interesting alternative Egypt with a feminist agenda at the forefront. Nehal and Giorgina are from different social classes, but they both feel the overbearing weight of a society in which women do not have the right to vote, are the property of their fathers, and can be sold into marital relationship. Add in the magic for all of this world, where weavers can control the elements. Adepts can control water, earth, air, and fire, with talented weavers specialising further. Prior to the start of the novel, a weaver who was a woman was able to handle all four elements and was so influential that she managed to destroy a portion of their infrastructure.country, as well as their neighbouring one. All of this raises suspicions about weavers in general, and women with these expertise in particular.

Nehal is privileged, spoiled, and righteously enraged when her marriage to Nico is arranged without her consent. She is a water weaver and has no intention of marrying; instead, she wishes to attend a weaving academy in order to fine tune her skills. But when confronted with her parents' decision, which is monetarily stimulated by her father's personal debts, she has no choice but to accept it.

Giorgina comes from a lower-income family and works in a bookstore to help support her family. She is an earthweaver, but she is self-conscious about her abilities and has no idea.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

The Daughters of Izdihar is an Egyptian inspired feminist fantasy that focuses around Nehal, a rich woman with the ability to control water, and Giorgina, a poor woman who is ashamed of her abilities and wants nothing more than to be free, as they fight for the right to vote in their male dominated society.

This book has one of the best love triangle solutions I've ever seen and I loved the characterisation of Nehal, who doesn't recognise her privilege, Giorgina who is understandably terrified but so brave, Nico (Nehal's unwilling husband and Giorgina's true love) who tries his best and Malak, the revolutionary leader of the Daughters of Izdihar. This book covers so many subjects: the rights of women, what it means to defy society, poverty, police brutality, reproductive rights and LGBTQA+ relationships. The movement in this book is so well written and doesn't hide from the violence of fighting for your rights, as is Malak, but I feel like there could have been more in terms of characterisation of the side characters. However, I loved it and I can't wait for more of this world.

HELLO FEMALE RAGE LOVERS, DO I HAVE THE PERFECT BOOK FOR YOU!

The Daughters of Izdihar is a feminist fantasy. That's it. Read it now. NOW I SAY.

We follow two PoVs, that of Nehal (our resident angry girl) and Giorgina (Nehal's complete opposite). Both of these girls want different things, Nehal to join a magical academy of sorts that only men were allowed to join up until now, and Giorgina wants something more simple, Nehal's new husband and her own ex Nico.

Both of them are entangled with The Daughters of Izdihar, and its leader Malak. Now Malak has been a favourite of mine ever since she popped up on page. I think she's the coolest character in the book and I can't wait to see even more of her in the sequel.

Nehal is my other favourite, she's spoiled rotten and acts like it the entire book, she's selfish, and like I said angry. But I like angry, she wants to burn down the whole world and I support her!! I preferred her PoV to Giorgina's, it had more going on.

Giorgina was kind of quiet, trying not to cause too much trouble and most of her thoughts revolved around Nico. I didn't care much for their romance, but I did like that it was happening so Nehal and Malak could get their own chance to shine.

I normally like love triangles, but if this had ended up being a love triangle between Nehal, Nico and Giorgina I would've been disappointed. So if you're reading this and thinking it might turn into one, TRUST ME IT WON'T, JUST KEEP READING.

Malak and Nehal though, I love them together, I love them so much, they're my life and I need more of them.

There wasn't a lot of romance in this book overall, so I hope we'll get some more in the next book.

Something about the plot and ~vibes~ reminded me of The Unbroken, so if you liked that you might like this too.

I wish we got to see more of the academy, and while I liked the world building it wasn't totally clear what the world looked like. I don't mind too much, especially since everything else was great, but I felt like mentioning it.

4.5 for this one, and probably a full 5 for the next!

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I was offered this book as an ARC via NetGalley and was excited to read a fantasy novel based in a non-Western culture. The world building was very good however I found this to be a highly political book which focused more on feminist issues, This was slightly bemusing to me as the magical element was not restrained to females but there was very little engagement with men who had the same powers and none appeared to be allied to the women involved. I would say that this book was more political than fantastical but that may well suit some readers better than others. An interesting and different read overall.

Before I get started, I'd like to say thank you to both to NetGalley and Little Brown, Orbit for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever heard of "lightning in a bottle"? Or it may be more appropriate to call what Elsbai has captured as "djinn in a bottle," because novels like The Daughters of Izdihar, the first of a series called The Alamaxa Duology, make storytelling look less like craft and more like magic. The writing is propulsive and thoroughly cinematic -- utterly unputdownable after you read that first page -- which is a quality that made series like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games absolute blockbusters. If this isn't the novel everyone on BookTok is talking about in 2023, I'll eat my hat.

Daughters is set in a fantastical country inspired by a historical Egypt known as Ramsawa. There, manipulators of one of the four elements (fire, earth, air, and water), known as weavers, are tolerated for their innate powers at best and scorned as heretical by religious acolytes at worst. They are feared for their capabilities; as are Ramsawi women, who are held in just as much contempt as weavers, if not more so.

In the face of such oppression, two women -- Nehal and Giorgina -- are coming of age in the Ramsawi city of Alamaxa amidst a rising tide of change for both women and weavers. Both are involved in the feminist organization known as The Daughters of Izdihar, which not only serves women practically by offering food and sourcing healthcare, but also politically, as its members fight for suffrage and equal protection under the law. Both are also weavers, and weavers are also beginning to experience some amount of freedom, as the long-shuttered Alamaxa Academy of the Weaving Arts reopens for the first time in two centuries. It's the only formal school where men can learn to harness and utilize their magical gift (and women, too, for an exorbitant price). Looming on the horizon, however, is the threat of war from a neighboring country, not to mention the threats posed by violence from within, like police who brutalize protestors with impunity. One stray gust of errant wind could bring a tempest to Ramsawa, and that tension is illustrated on every page.

It is a delicate balancing act to propel the plot forward and not lose sight of any one of these disparate elements, which a lesser author might be prone to do. But Elsbai handles her narrative with ease, much like a water weaver who transforms liquid into ice into steam back to liquid again. A lot of this ease is owed to the specificity of the world-building, and how readers slip undetected between each narrative, experiencing first-hand how a privileged aristocrat like Nehal and a working-class romantic like Giorgina can inhabit the same city, but entirely different worlds.

What also makes this balance possible is how each character is rendered, primarily, with empathy and compassion. This is a choice that runs parallel to the hero's journey Nehal and Giorgina are both on, as Nehal learns how to advocate for others, and Giorgina learns how to advocate for herself. That these lessons are inextricable from their pursuit of justice in the face of overwhelming odds is the point. The personal is political in The Daughters of Izdihar. They may be able to manipulate grains of sand or gusts of wind, but it is these women believing in each other which grants them their most salient, fearsome power: the power to effect change.

Most importantly, though? This book is fun. It is *extremely* hard not to root for a ragtag group of characters who are fighting against a violent heteropatriarchy, which I would argue will be refreshingly cathartic to read in 2023. (It was in 2022!)

Five out of five stars.

This is a helluva novel to wake up to the new year with. The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai is an absolutely gripping fantasy novel set in an alternate Egypt with a feminist agenda front and centre. Nehal and Giorgina are in different social classes but both feel the oppressive weight of a society where a woman does not have the vote, where she is the possession of her father and can be sold into marriage. Add in the magic for this world where elements can be controlled by weavers. Water, earth, air and fire can all be controlled by adepts with talented weaver specialising further. Prior to the novel starting a weaver who was a woman was able to control all four elements and was so powerful that she managed to destroy a chunk of their country and their neighbouring one too. All of this fuels suspicion of weavers in general and women with these abilities doubly so.

Nehal is privileged, spoiled and righteously furious when her marriage is arranged to Nico without her consent. She is a water weaver and has no interest in marriage, what she wants to do is to attend the weaving academy in order to hone her talents. But when faced with her parents decision, one that is financially motivated by her father's gambling debts she is left with no choice but to acquiesce to their decision.

Giorgina is from a lower class family, she works in a bookshop to support them. She is an earthweaver but is ashamed of her abilities and has no idea how to control them. She uses her job as a way to afford herself a modicum of freedom and she is part of the Daughter's of Izdihar a group headed by the charasmatic air weaver Malak Mahdou who are campaigning for sufferage and who run charity drives for women in need, be they for healthcare, food and other necessities. Giorgina and Nico are in love and hope to marry but Nico's father has other plans and when the wedding to Nehal takes place Giorgina is left bereft.

This novel could easily have become a love triangle and it would have been readable and exciting at that level. But it is far much more than that. Nehal and Giorgina are both opposites in many ways, but are both beholden to the society that constrains them and Hadeer Elsbai explores in depth what that means to both of them. All of the characters are rounded and fully developed with flaws that are on display and as a reader you route for both of them in spite of their flaws, indeed because of them. They are both drawn to the Daughters for different reasons, but both stay to fight for their rights as women.

The novel is packed with action and set pieces which are jaw dropping, reveals that are gut wrenching and no punches are pulled. Characters live with their emotions and process them fuelling their decisions and pulling on the reader's emotions.

My one criticism is that as the novel is winding up there is so much more story to tell and we are left with somewhat of a cliffhanger. But that does mean I will be in the queue for the sequel because I need to know how this story ends.

The Daughters of Izdihar is published today by Orbit books in the UK.

A phenomenal debut about sisterhood and the fight for women’s rights

Nehal is born from a prestigious family and used to getting what she wants. She is forced into an arranged marriage with Nico, who is already in love with another women, and moves in with him in Alamaxa. She manages to get one advantage out of it, to attend the academy for elemental weavers that has only just opened its doors to women. She starts to discover the efforts the daughters of Izdihar are putting into the fight for a voice of their own and wants to join. Georgina is already part of the Daughters of Izdihar. She is from the lower class, works so her family stays afloat and is in love with Nehal’s new husband. In a society where reputation is all a woman can bring, can these women rise up to be more?

It is only the beginning of January and this book could already be a favorite for this year. Once engaged, it is really hard to put it down and I loved being immersed in the Egyptian inspired culture which drooped from the pages through the clothes, food, tea, architecture and traditions. This debut hits all the right notes. It displays the issues that women have been and still are fighting in a patriarchal society where they are basically owned by their fathers, brothers or husbands with no voice of their own. It also shows the power of sisterhood and how a common cause can bring people from all different backgrounds together. On top of that, it also adds an elemental magic system and its weavers are looked down upon by most of society.

The characters that are deeply explored. There is great contrast between the pov’s of Nehal and Giorgina which makes it easy to know which viewpoint you’re reading from and both their pasts, hopes and aspirations are greatly explored. They had me hooked from the start and made me feel all the rage and fury these women must feel. The romance isn’t very prominent in this first book, but there are some sparks here and there that might still turn into a full on fire.

When it comes to fighting for her rights, Nehal often dives in head first without thinking things through. It is mostly understandable from her character, but by the end, I expected her to at least have learned a little bit from it. She still keeps making similar mistakes, so hopefully she will show more growth in the next book and it would also be great to see the magic system explored more.

The ending was a bit abrupt, but now I’m very eager to read about the rest of their fight for justice in the sequel and am expecting a lot of magic, political turmoil and character growth.

Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley