Published: March 8, 2016 by: Viking Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Rating: 4/5 stars
Amani, a fierce sharpshooter and resident of the magical desert nation of Miraji, finds herself trapped in between dangerous beasts as she escapes from the men who want her dead. She befriends Jin, a handsome warrior who vows to help her while she's on the run, but can Amani trust him? Now Amani must protect herself from the Sultan's army, slay any monsters along the way, and decide whether to follow her head, or her heart. In this desert, anything can happen.
I had the wondrous opportunity to meet Alwyn Hamilton a few months ago. When she described her book and I talked to other people who had read her book, I fell in love with the premise and thought that it would be a great read. Rebel didn't disappoint, and offered a great platform for an amazing series.
I loved how this book gave a great glimpse into a Persian culture. I have gotten really into Middle Eastern legends and fantasies in YA recently, and it's all because of this book. I enjoyed reading a book where the main character wasn't white, as well as learning about various legends and tales from the culture. It was all very educational.
I also loved the main character, Amani. She was witty and strong, nothing stood in her way. I enjoyed reading about the sort of gender roles and issues that she had to go through, as it just reinforced the idea that sadly in many Middle Eastern countries, women do not have a lot of rights. I felt as if she got through every obstacle with grace.
I guess the only problem I had with this book is that I didn't quite get the romance. Jin and Amani didn't quite click for me, and it felt as if the romance was forced. I didn't find that they had much chemistry at all, and I definitely think that the book could have done without the romance. It just took away from the book in my opinion.
Other than that, this book was entertaining and strong, with a great message and an even stronger lead. I'm really excited to see where Hamilton takes this series next, as I am really curious to read more about Amani's story.
Have you read Rebel of the Sands? What did you think?
Emily @ Paperback Princess
I wasn't interested in this book when it first came out, but the more I hear about it, the more I'm kind of interested. I'm not sure if I should pick it up? the Desert just seems so dry? (No pun intended)
ReplyDeleteLol I didn't find it very dry at all! The different cultural dynamics was quite interesting in my opinion.
DeleteI'm kind of half-intrigued by this one, but I don't know... maybe the amount of hype has put me off a bit.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see much hype around it until I went to her event, so it was all very new for me. I think it's worth a try :)
DeleteGreat review! I feel the same exact way as you do. I liked the romance between Jin and Amani, but I didn't feel an instant connection between them. I really appreciated how strong of main character Amani was though!
ReplyDeleteYes, she was extremely strong! Thanks for stopping by Gennifer :)
DeleteOh my god- you me the author? How cool is that?! I've never met any author IRL *sniffles* Living all the way here in Sri Lanka sucks big time! Anyway, back to the book- I've been meaning to read this one for a long, long time! I'm glad to see you enjoyed this so much, despite the romance feeling kinda forced, and Amani sounds like an amazing MC! Looking forward to this even more now!
ReplyDeleteYou totally should! Amani was so incredibly unique and absolutely amazing. I'm sure you'll meet an author soon, Ruzaika!
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