The Daughters of Izdihar (The Alamaxa Duology, #1) in /r/Fantasy Discussion Group

Oct 07, 2022 Siavahda rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf, bipoc-author, advanced-reading-copy, lgbtqai-protagonists, poc-protagonists

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023…but I hate it.

It’s not that it’s technically bad? But I was expecting lush, gorgeous prose to go with the setting and that fabulous cover, and instead the writing is extremely basic, even blunt. The first few chapters are just a barrage of clumsy telling-telling-telling, all of it far more simplistic than I expect from Adult Fantasy. I was looking for intricate, detailed worldbuilding and politics and all, and I just didn’t find it here.

And it ...more

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Jan 19, 2023 Bridgit rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2023

eally liked it. 4.25 stars. Hands off to the author for this as a debut. The issues she tackled were so important and so rarely seen in fantasy today. It definitely was an enraging read, which IMO always gives major points to an author. If you can make me feel any strong emotion, you are doing something right. Some of the characters are a bit too surface level, and I wish they were explored more deeply.

I do wish some more background was given on the magic system and why it is so controversial. ...more

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Mar 04, 2025 Tyrannosaurus regina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtq, fantasy

On the one hand, I did read this very quickly and was invested in the story. On the other, I spent the whole time stressed and upset. And honestly, I get enough of trying to convince people that I should have human rights in real life that I’m not sure I want to do that to myself very often in fiction. I can’t say it didn’t have an impact, obviously, but I also felt like the men were very one note in their sexism and bigotry, and the magic system, despite being an underlying cause of conflict, w ...more

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May 16, 2024 Lulu rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, lgbt, books-read-in-2024

An Egyptian-inspired fantasy novel about a group of women fighting for the right to vote, and the controversial magical powers some of them yield. We have two POVs. Giorgina is a woman involved with the political movement, the Daughters of Izdihar, and who thinks she is on the verge of an engagement with the man she loves, who comes from a good family. We also have Nehal, a younger woman who comes from a well-regarded family and dreams of joining the army--and who just got engaged to Giorgina's ...more

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