Rebel of the Sands was so much fun!The novel started off with a bang (quite literally) and never slowed down. Amani lives in a dead end town and is looking for a way to escape when a foreigner comes along and changes everything. All of a sudden she's on the run with a stranger as an ally. Jin, the male lead, is everything I wanted in a male protagonist for this novel. I haven't completely fallen in love with him, but it is bound to happen.
My only wish is that my reading experience was different. I have been so busy these past couple weeks, and so it took me a long time to finish this book. Goodreads says 18 days, but I only sat down three different times to read this book. I know that if I had more free time, I would've felt more connected to the story and the characters.
By far my favorite character is Amani. She is such a headstrong heroine, and I absolutely loved reading from her perspective. Out of the secondary characters, I liked Shazad the best. She's yet another kick-ass female character, and I loved how Hamilton had females on the same playing field as men.
The second half of the novel took a different turn than I was expecting. I wouldn't say I liked it less, but it kind of threw me off. However, I am looking forward to where this new plot will take us. Amani's struggles have just become a lot more complex, and seeing it unravel in the next book will be one heck of a ride.
My only worry is that the series will end up feeling rushed. The world of this series is so complex, and I don't want it to be brushed over so that the story finishes nicely. I'd rather have this series become a quartet if it means that the world building is stronger. Hamilton knows what she's doing, so I still am hopeful!I would recommend this to any fantasy lover. I'm quite a newbie to the YA fantasy, but I think even veterans would appreciate this. I can see this trilogy becoming one of my favorites out there. Amani and Jin's relationship is slow burning and I love it. The plot is original and the characters strong. This story took twists and turn I was not expecting, and I really appreciated it. I normally can anticipate the "gotcha" moments, but this one really took me aback! Hats off to Alwyn Hamilton!
Overall, Rebel of the Sands is a strong opening novel to what can be a fantastic fantasy trilogy. The series holds true promise and I am looking forward to the second novel that will be coming out next year. I wish I could've had a better reading experience, because it negatively affected my enjoyment of the book.
With that, I give this book
4 out of 5 Stars!
Have you read Rebel of the Sands? What did you think?
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Happy Reading!
Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!