I didn’t know what to expect from this debut, but I enjoyed most of my time in this world and with these characters. I have some personal and completely subjective nitpicks—mostly with character voice—but that’s a completely Me thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for giving me an advance copy. What follows is my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Daughters of Izdihar tells the story of a suffragette movement in an Egypt-inspired fantasy world, through the lens of two very different women.

This book does a lot of things really well, and it has really great bones. It’s a very interesting world with very interesting main characters—Giorgina and Nehal are both well rounded and fully fleshed protagonists, and I appreciated the way their differences and similarities were both highlighted. Seeing the two women from very different backgrounds be brought together over and over by circumstance made a great story.

When it comes to the side characters, though, they tend to fall a bit flat. With the exception of maybe Nico, a major character in both POVs, the side characters were pretty flat and underdeveloped, despite so much potential. Neither romances felt believable or fleshed out. The world building too disappointed; it’s a fascinating world and magic system, yet the magic consistently feels like an afterthought. I love elemental magic and the ATLA-esque powers mixed with scientific aspects drew me in, just for me to wonder why the book was even a fantasy, for how little focus it got.

Plot wise, I found the first probably 2/3 slow. The last third was much better, though, and had me in a near-constant state of anxiety. The ending felt a bit abrupt/random, but I guess it succeeds in making me want to read on because of this.

Wow, this is a debut?! I can already see this being a book that is hyped in 2023 and for good reasons as well. The writing was easy to follow and the world building was just enough. I do wish that we had a little bit more history on the weaving that takes place but other than that, a solid debut. I enjoyed both of the characters that we followed in this book. The issues that were addressed in this book had me fuming as women should never be treated the way that they are in this book but I personally think the author did a great job representing the fact that this still happens in countries today.

In this book we follow two main characters, Nehal (a rich aristocrat daughter who is used to getting what she wants) and Giorgina (a poor bookshop worker who is used to having nothing and protecting her image at all costs) in a new world that closely resembles Egyptian history. Nehal and Girogina find themselves working together when they join the fight for women's rights and the ability to use their forbidden elemental magic. Nehal is a waterweaver who can shape water to her will but she has had no formal training. She is forced to marry to clear her families debts into a wealthy merchant family and she finds a way to get what she wants from her new husband Nico; to train at the Weaving Academy to increase her power in waterweaving.

Giorgina is an earthweaver who has absolutely no control over her power. She has no money and no prospects for marriage which is considered terrible in this world as men have all the power. Women have to have permission to do anything in this world either from their husbands or fathers otherwise their reputation is ruined forever. Girogina decides to join The Daughters of Izdihar to feel as though she is accomplishing something to change women's rights in this world. Nehal and Giorgina fight for their rights as the threat of war looms in the background and the country continues to look down upon women. Will they be able to finally make a change for women in this world?

So I was really itching for a fantasy novel and this book totally took the cake on it. If you’re a fan of Shadow and Bone then this book is definitely up your alley.

Weavers such as Nehal and Giorgio’s each have their own element of strength. But in a city where they are t welcome it’s hard to be open about their abilities. I loved watching them fight for what they believe in and can’t wait for the sequel to see if they’re successful ! Talk about a cliffhanger

A really powerful fantasy novel, Hadeer Elsbai paints an incredibly vivid world utilizing only words. I loved the world, the characters, the writing, the setting -- everything about this novel was a hit.

Official review:
The Daughters of Izdihar, like last year’s A Master of Djinn, is set in a world similar to Egypt, during the time of the suffragette movement. American-Egyptian author Hadeer Elsbai has chosen to focus even more on social justice issues, through her two main characters, rich spoiled girl Nehal, and struggling bookwork Giorgina. Both have magical powers, as well as an interest in women’s rights, but while Giorgina’s poverty and traditional father make her susceptible to intimidation, Nehal has grown up feeling entitled and being allowed to express her opinions. However, when Nehal is forced into marriage, and bristles at needing her husband’s permission to enroll in a school to train magicians, she starts to realize that even wealth and status can’t make up for the subservient status of women.
Nehal and Giorgina become unlikely allies, brought together both through their politics , and their proximity to Nico, Giorgina’s husband.

Personally, I found the drama a bit repetitive and would have liked more twists. The characters were well-done, though, and I'm sure Hadeer will be a good interview.

Powerful story with incredible characters! I loved this book and can’t wait to read more by this author. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! I’m so glad I found this story.

The Daughters of Izdihar is a powerful story of women fighting for their rights in a country that would see them a mute docile wives.

Weaving, the magic of controlling the elements, is shamed and seen as thief from the gods. But many find themselves blessed, or cursed, with these abilities. Nehal is a waterweaver and aspiring soldier who is sold into a marriage against her will. Giorgina is an earthweaver and activist with the Daughters of Izdihar. The only thing connecting them is the man Nehal is forced to wed, the same man Giorgina is in love with. The find themselves drawn together under the suffragette cause lead by the enigmatic Malak Mamdouh.

Plot: 4/5
The story is told from two points of view, Nehal and Giorgina. The pace moves with a comfortable flow. Most of the action happens in the latter 50% of the book. And while I can appreciate a good cliff hanger but there was ALOT left open ended.

Characters: 5/5
Nehal wants to be a solider. She’s direct, always speaks her mind, even when it gets her in trouble, and she is determined to get what she wants. She’s basically the perfect angry impulsive mix of Katara and Zuko.

Giorgina can’t have what she wants, which is Nico. For all that she seems to be the quite demure type, she is a prominent, albeit anonymous, writing for the rebellious magazine and is a loyal member to the Daughters of Izdihar.

The parallel between Giorgina and Nehal is really powerful. Giorgina works tirelessly to keep her reputation pristine so that she may be spare criticism and be trusted in the future. Nehal throws her reputation to the wind so that she can do she she wants.

Nico and Malak are both fantastic side characters/love interests. They have so much character depth and compliment their pairs perfectly.

Writing: 5/5
Elsbai has an extremely engaging style of writing with incredible imagery and vibrant personality. I adore the characters she created and the depth of the world. She put a lot of effort into the world building and development of the religion of the Tetrad.
Elsbai does not pull her punches when describing the brutality and injustices of the world she’s created, please check for trigger warnings (there are definitely more than the ones I’ve listen below).

Overall: 4.5/5

TW: homophobia, xenophobia, pregnancy/abortion, vaginal examination, sexism, mentions of sexual assault

Marketed as adult fantasy though it feels more like YA age range. I struggle with YA and this one was no different. Not my cup of tea.

What do you get when you add magical realism and fantasy + feminist activism + two main characters with fantastic storylines?

The answer is this book. Set in a magical fantastical version of Egypt, but with a modern twist, Nehal is the spitfire heroine that we all cheer for; and Giorgina is the calm but desperate voice of reason that holds this story together.

"Nehal was a formidable opponent in any situation, but Giorgina doubted being in jail had done anything to soothe her temper."

Let's call this one magical espionage, maybe. It's a new genre of women's lib. Score a victory for the sisterhood.

"I'm not saying you have to hold a rally in the midst of Tarar Square. But you have honorable convictions and ideals. Be true to them."

This story combines Egyptian mythology with an incredible sci-fi plot that kept me on my toes the entire time! I'm usually not a fan of sci-fi, but I loved the engaging storyline and compelling characters this story had!

If you like powers reminiscent of Avatar the Last Airbender and tales of rising up against the patriarchy, The Daughters of Izdihar should be added to your to- read pile immediately.
Told from the perspectives of Nehal and Giorgina, we are introduced to a world where women are fighting to have a voice. Nehal is a rich, privileged, and naive water bender and Giorgina a poor, boy-obsessed, political earth bender. Each goes through tremendous character growth, stripping them of their presuppositions of their worldviews and roles in life. By the end they’re nearly unrecognizable from the women they were in the beginning. It’s immensely satisfying.
The oppressive frustration of being dismissed by men simply for being a woman is perfectly captured in this book. So is the satisfaction of fighting back.
Read the heck out of this book. It is worth it - even if it does end on a cliffhanger!

This book was enthralling. The characters were fascinating and the word building was well done. I thought the conclusion was slightly flat but otherwise this book was very enjoyable.

3.5 stars. This was such an interesting book. It reminded me a lot of the situation in Afghanistan or Iran. I personally have never experience such prejudice, but I could still very much relate.

I really connected with the main characters and, even though Nehal was selfish and impetuous, I couldn’t help but like her. Giorgina was easy to like. I enjoyed the contrasting views between the chapters of Nehal and Giorgina. It kept it all interesting and the book was well-paced; I never lost interest in this book. I do wish there had been some chapters from Malek’s pov or even Yuri would have been interesting. He was a great character and I would have loved him being a bigger part of the book.

I absolutely loved the magic system in this book. If you are a fan of Avatar, then this book is for you. I did wish we could have had more information about the gods and the past which caused weavers to become despised and untrained. It seemed crazy to not train weavers when their magic is activated by strong emotions.

The conflict between the Daughters and the Khopeshes added tension. I was so sad when Labiba was killed and felt the injustice of Attia going free while numerous Daughters were jailed and blamed.

The thing that bothered me about this book was the way it ended. It didn’t even feel like a cliffhanger; it just stopped like one book was split into two. I hate cliffhangers and this was just as bad. I would have rated this higher if it had not ended that way. I’m am dying to read the next book to find out what happened but of course this book isn’t even out yet, so it will be a long wait.

***Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this eARC. All opinions expressed herein are my own. ***

Really liked this story. The setting and the characters are vivid and wonderful. There are so many and they're great. Looking forward to the next book.

A magical tale of doing what's right, no matter the cost.

Nehal Darweesh is a lady, although many might disagree, given how argumentative, demanding, and unwilling to listen she is at every turn. Blessed with the powers of water weaving, she has one true desire; to join the Weaving Academy and become a soldier for the Izdihar division. But this desire is out of reach unless a man signs the paperwork and gives her permission to attend. Her father won't sign for such a silly dream. In fact, he cares more about marrying her off to another wealthy house so they can resolve his own gambling debt. To make matters worse, Nehal's unwanted betrothed, Nico Baldinotti, is already in love with another woman, Giorgina, a low-born woman and member of the women's rights group, the Daughters of Izdihar. Since neither Nehal nor Nico wants to be married to each other, they use their marriage to their advantage; Nico signs for Nehal to attend the academy, and Nehal allows Giorgina to be Nico's concubine. Things seem to be heading in the right direction, but their choices become a catalyst for difficulties, and their situations get worse before they get better.

The Daughters of Izdihar takes place in an Egyptian-inspired setting and addresses many of our modern-day issues, including women's rights, privilege, police brutality, LGBTQ+, and what we must do for equality and inclusivity. The story reminds us that making the right decisions can be challenging and frightening, and valuable things, family and reputation included, may be lost along the way.

While this is a slow-moving story, it seems to be setting the stage for the next book in the duology. Given how The Daughters of Izdihar ended, I look forward to reading the next book to see how (or if) the characters can evolve from their ways and defeat their enemies for the greater good.

This was a fantastic story, with a great setting and interesting worldbuilding. Set in a fantasy world inspired by Egyptian history, the story follows two very different women who end up being more alike than you may think as they both become involved with the Daughters of Izdihar, a women's rights group that has become increasingly radical. Mixed in is a controversial magic called weaving, which is often vilified due to the actions of an infamous waterweaver. The magic system is very similar to bending in The Last Airbender, there's even bloodbending, sandbending, etc., but the core of Elsbai's magic is scientific, not spiritual. Weavers are taught the physics and mechanics behind their element, and many go to the newly opened academy to perfect their weaving. The focus of the story, however, is the two main characters: Nehal, an upper class, strong willed woman stuck in an arranged marriage, and Giorgina, a women living in poverty whose family is barely able to scrape by. The two have very different lives, mindsets, and opinions, so it's interesting to see the story from both sides. I did have some trouble with Nehal's character, it felt like she was stubborn to the point of ignorance and did not make any changes despite being presented several times with the fact that her experiences are not the norm and that her actions could cause issues for those who are less affluent. But, overall, i'm excited about this book and looking forward to the next one.

This was perfect for fans of Daevabad, This Woven Kingdom, or any other silkpunk fantasy lovers out there. I totally fell in love with this world and these characters. The magic was sooooo cool, it was like Avatar TLA met something straight out of Daevabad. I was sold. NEHAL! NICO! OMG! I need book two immediately.

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’s boring. The sexism the women have to deal with is appropriately rage-inducing, but a whole bunch of people were acting pretty stupidly because, I guess, the plot required them to. (Using blasphemous magic to attack a counter-protestor? Sure, that’s exactly what a real leader of a movement would do, and nevermind that the crowd is a breath away from rioting already! But the riot has to happen for the plot, so insert shrug here, I guess.) Events moved incredibly quickly, so there was no time for any of it to have real emotional impact, which in turn made them uninteresting. It didn’t help that most of the characters felt two-dimensional at best, defined by just one or two traits rather than being fully fleshed out. There was nothing to latch onto with any of the cast, no way to really make myself care about any of the characters.

It's not terrible. But it feels very, very basic, and I was expecting so much more than that.

I really, desperately wanted to love this. I tried to. But it wasn’t meant to be, I guess.

The Daughters of Izdihar is a solid political fantasy debut following two women in a world inspired by modern Egyptian history. Nehal is a noble woman forced into an arranged marriage in order to help pay off her father’s gambling debts. All she wants is to be able to attend the Alamaxa Weaving Academy and learn how to control her powers over water, but as a woman she can’t sign the admission papers herself. Giorgina is a poor bookshop worker. She feels fortunate that her job is not in a factory and that she has the freedom to work with the Daughters of Izdihar, a political group fighting for the vote for women, and to see the man she is in love with. Nico is a noble but he’s progressive and kind and he loves Giorgina. He also is being married off to Nehal. The two women’s stories intertwine as they fight for their freedom and grapple with their magic.

I enjoyed this book. The magic system is reminiscent of Avatar the last airbender with weavers of the four different elements and even sub types such as sandweaving (<spoiler> and bloodweaving </spoiler>). There is even a historical figure that could weave all the elements and I hope we learn more about her in the next book. The story is very politics focused with the fight for women’s rights being very central to the plot. I really enjoyed how women's rights and weavers’ rights intermingled. If you are a fan of politics in fantasy books, I feel like these were especially well done. The book drew me in at the start but the middle did suffer from pacing issues with the end being much more engaging again. One of the two main characters is sapphic and it is not accepted in this fantasy world. I would love to see those rights being fought for in the second book as well. Overall, it's a good read and I would recommend it!