this woven kingdom by tahereh mafi: a review

 

Hey guys! This week I'm reviewing the novel 'This Woven Kingdom' by Tahereh Mafi which was published in February of this year. I had heard many good things about this book and was excited to begin reading this one. It was definitely one of the books that kept slipping down my TBR and I am delighted that I finally got to it. I would suggest this book for people aged 14 and up.

Here is a brief plot summary: Alizeh has disguised herself from the world as a disposable servant for years as she was the long-lost heir of the lost kingdom of the Jinn. She has always been hunted and will continue to be forced to hide her real identity lest she exposes herself to danger. Until one day, she makes a mistake.

The crown prince of the kingdom, Kamran, has heard the myths and prophecies; he, like most people, knows of the fearsome monster that promises to kill his king. With darkness falling over his empire, Kamran is driven to seek out its source. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom – and the world.

First off, the cover art and hardback design are absolutely stunning and have been a welcome addition to my bookshelf. And within the book, the chapter mark pages have the most beautiful yet simplistic floral design.

When I first started the book, it actually took me a while to get into it... it had a relatively slow start which I struggled with as I had just finished a rather fast-paced book, but eventually, I got into it. 

This is the first book that I had read of Mafi's so I had no expectations other than what I had been told, but I found that I really liked the simplicity of her writing, descriptive yet short and sweet. I found it not to be massively wordy and that is something I really dislike about certain books. The language used is a mixture of simple and complex structures that make this an easy read.

I adored the way that tension was built during the more dramatic scenes and the little details in the one-to-one scenes were just perfect. The characters of Alizeh and Kamran were written so charmingly, not too unrealistic and perfect. I found that the book flowed seamlessly from perspective to perspective with no massive time jumps along the timeline. 

This book is the first in a new series by Tahereh Mafi and I am very excited to see where she takes this wonderfully magical story. The sequel 'These Infinite Threads' is set to be published on the 7th of February 2023 and is definitely going on my reading list for next year. 

Happy Reading,

- Mei