These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

Synopsis

Instant #1 New York Times bestseller! Full of explosive magic, searing romance, and heartbreaking betrayal, this breathtaking sequel to This Woven Kingdom is from the award-winning and bestselling author of the Shatter Me series and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sabaa Tahir, and Tomi Adeyemi.

With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives.

Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, is destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under human rule. When Kamran, the heir to the human throne, falls in love with her, he’s forced to question everything he’s been taught about Jinn.

Kamran’s grandfather lays dead at the hand of Cyrus, ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Tulan. Cyrus has stolen Alizeh away to his homeland and plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen—and when she assumes the throne he will have fulfilled his own bargain with the devil.

Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus’s deal or the devil. But without a way to escape Tulan, and with the fulfillment of her own destiny tantalizingly close, she’ll have to decide whether she can set aside her emotions to become the queen her people need.

Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces in Ardunia. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she hasn’t yet become the queen of Tulan.

Audiobook Review

4,5 stars

“I hate you,” he whispered.
“I hate everything about you. Your eyes. Your lips. Your smile.” His words grazed her skin when he said, softly, “I find your presence insufferable.”

This is the sequel to This Woven Kingdom so there will be spoilers for the first book!

Now, a very important question, the first I asked my daughter when I finished the book: are you team Kamran or team Cyrus??

When I wrote my review for This Woven Kindgom, I said: “Now I am wondering if Tahereh will pull a “Shatter Me” on us and will change the love interest, same as Sarah J Maas does so often…”

Well that’s how this sequel feels!

Alizeh’s feelings get complicated and muddled!

And Cyrus is such a perfect morally grey and tortured hero that of course we feel for him!

But we also feel for Kamran who is also very much obsessed with Alizeh and in a very bad predicament!

Who to choose really?

Many in reviews (yes, for once I peeked at reviews before writing mine) said there is not much happening in that book and I agree with them!

And yet, I kept reading and reading…

Because I wanted to uncover Cyrus’s secret and motives (we still don’t know them by the way).

And because I wanted to see what would happen to Kamran!

In fact, Alizeh, even if she is at the center of the story is taking a backseat as her companion’s fate is much more captivating here!

I was also very much smitten with Tahereh’s writing. It’s exquisite writing really with a heroine determined to verbally duel with her captor. Their banter was a real treat to read! I don’t want to add much else but will just say that this is a very good fantasy and that I now want the sequel.

Thanks for reading.

Sophie