Amani and Maram help each other to become the strongest versions of themselves, while also pushing for kindness, compassion, and love. Amani instills in Maram a respect for the world her mother ruled. Maram begins to see the beauty, the culture, the need for Andala to be free of oppression and colonization at the hands of the Vath. She sees the destruction Andala faces and wants to live up to the power her mother held. Amani's cunning is so important to the story. For being a simple farm girl, she sure knows how to sway people to a cause. She uses legends to garner hope, she shows Andala the power that Maram possesses. She gains trust by using old tales, by singing old songs, by letting Andala's history come to life and move the people to greatness. The story weaves together beautifully imagined landscapes, a world on the brink of war, a rich history with mythical beings. I was captivated the entire time, pulled into the intrigue, the danger, the bond between Amani and Maram. I was scared for them as they plotted and planned, as they devised who could be an ally and then worked to pull them into their plot. These young women were able to persuade an entire planet to follow them, to trust them, to help them rest their planet from the grip of the Vath. Also, this was not only a story about politics, oppression, and war. This was a story about love. The power of love to help build someone's strength, their resolve, their ability to believe in themselves. Amani and Idris resist the pull they feel for one another, Idris being Maram's husband, but their connection is too strong to sunder. Idris' love for Amani makes him terrified for her, for her rebellion, for her wish of freedom; but, it is also this love that makes him realize that freedom is the only way Amani could ever be truly happy. However, my absolute favourite love story was between Maram and the Tasleet, Aghraas. Through this relationship Maram was able to finally open herself up to love and to allow others into her heart. Aghraas is powerful, a being beyond their world, but she decides to stay in Andala for Maram, because in Maram she sees her own happiness. I wish everyone would read this amazing duology. It is science fiction, laced with fantasy, with a background in Moroccan folklore. Highly, highly recommend!
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