3.75. First of all, thank you to Orbit UK and the author for sending me a physical ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so where do I begin? This book was quite a ride. It follows the story of Aicha, the daughter of a Moroccan freedom fighter, as she and her family prepare for a siege to free their city from Portuguese colonization. "She has witnessed the death of her people, their starvation and torture at the hands of the occupiers, and it had awakened an anger within her. An anger that burns hot and bright, and speaks to Aicha's soul."

The characters and their relationships are the strongest part of this book. Aicha’s relationship with her father and sister is full of tension, grief, and unspoken expectations. The family is trying to survive while also dealing with the pressure placed on the daughters to be physically strong enough to endure what is coming. These dynamics felt emotionally grounded.

My main issue was the pacing, especially at the beginning. The first half of the book is slow, and while I could understand that pacing if this was the first book of a series, this being a standalone made it feel drawn out. The fantasy elements were also very light early on, which added to the slow buildup.

That said, the second half of the book is much stronger. Once the story picks up, it becomes far more engaging and the payoff is worth it. The ending, in particular, was very well done. Since this is a spoiler free review, I will not go into detail, but it tied the story together in a satisfying way and left me in shambles not going to lie.

Overall, despite the slow start, Aicha is a strong, character driven epic fantasy with a memorable ending. If you grew up with a Moroccan mom,like me, and heard the stories of Aicha Kandicha you will love this. I cannot wait to read more from this author, and I was especially happy to read a North African inspired epic fantasy. I truly hope this book opens the door for more stories like it to come.