Book Review: Rebel of the Sands

Book: Rebel of the Sands

Author: Alwyn Hamilton

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship, Light romance

Rating (Out of ten): 7

Plot: Rebel of the Sands is an engaging book following the story of a young girl named Amani in a world overtaken by a corrupt King. Although, this girl isn’t as helpless as the world she lives in. Desperate to escape the deprived town she grew up in, Amani will do anything, even ride out of town on a mythical horse with a mysterious stranger named Jin. Although, as Amani travels with Jin she soon discovers that she’s signed up for more than she asked for and maybe even finds love along the way.

Pro: This book was quite different from the usual corrupt government fantasy books found in the young adult section of Barnes and Nobles. This book gives an interesting and compelling twist by introducing characters with complex backgrounds and well developed stories and personalities. The Middle-Eastern fantasy with a hint of old-timey western themes and magic are a really interesting combination that makes a great world to immerse yourself in.

Con: The only downfall that I found in this book is that the plot doesn’t flow smoothly, which is a real bummer because this book would have been fantastic, but the only issue was something so important. Though, during the book's slow progression the characters relationship grows and the entire world the characters live in really develops and comes to life. Near the end, the plot suddenly picks up and all the action happens and a bunch of new characters are suddenly introduced, so it seems that a lot of the book was crunched into a small section.

Overall, once I finished the book I genuinely liked it, but reading the book itself was sometimes a slow process. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something easy to read, in between series, or waiting for a sequel to come out. This is because the book is relatively short, but overall enjoyable despite the speed the story moves at.

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