Book Review: Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Faebound
Publisher: Del Rey (January 23, 2024)
Length: 400 pages
Author Information: Website
To be honest, as I ventured into the world of Saara El-Arifi’s Faebound, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This was my first book by the author, and I was prepared to let it take me wherever its journey led. What unfolded was an interesting blend of fantasy elements, coming together to create a world that felt both fresh and intriguing, yet at times the narrative occasionally faltered under the weight of its own ambition as it explored its rich world filled with diverse characters and themes.
The story transports readers to a world at war, its Elven tribes locked in a constant struggle while ancient prophecies loom large. Our protagonist, Yeeran, is a disgraced colonel facing exile for committing a grave mistake. Together with her sister Lettle, a diviner, they travel beyond the borders of their homeland only to stumble upon the realm of the forgotten Fae—a lost civilization which has not been seen for a thousand years.
Completely ignorant of the ways of the Fae, Yeeran accidentally kills a high-ranking prince, a pivotal event that sets in motion a series of perilous consequences for her and her companions. Initially facing execution for her crime, Yeeran’s fate takes an unexpected turn following a chance encounter that leaves her captors uncertain about her punishment. Forced to integrate into the enemy’s society, our protagonist must learn to adapt to their ways and harness their mysterious magic, while secretly buying time until she and Lettle can make their escape. Yet amidst this cultural clash, Yeeran can’t help but find herself drawn to the warrior princess and sister of the prince she killed, adding another layer of complexity to her dilemma.
Not going to lie, Faebound was laughably predictable at times, but there’s still an undeniable thread of fun woven into the narrative. If you’re an experienced fantasy reader, there’s a good chance the plot won’t present you with any surprises either, especially given its strong focus on the romantic elements. Still, while its predictability ultimately may hurt the overall impact of key developments and may not resonate or appeal equally with all readers, to the novel’s credit, both its storyline and the romance arc unfold in a slow-burn fashion, emphasizing character backstories and their relationships.
Indeed, I feel that the book’s strengths lie in its characters. Yeeran possesses an engaging voice that offers a fascinating perspective, and without revealing too many spoilers, there is a unique aspect in Faebound that may add a charming layer for fans of talking animal companions in fantasy.
That said, could the world-building use some beefing up? Admittedly, in some areas, I felt it was a bit sparse. The mystique surrounding the lost Fae culture was beautifully portrayed, for example, but the descriptions fall short when it comes to vividly depicting the physical environment. The story also occasionally faltered, giving way to meandering subplots which at times felt disconnected from the main thread. Though some of these provided additional context to world-building, they also risked slowing down the momentum, and there were times I longed for more action.
At the end of the day, I would call Faebound a combination of both highs and lows, featuring compelling elements like rich characters and entertaining themes, though the plot also underwhelmed me slightly with its predictability. However, it was a fast and easy read, and for fantasy readers who appreciate character-driven and don’t mind a slower narrative or more familiar themes, Saara El-Arifi’s new series opener may still offer an enjoyable reading experience.
The BiblioSanctum 
With good characterization one might be inclined to forget the missteps in the world-building. From your description this novel does not sound like a ground-breaking one, but still it might offer a few hours of pleasant reading – and that’s often enough 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
It sounds pretty decent over all. I’ll admit this wasn’t really on my radar, but glad to see there were enough positives to keep you reading.
LikeLike
This is an excellent review! I’ll be reading this book very soon, so it’s interesting to learn about another bookbloggers thoughts about it. Especially, since this will be my first time reading a book by this author, too!
LikeLike
There are stories whose easy predictability kill it for me, but there are others that still have enough of something to keep me entertained enough to continue reading. Glad to hear this may be in that latter category.
LikeLike
Just checking in. Haven’t seen you around and I have a vague recollection that you were taking some blogging time off, but I can’t be sure.
Hope things are OK and it’s not sickness keeping you away.
LikeLike
Maybe not a perfect read but it had it’s highs together with good character.
Lynn 😀
LikeLike
I do get what you mean about this books predictability (although one reveal managed to catch me off guard) but luckily I managed to fall for this book regardless. I’m not sure if you’d have a better experience with The Final Strife. It has elements that appear a lot in fantasy, like its competition, but personally I felt like it went in a slightly different direction with them than I’d expected. Plus it has rich characters again and a plot that I don’t think you’d find as predictable. Hopefully (it was my second favourite read during its release year so I love the chance to recommend it).
LikeLike