The Wild Ones by Nafiza Azad Book Review

 

TITLE: The Wild Ones

AUTHOR: Nafiza Azad
PUBLISHER: Margaret K. McElderry Books
RELEASE DATE: August 3rd, 2021

GENRES: YOUNG ADULT FICTION---Fantasy

SYNOPSIS:

From William C. Morris Finalist Nafiza Azad comes a thrilling, feminist fantasy about a group of teenage girls endowed with special powers who must band together to save the life of the boy whose magic saved them all.

Meet the Wild Ones: girls who have been hurt, abandoned and betrayed all their lives. It all began with Paheli, who was once betrayed by her mother and sold to a man in exchange for a favor. When Paheli escapes, she runs headlong into a boy with stars in his eyes. This boy, as battered as she is, tosses Paheli a box of stars before disappearing.

With the stars, Paheli gains access to the Between, a place of pure magic and mystery. Now, Paheli collects girls like herself, and these Wild Ones use their magic to travel the world, helping the hopeless and saving others from the fates they suffered.

Then Paheli and the Wild Ones learn that the boy who gave them the stars, Taraana, is in danger. He’s on the run from powerful forces within the world of magic. But if Taraana is no longer safe and free, neither are the Wild Ones. And that… is a fate the Wild Ones refuse to accept. Ever again.

Why you should read this book?

1. The Representation:

The book has so many diverse representations which I'm not used to. So of course it came as a beautiful surprise. Paheli, who is an Indian girl with Widad, Daraja, Kamboja, Areum, Talei, Valentina, Etsuko, Sevda, Ghufran, and Ligaya, the number of characters might sound intimidating at first but trust me, it's even better like this. They're all so different and have their unique aura. Loved it & did I mention the amazing dynamics between them? It's so damn good, let me remind you again.

 

"We have the temerity to be not just women, but women of color. Women with melanin in our skins and voices in our throats. Voices that will not be vanquished. Not now, not ever. We will not be silenced."

2. The Writing Style:

Okay, the book is fantasy, YA Fantasy, which means there are lots of explaining to do, and circumstances to explain. Writing style can either make the book or break the book, in this case however it's the former. The words literally flow, I was on the first page and I knew that I'm not going to sleep until I finish the book. 

"It hurt to run, but it would have destroyed me to stay."

3. Magic System & World-Building:

I read fantasy, a lot. I can not be fascinated by new worlds. Nafiza stunningly created a world where there is a place, which is part of everything and still nothing, and the same goes for the people living there, here but actually nowhere. I can never stress enough how thoroughly I enjoyed the concept. The Between, and its habitants with powers which they use for the greater good. 

 "We are the wild ones. We are made of whimsy and lemon." 

4. That goddamn good friendship that had me in feels:

Okay, y'all, I guess you're already aware but let me remind you once again, I'm a sucker for found families and friendships that can make me cry. And yes it is there in the story, powerful girl squad on the mission to save a boy who is being chased by evil forces because of his powers. We stan women who support each other. 

"they all leave a bit of themselves within me."

 

Okay now I did had some problems with the pace of the story, in the beginning, it was a little slow for my taste but thankfully gained momentum the further we progressed in the story. Also, I would've really enjoyed the book more only if the narrators of the parts were mentioned clearly instead of me having to guess it. Other than these, it was a great story, loved it. 

Trigger Warnings: misogyny, abandonment, human trafficking, prostitution, abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual), grief, victim’s guilt, blood & violence.

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About the Author:

Nafiza Azad is a self-identified island girl. She has hurricanes in her blood and dreams

of a time she can exist solely on mangoes and pineapple. Born in Lautoka, Fiji, she

currently resides in British Columbia, Canada, where she reads too many books,

Watches too many K-dramas, and writes stories about girls taking over the world. Her

Debut YA fantasy was the Morris Award-nominated The Candle and the Flame. The

Wild Ones is her second novel.

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