“The book opens with a gripping scene of verbal attack, dropping us right in an engaging scene and establishing our main character. We get a sense of his role in life, and author uses an expert hand at illustrating the brutality of punishment. Intrigue levels are high.
Author does a spectacular job with scenery, imbuing the setting with experiential sensory details. We get a sense of the earth, of air thickness, the sparkle of stars – all work to ground the reader in the scene. Very well done. Dialogue shines, as author has differentiated characters’ voices and backgrounds. I enjoyed the description of the pirates as ‘unruly farmers with knives,’ as one example of the author’s great talent for physical description. Pace carries us along well, avoiding any lull in the middle of the book, and using transitions between chapters to create a fine cadence and structure. Well done.
Haziq is an effective teacher and protector, one of the most well-rounded characters of the book. The ending is gorgeous, with the barefoot run through the olive groves, conveying movement, texture, and freedom. Very well done."
– Writer’s Digest
