These Infinite Threads
These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom #2)
By: Tahereh Mafi
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
[This book was nominated for the ‘Best YA Fantasy/Science Fiction’ category of the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge ]
“Pleasure and torture were often delivered in the same blow.”
As I discussed in my review for This Woven Kingdom, there were several things I felt were undeveloped in the first book: the water crisis, the devil or its opponent, and Kamran’s enigma of a mother. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t really say any of these progressed much in this book.
This felt more like a transitional book in between books one and three where not a lot of action or plot progression happens. It was more focused on the love triangle I suspected would develop.
This book takes place right after the first one so much so that you almost need to reread the last chapter before starting this one. I think I waited too long to read this one and had forgotten some of where we had left off.
Here’s the Sitch
This book is structured to go back and forth between what’s going on with Alizeh and what’s happening with Kamran:
Alizeh has just been captured by Cyrus and taken to Tulan where he expects her to become his wife and rule his kingdom. This is part of the deal he has made with the devil.
Once she realizes the devil’s involvement, Alizeh is resistant to do anything that would be in line with the devil’s plans. Trying to figure out a way to escape, she is intrigued by Cyrus’ mother’s encouragement to help her murder her own son.
She says, “Cyrus is exceedingly clever, rather deceptively strong, and lacks a basic standard of virtue. He’s also very, very angry, and suspicious to a fault.”
Alizeh and Cyrus hate each other and spend most of their words to each other insulting one another. But of course, where there is hate, there is love. Underlying the distrust and hatred, they’re book attracted to each other but won’t admit it.
The more time they spend together the more compassion Alizeh has for Cyrus’ devil-predicament and the more alluring Cyrus’ clear beauty is to her.
Meanwhile, Kamran is left behind in Ardunia to process all the betrayal he has just experienced. His anger is at an all time high, sated only by his dichotomous love/hate feelings for Alizeh.
“The entire Ardunian empire had been left vulnerable because he’d been frail of mind and body. Never again. Never again would he allow a woman to own his emotions: never again would he be made weak by such base temptations. He swore it then: this monster from the prophecy would die by his hand— he would drive a blade through her heart or die trying.”
“Alizeh spoke, and the Diviners had been slaughtered; she spun, and his grandfather had been murdered; she laughed, and his body had been disfigured; she breathed, and his mother had vanished; she sighed, and his aunt no longer spoke to him; she left, and his own people had turned on him. Even then, he wondered whether he’d ever see her again.”
The disaster that has just happened leaves Kamran whirling, not knowing who he can trust. His place on the throne is in danger and his ousting looms imminent.
He eventually gathers a rag-tag band of people seemingly loyal to him and willing to help him maintain his power and try to rescue Alizeh.
The end of the book sets us up to prepare for a reuniting of Alizeh and Kamran under unsteady circumstances and a lot of tension. It would seem the lack of action in this book should pick up in the next one!
Comments
Even though there wasn’t much plot movement, I still enjoyed reading this book. It didn’t feel like it was dragging or that I was bored.
I’m not sure how I feel about the characters at this point. There is just so much anger and insulting in the book. Everyone hates everyone all the time! Some of the sarcasm and insults are funny I guess, but the overall negative vibe is a bit much.
I’m also not a big fan of love triangles. I’m interested to see how Mafi decides to handle this in the next book.
In comparison to the first book there is a little bit more sexual encounters— no actual sex or anything weird, but probably enough ‘lustful’ (for lack of a better word) thoughts that I’m not sure if I would recommend for high school readers.
I was disappointed that we didn’t really get more development on some things so my expectations for the next book are pretty high. I hope Mafi takes the story in a satisfying way. I speculate that Kamran’s mother is going to be a big piece of the puzzle coming together so hopefully I’m not wrong about that.
What’s weird about this series is that I’m not entirely sure what the main conflict/problem is. Obviously the prophecy is central: Alizeh is supposed to rule her people. But the devil aspect is confusing to me because we don’t really know what his game is. What is he planning and for what purpose? Because his mission is unclear, it’s hard to know what moves/decisions help or hurt him— we can’t feel the tension as a reader of knowing the character is making the right or wrong choice. There is still mystery obviously, but sometimes it’s nice to know what we’re trying to avoid so the tension has more meaning.
Recommendation
At this point I’m still recommending this series, but we’re in the same place as the first book where a lot hinges on what’s next. Mafi is stringing us along a little bit so the pay-off better be worth it.
If you like enemies to lovers tropes, this is definitely for you (at least I think so, I guess I don’t know if anyone actually ends up lovers yet).
There is quite a bit of intrigue and potential left to come so at this point I’m still looking forward to more of this series.
[Content Advisory: no swearing (that I can remember); sexual content is just some ‘lustful’ thoughts that the characters are currently resisting]
This book released February, 2023. You can order a copy of this book using my affiliate link below.
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