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With a DNA profile that lights up like a satellite photograph of earth, Saara El-Arifi's heritage is intrinsically linked to the themes she explores in her writing. She was raised in the Middle East until her formative years, when her family swapped the Abu Dhabi desert for the English Peak District hills. This change of climate had a significant impact on her growth-not physically, she's nearly 6ft-and she learned what it was to be Black in a white world. El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie. Though her stories have developed beyond the ramblings of a child, she still appreciates the thrill of a well-told tale. The Final Strife is Saara El-Arifi's debut novel, the first part of a trilogy inspired by Ghanaian folklore and Arabian myths.
PRAISE FOR THE FINAL STRIFE ‘Featuring a love triangle, an enemies to lovers arc, and plenty of intrigue, this read will have you running the full gamut of emotions’ Huffington Post UK ‘El-Arifi is a game-changing new voice in epic fantasy, and The Final Strife is a triumph of book, full of rage, charm, and a cast of misfits you can't help but root for. There are no Chosen Ones here. Only bad choices and blood’ Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne ‘Epic, gripping and searing, The Final Strife weaves a fascinating tale of destiny, magic and love set in a richly imagined yet brutally divided world. Its unexpected, gritty heroine is one you cannot help but root for, and the story will stay with you long after the last page’ Sue Lynn Tan, author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess ‘El-Arifi tells a tale that is as fierce as its characters, plunging you into a sandy, stratified world until you can feel the grit between your teeth. Heart-wrenching and heart-pounding, The Final Strife is an unmissable debut’ Andrea Stewart, author of Bone Shard Daughter ‘Full of rich, vivid world-building with political intrigue and characters you can’t help but root for. I loved it’ Christina Sweeney-Baird, author of The End of Men ‘Epic fantasy turned on its head in the most compelling way imaginable. A heroine with bite, a supporting cast of flawed but deeply human characters, and world building that is raw, unforgiving and richly textured, The Final Strife is the real deal. El-Arifi is a bold new voice in epic fantasy and I cannot wait to read more of her work’ Kalynn Bayron, bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead and This Poison Heart ‘A rip-roaring read!’ Taran Matharu, NYT bestselling author of the Summoner and Contender series
