The Daughters of Izdihar (The Alamaxa Duology, 1)
From debut author Hadeer Elsbai comes the first book in an incredibly powerful new duology, set wholly in a new world, but inspired by modern Egyptian history, about two young women—Nehal, a spoiled aristocrat used to getting what she wants and Giorgina, a poor bookshop worker used to having nothing—who find they have far more in common, particularly in their struggle for the rights of women and their ability to fight for it with forbidden elemental magic
As a waterweaver, Nehal can move and shape any water to her will, but she’s limited by her lack of formal education. She desires nothing more than to attend the newly opened Weaving Academy, take complete control of her powers, and pursue a glorious future on the battlefield with the first all-female military regiment. But her family cannot afford to let her go—crushed under her father’s gambling debt, Nehal is forcibly married into a wealthy merchant family. Her new spouse, Nico, is indifferent and distant and in love with another woman, a bookseller named Giorgina.
Giorgina has her own secret, however: she is an earthweaver with dangerously uncontrollable powers. She has no money and no prospects. Her only solace comes from her activities with the Daughters of Izdihar, a radical women’s rights group at the forefront of a movement with a simple goal: to attain recognition for women to have a say in their own lives. They live very different lives and come from very different means, yet Nehal and Giorgina have more in common than they think. The cause—and Nico—brings them into each other’s orbit, drawn in by the group’s enigmatic leader, Malak Mamdouh, and the urge to do what is right.
But their problems may seem small in the broader context of their world, as tensions are rising with a neighboring nation that desires an end to weaving and weavers. As Nehal and Giorgina fight for their rights, the threat of war looms in the background, and the two women find themselves struggling to earn—and keep—a lasting freedom.
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Community Reviews
The Daughters of Izdihar is the perfect read for fans of Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra.
Splitting between two perspectives, The Daughters of Izdihar follows Nehal and Giorgina, two women brought together by their fight for equality in a man-dominated world.
Storytelling
I absolutely loved The Daughters of Izdihar. Not only because I am a massive fan of The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra but also because the elements behind the fantasy were incredibly relevant to the current climate.
I once had a professor tell me that genre fiction was not real fiction, a statement that I still feel is unfair and inaccurate. The Daughters of Izdihar is the perfect example as to why.
Nehal and Giorgina are two women from two different paths of life. Nehal was born privileged and is often a spoiled rich girl. She is headstrong and determined to use her ability as a waterweaver as more than just a parlor trick. That makes her a good character even when her narcissism sometimes makes her unbearable. Nehal strives for equality. She strives to be more than just a wife who hosts parties at her husband’s house. Nehal wants to be a warrior.
I also love how her character develops, and her powers grow to reflect that. Also, when she joins the suffrage movement, a group of women who call themselves The Daughters of Izdihar, she learns to put her ego aside (at times) and explore her sexuality. Nehal learns to care about more than herself, about something bigger than herself.
As for Giorgina, she comes from a modest family who put pressure on her to be a good daughter, a respectable daughter. Unlike Nehal, Giorgina does not like her gift as an earthweaver. She fears it, making her power uncontrollable as her emotions sometimes get the better.
But much like with Nehal, as life begins to wear down on her, she discovers her voice. She strives to be more outspoken. She strives for equality to make her own decisions and not be shamed for not folding herself into a box.
Nehal and Giorgina are perfect foils for one another, balancing one another out as they struggle with how society views not only their gender but also their magic. They fight for a voice in politics, a path towards equality.
Final Thoughts
The Daughters of Izdihar is a fantastic novel, and I’m incredibly excited for the sequel. They have both grown, but you can see the darker path ahead for some.
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