The Weavers of Alamaxa
Following up on one of the most exciting fantasy debuts, The Daughters of Izdihar, Hadeer Elsbai concludes her Alamaxa Duology--inspired by Egyptian history and myth--with a tale of magic, war, betrayal, sisterhood, and love.
The world is on fire...but some women can control it.
The Daughters of Izdihar--a group of women fighting for the vote and against the patriarchal rule of Parliament--have finally made strides in having their voices heard...only to find them drowned out by the cannons of the fundamentalist Ziranis. As long as Alamaxa continues to allow for the elemental magic of the weavers--and insist on allowing an academy to teach such things--the Zirani will stop at nothing to end what they perceive is a threat to not only their way of life, but the entire world.
Two such weavers, Nehal and Giorgina, had come together despite their differences to grow both their political and weaving power. But after the attack, Nehal wakes up in a Zirani prison, and Giorgina is on the run in her besieged city. If they can reunite again, they can rally Alamaxa to fight off the encroaching Zirani threat. Yet with so much in their way--including a contingent of Zirani insurgents with their own ideas about rebellion--this will be no easy task.
And the last time a weaver fought back, the whole world was shattered.
Two incredible women are all that stands before an entire army. But they've fought against power before and won. This time, though, it's no longer about rhetoric.
This time it's about magic and blood.
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Hadeer Elsbai is an Egyptian-American writer and librarian. Born in New York City, she grew up being shuffled between Queens and Cairo. Hadeer studied history at Hunter College and later earned her master's degree in library science from Queens College, making her a CUNY alum twice over. She has published short stories in The Dark and Anathema. Her first novel, The Daughter of Izdihar, published in 2023.
"Elsbai deftly combines battle scenes and political machinations, leading to a compelling conclusion. A must-read for fans of fantasy authors like S. A. Chakraborty, Renée Ahdieh, and L. Penelope." -- Booklist
"Readers looking for fantasy inspired by the wide world of voices out there will find this story's incorporation of Egyptian history fascinating, while those who love feminist fantasy such as Jenna Glass's "Women's War" series will dig right into this fight." -- Library Journal
"Elsbai's Egyptian-inspired fantasy world is compelling and fascinating." -- Washington Post on The Daughters of Izdihar
"A wondrously rich fantasy that highlights the true struggle to revolutionize a society. You will cheer and mourn alongside Nehal and Giorgina as they dare to discover new magic, fight for a more just society, and find love in unexpected places. A debut not to be missed!" -- Shannon Chakraborty, bestselling author of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, on The Daughters of Izdihar
"Forbidden magic, social revolution, and political intrigue--in The Daughters of Izdihar, author Hadeer Elsbai has written a powerful story of sisterhood, love, and struggle within a rich, vibrant world with complicated characters that leap from the page to smash the patriarchy!" -- P. Djèlí Clark, author of A Master of Djinn
"With a focus on women, magic, and political schemes, this novel is cleareyed regarding social issues, timely, and above all, an engrossing fantasy. Sympathetic yet flawed characters set against a complex society on the edge of change bring this novel to vibrant life." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"This debut fantasy is an impressive feminist feat, with immersive world building, fascinating, complex characters, and a plot that hooked me from start to finish." -- Buzzfeed
