These Infinite Threads: This Woven Kingdom, Book 2
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Tahereh Mafi's These Infinite Threads is the second book of the This Woven Kingdom fantasy series by the author of the very popular Shatter Me series. Like in the first book, teen readers need to be more prepared for the higher level of reading required than for a lot of mature content -- the character dialogue alone will definitely boost their vocabulary. Though, unlike the first book, a few uses of "f--k" slip into the dialogue this time. The story starts with a king recently murdered and a prince nearly killed in a fight with swords and magic. A man is tortured by the devil figure, Iblees; all that's seen is screaming and bruises. There are kidnapings, imprisonments, short skirmishes with swords and a mace, and falls and rescues from great heights. Two characters talk about wanting to die rather than face the difficulties in their lives and a mother wants her son killed after he killed her husband. Iranian American author Mafi adds many touches of her heritage in the naming of the characters, in the mythology of the Jinn and the giant bird Simorgh.
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What's the Story?
In THESE INFINITE THREADS: THIS WOVEN KINGDOM, BOOK 2, the ball where Prince Kamran was supposed to pick his bride takes a tragic turn. King Zaal is dead, the grisly secret about his unnaturally long life revealed, Kamran is badly burned, and Alizeh is whisked away by a dragon straight through the palace wall. And that's before the sword fight with the Tulanian king, Cyrus, that ends in Kamran turned to stone, a whole ballroom full of thoughtless subjects gawking, and Kamran's oily defense minister leaping at the chance to usurp power. Only Diviner magic can save Kamran, and trust in his friends. But he feels he has no friends, especially after he has sentenced his very best friend and advisor to death for his secret alliance with the Jinn. And what will save Alizeh, kidnapped by Cyrus, winging her way to the kingdom of Tulan? It only gets worse when Cyrus reveals his plans for Alizeh. She's to be his bride, as the devil dictates, or else.
Is It Any Good?
This sequel lacks the excitement and intrigue of the first, but will still draw readers as it explores characters' internal struggles. What author Tahereh Mafi excels at -- digging deep into the suffering of her characters and the reasons for the difficult choices they make -- gets in the way of the storytelling. So much so that These Infinite Threads backtracks to the last few scenes of Book 1, This Woven Kingdom, and holds there for chapters. Readers already know what happened to Alizeh at the end of Book 1 -- how could you forget someone plummeting off a dragon?! We also know the trouble Kamran is in, trapped at the ball, his grandfather dead. Readers stew with him while he's incased in stone going over every misstep of his life, every person he thinks is against him, and every horrible thing he thinks about Alizeh now. It's a relief when his mother stabs him -- to get him free of that statue, but also get us free of his vengeful rant.
Chapters in, the story finally gets rolling, Kamran finds his footing amongst a few allies, some of them more welcome by him than others -- readers will enjoy the return of the ridiculous Miss Huda. Alizeh has a few shocks at the Tulanian palace where she's either to be a bride or a captive or more likely both. The sparring between her and Cyrus is a highlight. Romantic sparks fly, but he's all wrong for her, of course. Readers will be begging for an Alizeh-Kamran reunion as soon as possible, and (spoiler alert), will still be begging for it when this sequel concludes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Alizeh's feelings for Cyrus in These Infinite Threads. How does she express empathy for his suffering while still protecting her own well-being?
In many stories throughout many different cultures characters make deals with the devil, and of course things go horribly awry. Have you read any of these stories? What do you think will happen to Alizeh if she marries Cyrus?
What do you think is next for this series? What else do you think you'll learn about Iranian mythology?
Book Details
- Author: Tahereh Mafi
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Empathy
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date: February 7, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 17
- Number of pages: 416
- Available on: Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 24, 2023
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