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Amina al-Sirafi #1
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Fantasy (2023)Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, spins a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman’s determined quest to seize a final chance at glory—and write her own legend.
Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.
But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.
Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.
Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.
But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.
Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.
483 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,352 reviews
March 4, 2023
SAC can do no wrong in my eyes.
she has such a strong talent for creating magical worlds and historic atmospheres. and this particular book has everything i need to feel like im living a stolen life on the open seas with the salty wind in my hair and a map in my hand.
i adored the time period, i loved the characters, i had a lot of fun with the plot, and i obsessed over the mythology of it all. this is an exceptional start to a series i fully expect to love.
↠ 4.5 stars
she has such a strong talent for creating magical worlds and historic atmospheres. and this particular book has everything i need to feel like im living a stolen life on the open seas with the salty wind in my hair and a map in my hand.
i adored the time period, i loved the characters, i had a lot of fun with the plot, and i obsessed over the mythology of it all. this is an exceptional start to a series i fully expect to love.
↠ 4.5 stars
July 28, 2023
the first half of this book was FANTASTIC, i couldn’t put it down, i was utterly engrossed in the story! but the second half took a bit of a silly turn? almost surrealist it some ways that for the original tone of the book, felt a little too over the top.
August 25, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
I finally did read it! The first 200 pages were very slow. I felt a slump coming on and that’s definitely not what I wanted from this book. Once it picked up however it started getting really good. The second half was everything I wanted it to be. I just know the next book is going be amazing.
—-
I'm going to read everything S.A. Chakraborty writes from now on. End of story.
I finally did read it! The first 200 pages were very slow. I felt a slump coming on and that’s definitely not what I wanted from this book. Once it picked up however it started getting really good. The second half was everything I wanted it to be. I just know the next book is going be amazing.
—-
I'm going to read everything S.A. Chakraborty writes from now on. End of story.
April 15, 2024
**4.5-stars rounded up**
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi was my first Chakraborty novel. I am so happy to have discovered her work.
This was such an incredible story; well told and well constructed. I loved this cast of characters so much. I honestly can't believe how attached I got to them.
The star of our show, of course, is Amina al-Sirafi. As a woman over 40, I can tell you it was an absolute delight to get a female protagonist who was a little more battle-worn, and time advanced, than your typical lead.
Amina has had many, many adventures on the high seas, as one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates. She's loved and lost, been in tight spots and epic battles of wit. She's also been married numerous times and even is a mother to a delightful little girl, Marjana.
She should be happy and I guess, in a lot of ways she is, but an adventurer will always have that nagging feeling in the pit of their gut that there's more out there.
When Amina is approached by an extremely wealthy woman to embark on one more quest, she's definitely reluctant. It's dangerous and she doesn't want to leave her daughter behind, in spite of the slight urge to adventure on.
Unfortunately, the woman really leaves her without much of a choice and when riches beyond Amina's wildest imaginations are dangled in front of her, she agrees. One more mission.
Determined to succeed, Amina assembles a team of her old colleagues, each one with a specialty likely to contribute greatly to their task. They've got their means of transportation, they've got their team, they've got a goal.
Thus, they set out to find and rescue the allegedly kidnapped granddaughter or their rich benefactor.
This adventure was so engrossing. I loved the crew. The banter was witty and the stakes were high. As the story progressed, more magical elements were introduced and I definitely found it enchanting.
There were some sections towards the end that I found a little confusing, but it could have been because I was reading it so quickly. I was dying to discover what was going to happen, so it kept me going at a pretty steady pace.
I'm super stoked that this is just the start of this series. What a fun way to kick it off. I am very anxious to see where it is going to go from here. I can't wait to go on more adventures with Amina and her crew!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Harper Voyager, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was fantastic!
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi was my first Chakraborty novel. I am so happy to have discovered her work.
This was such an incredible story; well told and well constructed. I loved this cast of characters so much. I honestly can't believe how attached I got to them.
The star of our show, of course, is Amina al-Sirafi. As a woman over 40, I can tell you it was an absolute delight to get a female protagonist who was a little more battle-worn, and time advanced, than your typical lead.
Amina has had many, many adventures on the high seas, as one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates. She's loved and lost, been in tight spots and epic battles of wit. She's also been married numerous times and even is a mother to a delightful little girl, Marjana.
She should be happy and I guess, in a lot of ways she is, but an adventurer will always have that nagging feeling in the pit of their gut that there's more out there.
When Amina is approached by an extremely wealthy woman to embark on one more quest, she's definitely reluctant. It's dangerous and she doesn't want to leave her daughter behind, in spite of the slight urge to adventure on.
Unfortunately, the woman really leaves her without much of a choice and when riches beyond Amina's wildest imaginations are dangled in front of her, she agrees. One more mission.
Determined to succeed, Amina assembles a team of her old colleagues, each one with a specialty likely to contribute greatly to their task. They've got their means of transportation, they've got their team, they've got a goal.
Thus, they set out to find and rescue the allegedly kidnapped granddaughter or their rich benefactor.
This adventure was so engrossing. I loved the crew. The banter was witty and the stakes were high. As the story progressed, more magical elements were introduced and I definitely found it enchanting.
There were some sections towards the end that I found a little confusing, but it could have been because I was reading it so quickly. I was dying to discover what was going to happen, so it kept me going at a pretty steady pace.
I'm super stoked that this is just the start of this series. What a fun way to kick it off. I am very anxious to see where it is going to go from here. I can't wait to go on more adventures with Amina and her crew!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Harper Voyager, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was fantastic!
June 20, 2023
BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR!!
April 28, 2023
Pre-release thoughts: March 2023 cannot come fast enough, I need this in my hands today!!!
Rating:
4.5 stars
Rating:
4.5 stars
November 28, 2023
Goodreads Choice Awards Final Round - Best Fantasy
Goodreads Choice Awards Opening Round - Best Fantasy
I was first introduced to Shannon's work through The City of Brass series, for which I am due a reread. Not a spoiler, but you won't have to look far to see a bit of overlap between the series. The premise had everything I wanted in a fantasy novel. A sexually liberated Muslim pirate that captains her own ship? And accidentally marries a demon? Say less.
However, heist books often lose me, and this is above all, a heist. Don't you Six of Crows me. Amina is hired by a woman who claims her granddaughter has been kidnapped by a Frank. Are these Germans? I'm not good with this time period.
Lo and behold, the granddaughter isn't quite a runaway. But the bad white man is bad. There are some mystical treasures to behold. And demon sex! But even that couldn't captivate me further. I will say beyond the positive Muslim rep, there is also equally positive gender affirming rep. Traditionalists won't love it, but I'm not here for their negativity.
Goodreads Choice Awards Opening Round - Best Fantasy
I was first introduced to Shannon's work through The City of Brass series, for which I am due a reread. Not a spoiler, but you won't have to look far to see a bit of overlap between the series. The premise had everything I wanted in a fantasy novel. A sexually liberated Muslim pirate that captains her own ship? And accidentally marries a demon? Say less.
However, heist books often lose me, and this is above all, a heist. Don't you Six of Crows me. Amina is hired by a woman who claims her granddaughter has been kidnapped by a Frank. Are these Germans? I'm not good with this time period.
Lo and behold, the granddaughter isn't quite a runaway. But the bad white man is bad. There are some mystical treasures to behold. And demon sex! But even that couldn't captivate me further. I will say beyond the positive Muslim rep, there is also equally positive gender affirming rep. Traditionalists won't love it, but I'm not here for their negativity.
December 29, 2022
A swashbuckling, charming, high-seas adventure with lady pirates, poisoners, magic, demon husbands, and a host of loveable characters. If you are looking for some good old-fashioned fantasy reading but set in a wonderfully fresh and unique world, this is the ticket. I know Chakraborty also meticulously researched this book (as she says in the acknowledgments) but honestly, that's just an added delight. It's the characters that shine for me, and the fun plot, and the spot on and often hilarious voice of the main character. A true joy.
June 13, 2023
This was everything I wanted it to be: pirates, magical creatures, and the lore that Chakraborty weaves into her stories. Also there’s some very small Easter eggs for Daevabad which makes me very happy.
June 15, 2023
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.
ARC provided by the publisher—Harper Voyager—in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
I gave in to the hype. I finally read Chakraborty’s book for the first time, and it certainly will not be the last.
Since her debut novel, The City of Brass, was published in 2017, Chakraborty is a name that keeps getting more popularity and recognition with each new book. That debut was six years ago. It is unbelievable that it took me this long to finally read a book written by Shannon Chakraborty for the first time. The first trilogy by her, The Daevabad Trilogy, was completed in the year 2020, and it is a historical fantasy series with a lot of diehard fans. A LOT. And yes, I am ashamed to admit I haven't read that trilogy yet. That said, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a new book in a new series by her taking place in the same world as The Daevabad Trilogy, but before the events of The City of Brass. And it is very much possible to read this without reading The Daevabad Trilogy first. Because of that, and also the stunning cover art by Ivan Belikov (US edition) that got my attention, I decided to read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi first instead before reading The Daevabad Trilogy. I am happy to say I had a fun time reading it, and if possible, I would love to read The Daevabad Trilogy before the release of the second book in the Amina al-Sirafi trilogy.
Picture: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Ivan Belikov
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is the first book in the Amina al-Sirafi trilogy by Shannon Chakraborty. Amina al-Sirafi was once one of the most notorious pirates in the Indian Ocean. She has survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon. But now, she has retired peacefully to a life of piety and motherhood with her daughter, Marjana. But then, an extremely wealthy mother of a former crewman finds out about Amina’s location, and she decides to visit her and offers her a job she cannot refuse. The job is to retrieve her granddaughter in exchange for one million dinars upon completion. Amina has the chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever. But of course, it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job and the girl’s disappearance. There is always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, and Amina and her shipmates will face a new kind of danger in their mission. This is the general premise of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, and the story is told almost entirely through her perspective that she is telling to a scribe named Jamal.
As I said earlier, I haven’t read The Daevabad Trilogy yet, so I can’t make an accurate comparison on which one is better between The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi and The Daevabad Trilogy. Or how similar they are to one another. But as far as I know, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a different kind of book and series that takes place in the same world, but again, before the beginning of The Daevabad Trilogy. It is a swashbuckling adventure with themes of motherhood, wealth, freedom, and found family. I will say, though, I am not sure whether I heard this wrong or not, but I thought this book would have a heist-centered narrative. And due to the main character being a pirate, I expected this book would be full of sea adventure portions like The Tide Child trilogy by R.J. Barker, for example. These, for better or worse, were not the case. There was indeed a mission, and obviously, there were seafaring sections, but almost the entire story in the book takes place on the land. This is not a complaint. Generally speaking, seafaring portions in fantasy novels tend to bore me. So I am pleased most of the story takes place on land instead of the sea. But I AM a fan of heist stories. Unfortunately, the supposed heist was the standard main quest to retrieve the granddaughter instead of a heist comprised of intricate planning. And, well, stealing something.
Picture: The Crew of Marawati by April Damon
Although I enjoyed reading this book, that and one other issue are why I cannot give this book a higher rating than 3.5 stars. I mentioned that found family is one of the tropes implemented into The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. The first half of the novel is about getting the band back together. But the characters felt likable only on the surface level. They were there simply to help drive the story forward. But that was it. The found family trope was evident in the narrative, but other than Amina herself, the other supporting characters did not feel developed enough for me to remember them distinctly. Tinbu, in particular, was incredibly forgettable. I had to research his name again because I already forgot his name at the time of writing this review. Dalila and Majed’s roles in the story, and also their characterizations, were more prominent, and I liked them. But still, they were not focused and developed enough. A few days or a week from now, there is a good chance I will not remember them anymore. This could totally be fixed in the upcoming books, and it might just be the plan to do that, but for now, it feels like a missed opportunity from my perspective because I do like Amina as a character, and I liked seeing Amina’s affection for her shipmates.
It can be argued that Amina's first-person POV narration is why the characterizations and focus on Amina were so much more dominant. However, some of my favorite fantasy series and books with first-person narration, like the recently released The Will of the Many by James Islington or Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown, to mention a few, managed to make me care deeply about the supporting characters almost as much as I care about the main character. Sometimes even more, in the case of Sevro to Darrow! At the very least, I can remember them distinctly, and I truly hope I will grow to like Amina's shipmates more in the sequel. Because I do think Chakraborty's prose was captivating enough, and she is a great storyteller. If the first half was about gathering the band back together, the second half was about executing the mission and navigating all the chaos that came from it. I found the second half of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi more engaging than the first half, even when the villains and the truth behind the Moon of Saba felt comical. But the adventure along with the themes of social injustice and faiths implemented, plus Amina's struggle in juggling her responsibility as a mother and doing what she would love to do, has made the narrative intriguing for me.
Do note that this is a historical fantasy novel. The story takes place in our world in the past, but despite that, there were plenty of fantastical elements to keep the readers engaged if you’re in it for the fantasy aspects, such as sea monsters, demons, forbidden artifacts, djinns, and more. Also, I should mention that historical fantasy isn’t usually my preference for reading. I love historical fiction, but I rarely click with historical fantasy novels. But because of where I live, some of the terminologies used in this book were fascinating. I am a Chinese born and raised in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. But I did not realize how similar some Indonesian words are to Arabic until I read this book. Even though I probably should’ve guessed that. Muslim is a religion that is portrayed heavily in The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. And well, here’s a fun fact. Indonesia is the country with the largest population of Muslims in the entire world. More or less 13% of the world’s Muslims. And Jakarta, the capital city, is the largest city in Southeast Asia. Although I am not Muslim, as a citizen here, seeing daily words here like fajr (fajar in Indonesian means dawn), raja (king in Indonesian), nikah (marriage in Indonesian), Iblis (devil in Indonesian), peri (fairy in Indonesian), and Quran, Inshallah, Masjid, was a refreshing reading experience. I rarely see these in Western-published fantasy novels.
Picture: Map of the Great Indian Ocean by Virginia Allyn
Speaking of djinns and peri, I believe there were cameo appearances from the characters in The Daevabad Trilogy here. But again, I do not think it is a MUST to read The Daevabad Trilogy first before reading this book. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi works really well as your first time reading Chakraborty's book, and more importantly, it is a great and fun start to a new trilogy. It is easily one of the most hyped new fantasy releases of 2023, with plenty of special editions published already. Although I had a few issues with this book, I am assured this won't be the last time I read a book by Chakraborty. On top of looking forward to reading the continuation of Amina al-Sirafi's infamous and scandalous tale, I feel more energized to read The Daevabad Trilogy now.
You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
ARC provided by the publisher—Harper Voyager—in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
I gave in to the hype. I finally read Chakraborty’s book for the first time, and it certainly will not be the last.
“Exaggerations, but the truth scarcely matters when it comes to a good tale.”
Since her debut novel, The City of Brass, was published in 2017, Chakraborty is a name that keeps getting more popularity and recognition with each new book. That debut was six years ago. It is unbelievable that it took me this long to finally read a book written by Shannon Chakraborty for the first time. The first trilogy by her, The Daevabad Trilogy, was completed in the year 2020, and it is a historical fantasy series with a lot of diehard fans. A LOT. And yes, I am ashamed to admit I haven't read that trilogy yet. That said, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a new book in a new series by her taking place in the same world as The Daevabad Trilogy, but before the events of The City of Brass. And it is very much possible to read this without reading The Daevabad Trilogy first. Because of that, and also the stunning cover art by Ivan Belikov (US edition) that got my attention, I decided to read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi first instead before reading The Daevabad Trilogy. I am happy to say I had a fun time reading it, and if possible, I would love to read The Daevabad Trilogy before the release of the second book in the Amina al-Sirafi trilogy.
Picture: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Ivan Belikov
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is the first book in the Amina al-Sirafi trilogy by Shannon Chakraborty. Amina al-Sirafi was once one of the most notorious pirates in the Indian Ocean. She has survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon. But now, she has retired peacefully to a life of piety and motherhood with her daughter, Marjana. But then, an extremely wealthy mother of a former crewman finds out about Amina’s location, and she decides to visit her and offers her a job she cannot refuse. The job is to retrieve her granddaughter in exchange for one million dinars upon completion. Amina has the chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever. But of course, it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job and the girl’s disappearance. There is always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, and Amina and her shipmates will face a new kind of danger in their mission. This is the general premise of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, and the story is told almost entirely through her perspective that she is telling to a scribe named Jamal.
“For this scribe has read a great many of these accounts and taken away another lesson: that to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted.”
As I said earlier, I haven’t read The Daevabad Trilogy yet, so I can’t make an accurate comparison on which one is better between The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi and The Daevabad Trilogy. Or how similar they are to one another. But as far as I know, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a different kind of book and series that takes place in the same world, but again, before the beginning of The Daevabad Trilogy. It is a swashbuckling adventure with themes of motherhood, wealth, freedom, and found family. I will say, though, I am not sure whether I heard this wrong or not, but I thought this book would have a heist-centered narrative. And due to the main character being a pirate, I expected this book would be full of sea adventure portions like The Tide Child trilogy by R.J. Barker, for example. These, for better or worse, were not the case. There was indeed a mission, and obviously, there were seafaring sections, but almost the entire story in the book takes place on the land. This is not a complaint. Generally speaking, seafaring portions in fantasy novels tend to bore me. So I am pleased most of the story takes place on land instead of the sea. But I AM a fan of heist stories. Unfortunately, the supposed heist was the standard main quest to retrieve the granddaughter instead of a heist comprised of intricate planning. And, well, stealing something.
Picture: The Crew of Marawati by April Damon
“I have traveled widely enough that I take everything written about “foreigners” with doubt and know better than to judge a community by their worst individuals.”
Although I enjoyed reading this book, that and one other issue are why I cannot give this book a higher rating than 3.5 stars. I mentioned that found family is one of the tropes implemented into The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. The first half of the novel is about getting the band back together. But the characters felt likable only on the surface level. They were there simply to help drive the story forward. But that was it. The found family trope was evident in the narrative, but other than Amina herself, the other supporting characters did not feel developed enough for me to remember them distinctly. Tinbu, in particular, was incredibly forgettable. I had to research his name again because I already forgot his name at the time of writing this review. Dalila and Majed’s roles in the story, and also their characterizations, were more prominent, and I liked them. But still, they were not focused and developed enough. A few days or a week from now, there is a good chance I will not remember them anymore. This could totally be fixed in the upcoming books, and it might just be the plan to do that, but for now, it feels like a missed opportunity from my perspective because I do like Amina as a character, and I liked seeing Amina’s affection for her shipmates.
“How much easier her life would be if she were rich. For while the pious claim money doesn’t buy happiness, I can attest from personal experience that poverty buys nothing. It is a monster whose claws grow deeper and more difficult to escape with each passing season, with even the slightest misstep setting you back years, if not forever.”
It can be argued that Amina's first-person POV narration is why the characterizations and focus on Amina were so much more dominant. However, some of my favorite fantasy series and books with first-person narration, like the recently released The Will of the Many by James Islington or Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown, to mention a few, managed to make me care deeply about the supporting characters almost as much as I care about the main character. Sometimes even more, in the case of Sevro to Darrow! At the very least, I can remember them distinctly, and I truly hope I will grow to like Amina's shipmates more in the sequel. Because I do think Chakraborty's prose was captivating enough, and she is a great storyteller. If the first half was about gathering the band back together, the second half was about executing the mission and navigating all the chaos that came from it. I found the second half of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi more engaging than the first half, even when the villains and the truth behind the Moon of Saba felt comical. But the adventure along with the themes of social injustice and faiths implemented, plus Amina's struggle in juggling her responsibility as a mother and doing what she would love to do, has made the narrative intriguing for me.
“For the greatest crime of the poor in the eyes of the wealthy has always been to strike back. To fail to suffer in silence and instead disrupt their lives and their fantasies of a compassionate society that coincidentally set them on top. To say no.”
Do note that this is a historical fantasy novel. The story takes place in our world in the past, but despite that, there were plenty of fantastical elements to keep the readers engaged if you’re in it for the fantasy aspects, such as sea monsters, demons, forbidden artifacts, djinns, and more. Also, I should mention that historical fantasy isn’t usually my preference for reading. I love historical fiction, but I rarely click with historical fantasy novels. But because of where I live, some of the terminologies used in this book were fascinating. I am a Chinese born and raised in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. But I did not realize how similar some Indonesian words are to Arabic until I read this book. Even though I probably should’ve guessed that. Muslim is a religion that is portrayed heavily in The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. And well, here’s a fun fact. Indonesia is the country with the largest population of Muslims in the entire world. More or less 13% of the world’s Muslims. And Jakarta, the capital city, is the largest city in Southeast Asia. Although I am not Muslim, as a citizen here, seeing daily words here like fajr (fajar in Indonesian means dawn), raja (king in Indonesian), nikah (marriage in Indonesian), Iblis (devil in Indonesian), peri (fairy in Indonesian), and Quran, Inshallah, Masjid, was a refreshing reading experience. I rarely see these in Western-published fantasy novels.
“After all, we build our homes upon the ruins of lost cities and sail our ships over the drowned palaces of forgotten kings.”
Picture: Map of the Great Indian Ocean by Virginia Allyn
Speaking of djinns and peri, I believe there were cameo appearances from the characters in The Daevabad Trilogy here. But again, I do not think it is a MUST to read The Daevabad Trilogy first before reading this book. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi works really well as your first time reading Chakraborty's book, and more importantly, it is a great and fun start to a new trilogy. It is easily one of the most hyped new fantasy releases of 2023, with plenty of special editions published already. Although I had a few issues with this book, I am assured this won't be the last time I read a book by Chakraborty. On top of looking forward to reading the continuation of Amina al-Sirafi's infamous and scandalous tale, I feel more energized to read The Daevabad Trilogy now.
“It is not always easy to do the right thing, Amina al-Sirafi. More often than not, it is a lonely, thankless ordeal. That does not mean it is not worth doing.”
You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
April 18, 2024
We used to joke that of the three of us, I could kill you up close, Tinbu could kill you from another ship, and Dalila could kill you from a different city three days later.--------------------------------------
I’d grown up feeling terribly unusual; out of place and never at peace with the fate afforded young girls. In a hidden corner of my heart, I nursed embarrassing dreams. That I was not the child of my parents, but the daughter of a tribe of female warriors who flew upon winged horses. Or I was heir to a hidden sea kingdom below the waves, and the whispered sighs I heard from the water when we sailed and the strange lightning in the distance were not natural weather phenomena but magic, my true family calling to me. Then I grew into an adult. One who learned the hard way that if there was magic in this world, it could be as brutal and cunning as the worst monsters out of a fairy tale.We get to see some of that in action.
Amina al-Sirafi has led a storied existence, leaving home at sixteen and making her way on the briny deep, not just a pirate, but a female captain, a nakhudha, notorious for her success at parting the wealthy from their wealth. Not exactly a Robin Hood, not particularly bloodthirsty either. But life moves on. The years take their toll, and one seeks out less perilous enterprises, particularly after a singularly harrowing experience, particularly when pregnant. Years on, Amina is living a sedate existence, raising her ten-year-old daughter. But life comes calling, in a way that might be familiar to Michael Corleone. A rich widow, Salima, the mother of Asif, a crewman of Amina’s who had been lost, wants to hire her to retrieve her granddaughter, 16yo Dunya, Asif’s daughter.
Shannon Chakraborty - image from her Twitter pages
Well, maybe not quite lost. An erstwhile Crusader, Falco Palemenestra, a Frank (local speak for European) with a profound lust for magical objects, appears to have made off with young Salima’s greatest treasure, 16yo Dunya. Granny wants her back. She makes Amina an offer she cannot refuse.
And the chase is on. But of course, Amina has to pull together a crew. This is where we meet her erstwhile first mate, Tinbu, who has been in charge of her ship since she went on sabbatical. Much more fun is her good pal Dalila, a professional poisoner. You do not want to sip from the wrong cup in that workshop.
Easily one of the most enjoyable topics to research was criminal activity—specifically overwrought stories and urban legends about criminal activity—in the medieval world. All the cons, tricks, and poisons in this book are pulled from history: there’s actually a thirteenth century charlatan’s guide (recently translated into English by the Library of Arabic Literature) which discusses both the three cups game still used to swindle gullible tourists today and the numerous knock-out drugs Dalila employs. The guild Dalila hails from—the Banu Sasan—was also real, or as “real” as the fantastical odes recited about it were. - From the Fantasy Hive interviewThere are jails to break, corrupt local officials to deal with, and a ship to wrest from impoundment. Cons are run, disguises are used, buckles are swashed. And a-sailing we will go. Of course, there are further stops to be made, intel to gather, and some dark magic to encounter. There is a significant supporting cast, with the main characters receiving their due. And then there is Raksh.
Let’s talk about the night I accidentally married a demon.Oopsy. Amina has issues with relationships. This one did not end well. And now he’s ba-ack. And he is a total hoot, well, except for the darker elements, of course.
So many of the characters in this book are coming to terms with past misdeeds or trying stick to a more righteous path and then you have this utterly selfish, sexy creature of chaos and trickery just waltz in and repeatedly betray them to save his own skin and spin “a better story.” And that’s the very point of him—he’s not human, he’s very much meant to be a relic of a forgotten age when people did tell stories of meddling, petty gods and monsters, a supernatural aspect that naturally feeds on human ambition and wouldn’t even understand why he’s expected to feel remorse for doing so. It was fun to create such a foil for Amina herself and really delve into the almost alien psyche of such a being. - from The Fantasy Hive interviewWe learn that Falco is particularly interested in a frighteningly powerful magical object, The Moon of Saba (which has absolutely nothing to do with dropping trou, promise). Can Amina save the teen, and keep Falco from getting his mitts on this very dangerous treasure?
The largest pearl in the world; a miniature moon said to have been snatched from the sky by a lovelorn fairy and gifted to Queen Bilqis, who made it the centerpiece of her crown. A gem believed to bestow upon its owner countless wishes, supernatural sight, and unending good fortune.
Map of al-Sirafi’s adventure
Amina stands out from the usual superhero sorts for two reasons. The first is that she is a lifelong criminal, (Make me good, but not yet?) even though she seems to have a good heart. Second is that she is a middle-aged mom. She has to struggle not only with the challenge of her aquatic mission, but with the conflict between her desire to stay at home to raise her daughter and her need for seafaring adventure. Parenting and piracy seem poor partners. There are other ongoing thematic concerns. Coming to terms with one’s past deeds is among them. There are plenty of ledgers to balance.
Teuta, Queen of the Illyrian Ardiaei tribe, leads a pirate expedition against rome. - image from WorldHistory.org
The focus of the story is on the humans. Sure, there is a major magical supporting character, and some of the humans dabble in dark arts. But they remain people. That said, there is plenty of magic in the air, and water. Some creatures introduced in the Daevabad trilogy put in appearances here. There is a kaiju-level sea beast, and plenty more. I hesitate to say this, but it seemed at one point that more was less, and that there were maybe too many such roaming and flitting about.
(I can only imagine what Ray Harryhausen would do with such a rich trove of material. Above is a still from The 7th Voyage of Sindbad
There is treasure. There is an island, and there is even a possible reference to Treasure Island, although, really, it may just be me projecting, and islands and treasure are merely standard tropes for the genre.
I straightened up with care, pinching my brow to keep black spots from dancing before my eyes.Per usual, Chakraborty brings her effervescent sense of humor to her writing. There are plenty of LOL moments, particularly when Amina interacts with Dalila or Raksh.
“What about you, Lady Dalila?” Noor asked. “Is there anyone back home you are eager to return to?”In addition, because Chakraborty is a historian at heart, she has delivered to us a treasure of intel about the world of this time and place.
Dalila picked at her teeth. “I had to abandon a time sensitive experiment with extremely promising indications as a knock-out gas.”
“For pain relief,” I amended quickly. “Dalila is our…healer.”
Noor’s brows rose slightly. “Ah, yes. Majed speaks frequently of how you ‘healed’ him when you first met.”
Dalila rolled her eyes. “It was hardly the worst of my poisons. There are some physicians who actually believe it beneficial to vomit blood every now and then. It balances the humors.”
When I started working on Amina, the goal I had for myself, and I think I wrote this in the author’s note at the end, was that I wanted to make it completely historically accurate—outside of the plot. I did a ton of research. There’s been an incredible amount of new work done on the medieval Indian Ocean, but you’re still looking at 12th-century texts. It’s almost 1,000 years ago, and there is a great limit to what we know. - from The Portalist interviewThe series is set a few centuries before Chakraborty’s Daevabad trilogy, but exists in the same general corner of the planet. Some nods are offered to that world, including a small part for a magical creature from the Djinn tales. And a bit of snark.
“Oh, those weren’t humans. Those were daevas.”There is a form of ecstasy that occurs in reading some books. Some are serious, (Serena pops to mind) others are more of the entertainment sort. I remember, as a kid, being rapt by some of the great classic adventures, by Robert Louis Stevenson, Jules Verne, and others. I was desperate to continue reading, despite the unwillingness of my eyes, and my mother reminding me, yet again, to turn the flashlight off under my covers. Well settled into middle age, the Harry Potter series offered the same sort of excitement. About six years ago, I was delighted to report that I felt that joy once more, at a grizzled time of life, on reading Shannon Chakraborty’s Daevabad trilogy, about djinns and sundry contemporary creatures and figures. While these books did nothing to iron out the wrinkles that brace my eyes, or straighten a spine that has strayed much too far from the standard shape, they did offer many hours of pure, innocent joy, the sort I experienced when my soul was more truly unstained. I am overjoyed to report that Chakraborty has worked her magic again. The Adventures of Amina el-Sirafi, the first in a promised trilogy, is a treat for the eyes and the imagination. Unlike Michael Corleone, I am eager to be pulled back in. You will be, too. No Shanghaiing required. Climb aboard, me hearties, and let’s set sail. The adventure has just begun.
“What in God’s name is a daeva?”
He held up a hand. “You don’t want to know, trust me. More overdramatic creatures have never existed. And they’re not even the worst ones here. Everyone likes to complain about humans, but let me tell you…spend a couple centuries with the inhabitants of the unseen realms, and you’ll be aching to haunt a mortal latrine.”
I wanted to travel the world and sail every sea. I wanted to have adventures, to be a hero, to have my tales told in courtyards and street fairs where perhaps kids who’d grown up like me, with more imagination than means might be inspired to dream. Where women who were told there was only one sort of respectful life for them could listen to tales of another who’d broken away—and thrived when she’d done so.Review first posted - 4/14/23
Publication dates
----------Hardcover - 2/28/23
----------Trade paperback - 3/26/24
I received an ARE of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi from Harper Voyager (well, my book goddess secured this particular treasure for me) in return for a fair review. Thanks, dear, and thanks HV.
This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pages
My reviews of other books by the author
-----2017 - The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1)
-----2019 - The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy #2)
-----2020 - The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy #3)
Interviews
-----Lit Reactor - Shannon Chakraborty: Navigating the Creative Voyage by Jena Brown
-----The Portalist - Shannon Chakraborty Breaks Down Her Writing Process and New Book, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Jena Brown
-----Bookpage - Shannon Chakraborty sets sail for a new horizon by Linda M. Castellitto
-----The Fantasy Hive - INTERVIEW WITH SHANNON CHAKRABORTY (THE ADVENTURES OF AMINA AL-SIRAFI)
-----Writer’s Digest - Shannon Chakraborty: On Humor and Joy in Fantasy by Robert Lee Brewer
Items of Interest from the author
-----Fantasy Hive - Excerpt – Chapter 1
-----Tor - Excerpt – Chapter 5
Items of Interest
-----Americanliterature.com – Arabian Nights - The Story of Sindbad the Sailor
----- Godfather III - Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!
-----World History.Org - Queen Teuta of Illyria
June 7, 2023
"I am coming for you and I will fight through fire."
-Amina
Amina Al Sarafi, one of the most notorious pirates to ever live, is retired and living tucked away with her young daughter in a remote mountainside but when her old life and reputation catches up to her, she finds herself back in action and surrounded by dangerous enemies and even more dangerous friends! She must complete a task in order to keep her loved ones safe but if she is being really honest, the yearning to be the formidable Nakhudha seeking adventure on the high seas once again sings in her blood. Surrounded by her faithful and cunning friends and one not so faithful and trustworthy companion, will Amina accomplish her goal and will there be a cost?
"For the greatest crime of the poor in the eyes of the wealthy has always been to strike back. To fail to suffer in silence and instead disrupt their lives and their fantasies of a compassionate society that coincidentally set them on top. To say NO."
This book is a masterpiece! I loved every single page, it's hilarious, sweet, pulse pounding and as with any S.A Chakraborty book there are frequent nods and highlights to important and serious social issues. This book is so incredibly immersive you really fall into the pages and feel like you are walking with the characters at every step. I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh so much and I was completely invested in the story from the first page. I love every single character even the bad guys bc they are just all so entertaining and the absolute unconditional familial love that the main group have for each other squeezed my heart. The way this book is also constructed and told is brilliant not only bc it's entertaining but bc in the end it all comes together with a surprise that was so beautiful and heartfelt it had me in tears.
"I had killed, and I had stolen. I had gambled, gotten drunk and stretched the limits of adultery-often doing all three in a single evening- then failed to wake in time for fajr to pray for forgiveness."- -Amina
Amina-Amina is a woman after my own heart! Immediately one of my favorite FMCs of all time, a woman who knows who she is and refuses to conform to anyone else's idea of what they think a woman's place in the world should be. She is unapologetic and shrewd while at the same time kind and fiercely loyal to those she loves. I love how her struggle to balance her two identities as a mother and a Nakhudha was highlighted. She is so refreshing as a female character, a mature woman, mother, and so REAL! I could not love her more!
"Our hearts may be spoken for by those with sweet eyes, little smiles and so very many needs, but that does not mean that which makes us, us is gone."
"Stop ogling a demon's ass! Ogling a demon's ass is what got you into all these troubles in the first place!" -
THE CREW
"We used to joke that of the three of us, I could kill you up close, Tinbu could kill you from another ship and Dalilia could kill you from another city three days later."
Dalilia- A mistress of poisons and a pulse of steel, you definitely want her to be on your side!
"Pharmaceuticals, is largely the same principle as poisoning, no? The ladies here love me. So many husbands dying in their sleep." Dalila winked, "It must be something in the water."
Tinbu- So sweet and loyal and the sibling type rivalry he has with Dalila had me cracking up the entire book.
"Save me! Dalila says she is here to help, but I'm fairly certain I am being experimented upon!"
"Oh this is wonderful, the gang all back together...........we should ROB something!"
Majed-The dad of the group and the voice of reason. He just makes everyone feel cozy but also super feisty.
"I am not a pirate, I am a cartographer with a checkered past"
Raksh- HANDS DOWN THE MOST ENTERTAINING CHARACTER! I can't say much bc it's a giveaway but the interactions he has with AMINA are my favorite parts of the book. I was in TEARS from laughing!
"I do not remember the details of our contract, but I do hope it permits further sexual activities."
"I should lick you. Though I suppose kissing might work as well. I am feeling weak and the path ahead is difficult. Perhaps if SOMEONE had bothered to sleep with me last night, my magic would be stronger." 😂😂😂
So basically, go pick up this book, I am on a mission to get more people to read S.A Chakraborty bc she is nothing short of a BRILLIANT writer and her books are masterpieces!
Oh and just a tip! I read the physical copy and listened to the audiobook! LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY, THE AUDIOBOOK is the way to go!! It's one of the best I have ever listened to and bc of the way the story is told I would highly recommend you go this route!
Amina Al Sarafi, one of the most notorious pirates to ever live, is retired and living tucked away with her young daughter in a remote mountainside but when her old life and reputation catches up to her, she finds herself back in action and surrounded by dangerous enemies and even more dangerous friends! She must complete a task in order to keep her loved ones safe but if she is being really honest, the yearning to be the formidable Nakhudha seeking adventure on the high seas once again sings in her blood. Surrounded by her faithful and cunning friends and one not so faithful and trustworthy companion, will Amina accomplish her goal and will there be a cost?
"For the greatest crime of the poor in the eyes of the wealthy has always been to strike back. To fail to suffer in silence and instead disrupt their lives and their fantasies of a compassionate society that coincidentally set them on top. To say NO."
This book is a masterpiece! I loved every single page, it's hilarious, sweet, pulse pounding and as with any S.A Chakraborty book there are frequent nods and highlights to important and serious social issues. This book is so incredibly immersive you really fall into the pages and feel like you are walking with the characters at every step. I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh so much and I was completely invested in the story from the first page. I love every single character even the bad guys bc they are just all so entertaining and the absolute unconditional familial love that the main group have for each other squeezed my heart. The way this book is also constructed and told is brilliant not only bc it's entertaining but bc in the end it all comes together with a surprise that was so beautiful and heartfelt it had me in tears.
"I had killed, and I had stolen. I had gambled, gotten drunk and stretched the limits of adultery-often doing all three in a single evening- then failed to wake in time for fajr to pray for forgiveness."- -Amina
Amina-Amina is a woman after my own heart! Immediately one of my favorite FMCs of all time, a woman who knows who she is and refuses to conform to anyone else's idea of what they think a woman's place in the world should be. She is unapologetic and shrewd while at the same time kind and fiercely loyal to those she loves. I love how her struggle to balance her two identities as a mother and a Nakhudha was highlighted. She is so refreshing as a female character, a mature woman, mother, and so REAL! I could not love her more!
"Our hearts may be spoken for by those with sweet eyes, little smiles and so very many needs, but that does not mean that which makes us, us is gone."
"Stop ogling a demon's ass! Ogling a demon's ass is what got you into all these troubles in the first place!" -
THE CREW
"We used to joke that of the three of us, I could kill you up close, Tinbu could kill you from another ship and Dalilia could kill you from another city three days later."
Dalilia- A mistress of poisons and a pulse of steel, you definitely want her to be on your side!
"Pharmaceuticals, is largely the same principle as poisoning, no? The ladies here love me. So many husbands dying in their sleep." Dalila winked, "It must be something in the water."
Tinbu- So sweet and loyal and the sibling type rivalry he has with Dalila had me cracking up the entire book.
"Save me! Dalila says she is here to help, but I'm fairly certain I am being experimented upon!"
"Oh this is wonderful, the gang all back together...........we should ROB something!"
Majed-The dad of the group and the voice of reason. He just makes everyone feel cozy but also super feisty.
"I am not a pirate, I am a cartographer with a checkered past"
Raksh- HANDS DOWN THE MOST ENTERTAINING CHARACTER! I can't say much bc it's a giveaway but the interactions he has with AMINA are my favorite parts of the book. I was in TEARS from laughing!
"I do not remember the details of our contract, but I do hope it permits further sexual activities."
"I should lick you. Though I suppose kissing might work as well. I am feeling weak and the path ahead is difficult. Perhaps if SOMEONE had bothered to sleep with me last night, my magic would be stronger." 😂😂😂
So basically, go pick up this book, I am on a mission to get more people to read S.A Chakraborty bc she is nothing short of a BRILLIANT writer and her books are masterpieces!
Oh and just a tip! I read the physical copy and listened to the audiobook! LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY, THE AUDIOBOOK is the way to go!! It's one of the best I have ever listened to and bc of the way the story is told I would highly recommend you go this route!
Read
December 14, 2023Good God, this was incredible fun. Absolutely cracking. A sort of take on Sinbad but with more historical accuracy (apart from the demons, marids, etc), with a middle-aged retired lady pirate getting the crew back together to take on a Frankish coloniser/sorceror/baddie.
It's just fabulous exuberant fun. Amina's narrative is beautifully balanced between elaborate 1001 Nights description and extreme sweary bluntness. The framing device with the scribe works perfectly. The adventure is terrifically paced, with again a great balance of power and agency (Amina is good but not that good, makes mistakes, is sometimes way outclassed, and depends on her talent for friendship and loyalty, not on herself alone). Also, a middle aged heroine with a dodgy knee and a sex life, and plenty of queer rep.
Vastly entertaining. I can't wait for the next. If you want to be swept away to the Indian Ocean instead of sogging in grey rain, this is your book.
It's just fabulous exuberant fun. Amina's narrative is beautifully balanced between elaborate 1001 Nights description and extreme sweary bluntness. The framing device with the scribe works perfectly. The adventure is terrifically paced, with again a great balance of power and agency (Amina is good but not that good, makes mistakes, is sometimes way outclassed, and depends on her talent for friendship and loyalty, not on herself alone). Also, a middle aged heroine with a dodgy knee and a sex life, and plenty of queer rep.
Vastly entertaining. I can't wait for the next. If you want to be swept away to the Indian Ocean instead of sogging in grey rain, this is your book.
July 4, 2023
All right Ms. Chakraborty, you are officially one of my favorite authors now. There, take all my money and love. You happy?!
The Amina al-Sirafi trilogy takes place in the same world as the Daevabad trilogy, although this story focuses mostly on the human realm, where magic is a thing of legend and power rather than an everyday occurrence like in Daevabad.
This story is also much more mature and world-weary in vibe, following a single mother who gave up her title as legendary pirate and lover to retire quietly with her mother and daughter—until one last lucrative mission calls her back out to sea and throws her right back into the middle of all her former friends, lovers, enemies, and exploits.
The scope of the story is huge. The worldbuilding is expansive, building far beyond the Daevabad origins, supported by Chakraborty’s signature sweeping, evocative descriptions. Yet it doesn’t feel big and expansive, because the author keeps you close to the main cast of characters, so that you can’t help but fall in love with them even though each one is more unscrupulous than the last. This is found family at its absolute best.
Needless to say: READ IT.
The Amina al-Sirafi trilogy takes place in the same world as the Daevabad trilogy, although this story focuses mostly on the human realm, where magic is a thing of legend and power rather than an everyday occurrence like in Daevabad.
This story is also much more mature and world-weary in vibe, following a single mother who gave up her title as legendary pirate and lover to retire quietly with her mother and daughter—until one last lucrative mission calls her back out to sea and throws her right back into the middle of all her former friends, lovers, enemies, and exploits.
The scope of the story is huge. The worldbuilding is expansive, building far beyond the Daevabad origins, supported by Chakraborty’s signature sweeping, evocative descriptions. Yet it doesn’t feel big and expansive, because the author keeps you close to the main cast of characters, so that you can’t help but fall in love with them even though each one is more unscrupulous than the last. This is found family at its absolute best.
Needless to say: READ IT.
Want to read
March 15, 2022You had me at "Sinbad meets Ocean's 11".
You lost me at "Release 2022".
UPDATE: Now it says 'Release in 2023'!!
How am I supposed to wait that long??
You lost me at "Release 2022".
UPDATE: Now it says 'Release in 2023'!!
How am I supposed to wait that long??
August 3, 2023
WOOPS I forgot to come back to rate this book after Book Club for two months. My bad.
4 Stars for Amina Al-Sirafi! The characters are truly what make this book special, and had it not been for how well they were written I think the plot would have taken it to a 3 level for me. I love a good bit of Getting The Band Back Together, but that takes up so much of this book that I felt for over half the book that I was waiting for it to get started. In this time though we get some really fantastic character writing with our main crew and with Amina and I think that's really where Chakraborty shines with this book.
By about 60% the plot finally kicks into high gear, things take a more fantasy-esque turn, and I was fully hooked and invested. The latter half of the book is great and I am anxiously awaiting the next one.
4 Stars for Amina Al-Sirafi! The characters are truly what make this book special, and had it not been for how well they were written I think the plot would have taken it to a 3 level for me. I love a good bit of Getting The Band Back Together, but that takes up so much of this book that I felt for over half the book that I was waiting for it to get started. In this time though we get some really fantastic character writing with our main crew and with Amina and I think that's really where Chakraborty shines with this book.
By about 60% the plot finally kicks into high gear, things take a more fantasy-esque turn, and I was fully hooked and invested. The latter half of the book is great and I am anxiously awaiting the next one.
August 21, 2023
3.5⭐️ second half of the book didn't hit as hard as the first half 😩 i wanted to love my first chakraborty book so bad. can't wait to read the daevabad trilogy 🤞🏼🤍
August 23, 2023
Shannon did NOT disappoint.
June 25, 2023
“I am coming for you and I will fight through fire.”
4.5 stars!
This book was so good! This was a brilliant and action-packed fantasy about family, love, power and finding your purpose in life. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi follows Amina, a retired and well-known pirate who is living in secret by a mountain with her daughter, but when a wealthy noblewoman offers her a huge amount of money to save her granddaughter she takes the opportunity. Along the journey, Amina reconnects with her old friends and makes new friends as well as enemies. Eventually Amina realizes that this job is more dangerous and surprising than she thought. Will Amina be able to finish the job and at what cost?
This book was funny, engaging and action-packed. It took me a while to become immersed in this book, but once I did I couldn't stop reading it and I become transported into this unique and brilliant world. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but the pace quickly picked up. The world building was awesome, the author spent a great deal of time crafting this world of giant scorpions with tentacles, magical artifacts, bird people, demons and more. The plot was very interesting, I loved how unique the story was and it kept me engaged the whole time. I appreciated that the author incorporated important social issues into this book.
The characters were all complex and unique. I loved Amina, she is strong, brave, ambitious, loyal, resilient, fierce, loving and protective of the people she cares about. Amina is such a relatable character, she has gone through many challenges, but she has become a better person through it all. Amina's character development was great, I loved watching her grown and become such a caring person. I also love Dalila. she is smart, kind, loyal, and strong. I really like Tinbu, Majed and the rest of the crew members, they each have a unique personality. I loved that all the crew members are loyal and love each other, it was so wholesome and made me smile so much. There were so many interactions between the crew members that made me laugh. I really liked Raksh, he is mysterious, charming, and handsome and I loved his interactions with Amina.
The writing and story telling was excellent, the writing was so descriptive and the characters were crafted so well. I loved that the women in this book are shown as strong and resilient. The ending was so action-packed and surprising! I can't wait to read the next book! I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, excellent story telling, awesome characters, and great world building.
4.5 stars!
This book was so good! This was a brilliant and action-packed fantasy about family, love, power and finding your purpose in life. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi follows Amina, a retired and well-known pirate who is living in secret by a mountain with her daughter, but when a wealthy noblewoman offers her a huge amount of money to save her granddaughter she takes the opportunity. Along the journey, Amina reconnects with her old friends and makes new friends as well as enemies. Eventually Amina realizes that this job is more dangerous and surprising than she thought. Will Amina be able to finish the job and at what cost?
This book was funny, engaging and action-packed. It took me a while to become immersed in this book, but once I did I couldn't stop reading it and I become transported into this unique and brilliant world. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but the pace quickly picked up. The world building was awesome, the author spent a great deal of time crafting this world of giant scorpions with tentacles, magical artifacts, bird people, demons and more. The plot was very interesting, I loved how unique the story was and it kept me engaged the whole time. I appreciated that the author incorporated important social issues into this book.
The characters were all complex and unique. I loved Amina, she is strong, brave, ambitious, loyal, resilient, fierce, loving and protective of the people she cares about. Amina is such a relatable character, she has gone through many challenges, but she has become a better person through it all. Amina's character development was great, I loved watching her grown and become such a caring person. I also love Dalila. she is smart, kind, loyal, and strong. I really like Tinbu, Majed and the rest of the crew members, they each have a unique personality. I loved that all the crew members are loyal and love each other, it was so wholesome and made me smile so much. There were so many interactions between the crew members that made me laugh. I really liked Raksh, he is mysterious, charming, and handsome and I loved his interactions with Amina.
The writing and story telling was excellent, the writing was so descriptive and the characters were crafted so well. I loved that the women in this book are shown as strong and resilient. The ending was so action-packed and surprising! I can't wait to read the next book! I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, excellent story telling, awesome characters, and great world building.
February 17, 2023
"For this scribe has read a great many of these accounts and taken away another lesson : that to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted."
There's a particular kind of anxiety that comes with reading a new book from a favorite author, and I'm so happy to announce that The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi was everything I hoped it would be, and more :
✔ an exciting adventure filled with badass women, friendship, pirates, weird magical creatures, a doomed quest, dark magic and an ex-crusader as a villain 🙌
✔ a wonderful cast of diverse characters, including :
▪ Amina, of course, the greatest pirate of all times who is now 40 and a mum however and would like her knee to stop hurting, thank you very much ;
▪ Dalila, master of poisons who could kill you in a second but—no. she absolutely will, sorry ;
▪ Majed, a middle-aged cartographer who never quite abandoned his dreams of discovering the world ;
▪ Tinbu, a loyal sailor who hand-feeds his cat ;
▪ the aforementioned "I remain entranced by its inability to provide for itself" most precious cat ;
▪ a [redacted] husband 👀 ;
▪ a snarky scribe.
✔ Medieval Indian Ocean settings!!! A note about religion : so often in Fantasy, when authors take inspiration from a real, historical setting, they strip it of religion (or make every MC Christian, because of course 🙄), and I really dislike that. Not because I'm particularly religious—I'm not at all— but because religion was an inherent part of society, informing culture and traditions, and to remove it often weakens the richness of the world-building. I'm really happy it wasn't the case here (most characters are Muslims ; other religions are mentioned) ;
✔ A+ storytelling with compelling writing and such a witty and heartfelt (not to mention feminist) voice!! I LOVE IT
I am so, so delighted I got to experience this fantastic story and the sequel is now one of my most anticipated release.
"Amina's story did not end. [...] For when Amina chose to leave her home and return to a life at sea, she became more than a pirate. More than a witch.
She became a legend."
FINAL RATING : 5⭐, highly recommended
Thanks so much to @harpervoyager_uk and @netgalley for the review copy!!!!
March 6, 2023
i love that this is a fantasy novel that centers a sex-positive devout muslim woman in control of her own story. i don’t love that this is written like YA when it is marketed as adult.
i did not enjoy the banter between the scribe and amina and felt it was distracting, unnecessary, and weak. raksh is written exactly like a shitty acotar character (demon/fae dashing demented deceitful man). the characters all felt really one dimensional, especially marjana. it’s one thing to be a dutiful daughter, it’s another to not have any personality outside of that. this novel tries so hard to be quirky and funny, and it’s just not. the longer i read, the more exhausted i felt by the base attempts at comedy. i expected a dark, gritty story rich with detail; instead i got a book that is definitely, unequivocally YA.
i did not enjoy the banter between the scribe and amina and felt it was distracting, unnecessary, and weak. raksh is written exactly like a shitty acotar character (demon/fae dashing demented deceitful man). the characters all felt really one dimensional, especially marjana. it’s one thing to be a dutiful daughter, it’s another to not have any personality outside of that. this novel tries so hard to be quirky and funny, and it’s just not. the longer i read, the more exhausted i felt by the base attempts at comedy. i expected a dark, gritty story rich with detail; instead i got a book that is definitely, unequivocally YA.
April 30, 2023
Actual Rating 2.5
Amina is a retired pirate with tales told about her that are almost as tall as she is. Used to living in anonymity and enjoying her peace with her daughter, she finds herself set upon by a wealthy mother of a former friend who demands her services in recovering a kidnapped girl. Though she hesitates in accepting, Amina knows deep down that she still longs for adventure and agrees to take this one last job. But nothing is quite as it seems, and the more that Amina learns about this task, the more she finds that this conflict goes deeper and is more dangerous than she could have imagined.
I loved the Daevabad Trilogy by this author, so I jumped at the chance to read her new work. However, this one just wasn’t as enjoyable for me. Something I both enjoyed and disliked about it was that it was set up as Amina telling her story to a scribe. I enjoyed this in that it felt more like traditional Islamic histories that I’ve read, especially the shorter chapters when the scribe jumps in with some background information and tales. But I disliked how much it slowed down the primary plot and how it took away from any tension or suspense I might have felt at the difficult situations Amina encountered. This and the excessive details that were incorporated throughout led to the work feeling quite dense with minimal forward motion of the plot for much of the book.
I did enjoy how smoothly the author incorporated positive Islamic and gender representation in this work. It was well done and added much to the characters. But it seemed to be lacking when it came to Amina and her piracy. We’re told time and time again what a threatening and amazing pirate she is, but we rarely see that in action during the book. I enjoyed that Amina was a middle-aged protagonist, and that she was written to be complex with interesting flaws and motivations. But the villain did not receive the same treatment – he was painfully cliché and uninteresting and felt like the villain from an early 1990s treasure-hunting film that I can’t remember the name of. The remaining secondary characters were decent, but were buried under so much exposition that it was difficult to connect to them.
I’m massively disappointed that I couldn’t enjoy this one more. I’ll still continue the series because I loved the first trilogy so much, but I can’t recommend this book the same way I would the others. My thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Amina is a retired pirate with tales told about her that are almost as tall as she is. Used to living in anonymity and enjoying her peace with her daughter, she finds herself set upon by a wealthy mother of a former friend who demands her services in recovering a kidnapped girl. Though she hesitates in accepting, Amina knows deep down that she still longs for adventure and agrees to take this one last job. But nothing is quite as it seems, and the more that Amina learns about this task, the more she finds that this conflict goes deeper and is more dangerous than she could have imagined.
I loved the Daevabad Trilogy by this author, so I jumped at the chance to read her new work. However, this one just wasn’t as enjoyable for me. Something I both enjoyed and disliked about it was that it was set up as Amina telling her story to a scribe. I enjoyed this in that it felt more like traditional Islamic histories that I’ve read, especially the shorter chapters when the scribe jumps in with some background information and tales. But I disliked how much it slowed down the primary plot and how it took away from any tension or suspense I might have felt at the difficult situations Amina encountered. This and the excessive details that were incorporated throughout led to the work feeling quite dense with minimal forward motion of the plot for much of the book.
I did enjoy how smoothly the author incorporated positive Islamic and gender representation in this work. It was well done and added much to the characters. But it seemed to be lacking when it came to Amina and her piracy. We’re told time and time again what a threatening and amazing pirate she is, but we rarely see that in action during the book. I enjoyed that Amina was a middle-aged protagonist, and that she was written to be complex with interesting flaws and motivations. But the villain did not receive the same treatment – he was painfully cliché and uninteresting and felt like the villain from an early 1990s treasure-hunting film that I can’t remember the name of. The remaining secondary characters were decent, but were buried under so much exposition that it was difficult to connect to them.
I’m massively disappointed that I couldn’t enjoy this one more. I’ll still continue the series because I loved the first trilogy so much, but I can’t recommend this book the same way I would the others. My thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 25, 2022
piracy + badass women. what more could you want??
May 27, 2023
i’m usually fine with not understanding what’s not going on but because i didn’t understand the language it made it even harder, half the words i needed help with weren’t even in the glossary. in fact the glossary only had 9 words. i thought the premise was interesting and the characters were funny but idk i just spent more time trying to figure out what they were saying and maybe that’s my own ignorance
edit: i edited changed my rating of the book and i don’t want people to think i gave the book a low rating because i didn’t understand the language. originally i gave the book 3 stars but after sitting on my opinions of the book for a few months i realized the book isn’t memorable and decided to change my review lower because of that. sorry if you enjoyed this book but we all have different opinions and that’s ok!
edit: i edited changed my rating of the book and i don’t want people to think i gave the book a low rating because i didn’t understand the language. originally i gave the book 3 stars but after sitting on my opinions of the book for a few months i realized the book isn’t memorable and decided to change my review lower because of that. sorry if you enjoyed this book but we all have different opinions and that’s ok!
February 22, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up
A very promising start to a historical fantasy series! the Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi draws on the real history of the Middle East and follows a notorious female captain and smuggler who is now a middle-aged mother trying to keep her daughter safe. But fate forces her back to sea in search of a missing young woman. And of course there are monsters, supernatural beings, an evil sorcerer, and magical artifacts! Not to mention the reappearance of the husband Amina hoped was dead. A husband who isn't human and doesn't know about their daughter...
Amina is a great character- she is brash and irreverent, but also a mother doing her best to keep her daughter safe and coming to terms with how that new piece of her identity has changed her priorities. And she's trying to be a better Muslim as well. With mixed success. I'm loving this mini-trend of writing older women and mothers as main characters in fantasy novels. It's an entertaining adventure that infuses a lot of real historical detail, plus we get a trans side character and I liked how it handled the issue of gender identity. (note that I'm not trans myself, so I will be looking to hear from trans reviewers on this)
There were parts of the book that dragged a little for me, and I think this is a bit more plot driven than what I prefer and more of a character reader. But overall I really enjoyed this and love the ship-board family Amina has cobbled together. I will certainly read on in the series. The audiobook is mostly quite good, also there are a handful of asides that are recorded in a way that makes them muffled and hard to hear. I think this was an artistic choice, but it could have been done better. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
A very promising start to a historical fantasy series! the Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi draws on the real history of the Middle East and follows a notorious female captain and smuggler who is now a middle-aged mother trying to keep her daughter safe. But fate forces her back to sea in search of a missing young woman. And of course there are monsters, supernatural beings, an evil sorcerer, and magical artifacts! Not to mention the reappearance of the husband Amina hoped was dead. A husband who isn't human and doesn't know about their daughter...
Amina is a great character- she is brash and irreverent, but also a mother doing her best to keep her daughter safe and coming to terms with how that new piece of her identity has changed her priorities. And she's trying to be a better Muslim as well. With mixed success. I'm loving this mini-trend of writing older women and mothers as main characters in fantasy novels. It's an entertaining adventure that infuses a lot of real historical detail, plus we get a trans side character and I liked how it handled the issue of gender identity. (note that I'm not trans myself, so I will be looking to hear from trans reviewers on this)
There were parts of the book that dragged a little for me, and I think this is a bit more plot driven than what I prefer and more of a character reader. But overall I really enjoyed this and love the ship-board family Amina has cobbled together. I will certainly read on in the series. The audiobook is mostly quite good, also there are a handful of asides that are recorded in a way that makes them muffled and hard to hear. I think this was an artistic choice, but it could have been done better. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
March 2, 2023
What fun this was! My quibbles here are that I wish we'd had a little more character development and the pacing dragged a bit at times, but otherwise, I loved the authorial voice, the world building, and the romping plot. This is the first in a series that I see myself continuing on when it's all out and I can binge it in one big, delightful gulp. Definitely lives up the pre-pub hype
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
February 9, 2024 ⋆˙⟡♡ pre-reading
i need to break up all the murder, violence and drama i’ve been reading about lately. i’ve heard such good things about this - hopefully it doesn’t disappoint! i’m testing myself to see if i can enjoy fantasy books after throne of glass
i need to break up all the murder, violence and drama i’ve been reading about lately. i’ve heard such good things about this - hopefully it doesn’t disappoint! i’m testing myself to see if i can enjoy fantasy books after throne of glass
November 15, 2023
Blog | Instagram
Rating: 3.5 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟 (Design with blue and black background)
The mystical patterns and illustrations in this design nicely allude to the magical and oceanic elements of the story. However, I prefer the alternate cover with a ship and sea creature as this is more striking and provides stronger hints of the story's premise.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Amina's sassy narrative quickly grabbed my attention, and I loved the humour this brought to the story. I was also pulled in by the fascinating world, with its rich mythology, culture, history and religion. While this world-building is presented in information dumps, these were easy to follow and strengthened by vivid descriptions which brought the world to life.
“There is no living thing that doesn’t desire freedom.”
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟
Despite an intriguing introduction to the world and protagonist, I soon struggled to remain invested in unfolding events as the story's pacing and tension gradually waned. Still, Amina's quest is filled with constant action and danger as there are jailbreaks, cons, dangerous creatures, treasure hunting, explosions, dark magic, and so much more, providing many moments of entertainment. I also enjoyed the feminist theme woven into the storyline through Amina's character and experiences since these add some depth to the story.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
As an older protagonist with different facets - mother, wife, pirate and captain - Amina Al-Sirafi is a compelling and complex character. More than this, Amina's fierce, sassy, and accepting personality made her character easy to love. Although she also experiences some growth as she reaches a resolution about chasing her dreams and being a good mother, I found the inner conflicts she works through to get there repetitive.
“to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted."
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟
The story is littered with numerous secondary characters who are gradually introduced but are given little depth beyond their assigned roles. Even so, I loved the diversity of the characters and the witty banter between Amina and her friends.
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal create an impressive listening experience that perfectly conveys the sass and personalities of the characters. I also loved the creative effect used for Amina's interactions with the scribe! However, since the story contains so much information and background, it was hard to find the narration engaging in these moments.
With its intriguing start and compelling protagonist, I really wanted to love 'The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi.' Sadly, while the storyline has multiple elements that should make it a delightful read, I struggled with the pacing and slowly lost interest in the quest. Those who loved this should check out The Eyes of Tamburah by Maria V. Snyder for another entertaining adventure with a fascinating world.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟 (Design with blue and black background)
The mystical patterns and illustrations in this design nicely allude to the magical and oceanic elements of the story. However, I prefer the alternate cover with a ship and sea creature as this is more striking and provides stronger hints of the story's premise.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Amina's sassy narrative quickly grabbed my attention, and I loved the humour this brought to the story. I was also pulled in by the fascinating world, with its rich mythology, culture, history and religion. While this world-building is presented in information dumps, these were easy to follow and strengthened by vivid descriptions which brought the world to life.
“There is no living thing that doesn’t desire freedom.”
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟
Despite an intriguing introduction to the world and protagonist, I soon struggled to remain invested in unfolding events as the story's pacing and tension gradually waned. Still, Amina's quest is filled with constant action and danger as there are jailbreaks, cons, dangerous creatures, treasure hunting, explosions, dark magic, and so much more, providing many moments of entertainment. I also enjoyed the feminist theme woven into the storyline through Amina's character and experiences since these add some depth to the story.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
As an older protagonist with different facets - mother, wife, pirate and captain - Amina Al-Sirafi is a compelling and complex character. More than this, Amina's fierce, sassy, and accepting personality made her character easy to love. Although she also experiences some growth as she reaches a resolution about chasing her dreams and being a good mother, I found the inner conflicts she works through to get there repetitive.
“to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted."
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟
The story is littered with numerous secondary characters who are gradually introduced but are given little depth beyond their assigned roles. Even so, I loved the diversity of the characters and the witty banter between Amina and her friends.
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal create an impressive listening experience that perfectly conveys the sass and personalities of the characters. I also loved the creative effect used for Amina's interactions with the scribe! However, since the story contains so much information and background, it was hard to find the narration engaging in these moments.
With its intriguing start and compelling protagonist, I really wanted to love 'The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi.' Sadly, while the storyline has multiple elements that should make it a delightful read, I struggled with the pacing and slowly lost interest in the quest. Those who loved this should check out The Eyes of Tamburah by Maria V. Snyder for another entertaining adventure with a fascinating world.
January 22, 2024
so so glad this was chosen for my book club - what an incredible cast of characters - tiktok review inc
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February 20, 2023I can’t wait to make this my entire personality
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