Publication
Date: February 23, 2016
Hardcover, 352 pages, Razorbill
Genres:
YA, Fantasy
She is the most powerful Jinni of
all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world...
When Aladdin discovers Zahra's
jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of
years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal.
She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic,
until her new master has selected his three wishes.
But when the King of the Jinn
offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the
opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving
herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her
freedom worth losing her heart?
As time unravels and her enemies
close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this
dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.
My Review
Jinn are such fascinating creatures. I love stories about
them because you never know what they’ll do, you just know that whatever they’ll
do will be epic and destructive and super fun to read about.
Jessica Khoury introduces a spin on the Aladdin and the
Magic Lamp folktale: the genie is female. It’s a fantastic concept, and the
world-building Khoury put into the story is fantastic. I actually wish we could
get a spinoff for a certain jinn prince or a certain princess OR a certain
jilted cousin. It would be cool to see their stories unfold in a full-length
novel.
As for the main characters, Zahra was strong and intriguing.
Her history is long and difficult, and it made me want to unlock her secrets.
Now Aladdin, he’s definitely similar to the Disney adaptation—minus Abu. He’s a
charming thief, but he has a bloody past and his actions are quite a bit darker.
Caspida, the princess, and her band of friends were a great addition to the
story. I rooted for them throughout. But the villain could’ve used some more page
time just to be fully fleshed out and not-so stereotypical.
The story overall progressed really well. I don’t think
there was a single plot point I disliked until I got closer to the end of the
novel. During the last few chapters, it seemed like things were a tad rushed
and it could be a little difficult to follow. Plus, Aladdin kind of ended up as
a background character during all the climactic scenes. That was a little disappointing.
Still, it was a solid four-star read.
All in all, if you love desert fantasies like The Wrath
and the Dawn or The City of Brass, pick this one up for a quick, fun
spin on jinn lore. And obviously, any Disney Aladdin lover will also
find this re-imagination a worthwhile read.
*Note: I purchased
a copy of this book myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.
OOh nice! I still need to read this one. It's been sitting on my TBR since its release, eek 4 years now! Though...I know I've had some on the pile for 10 years! GASP!!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that this one was still good! I heard that way back when but you know, 4 years later and I still need to read it! Lol. Great review!
It was fun! If you need a light fantasy, it's a good one to choose! XD
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