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. I initially thought Yusuf was a guard, but it seems he has a soft spot for Tinbu. Maybe they have another hand to help them break him out? 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. Amina is out doing some innocent work, ferrying people on a small boat. Innocent until it becomes clear the people she’s ferrying have come out here to summon a daughter of the lord of hell… Unwise.

I am super interested to see what kind of magic will be in this series. Marjana’s father is..something for sure after talk of her ‘feeling’ as well as Dalila’s comments. Lots of mysteries to uncover. The Marawati rescues Dunya. She tells Amina that that the Moon of Saba is not a pearl at all, but a wash basin that holds the spirit of Al-Dabaran. Dunya admits that she was not kidnapped; she went with Falco willingly because she has been questioning her gender identity and is fleeing an arranged marriage. Falco and his captive marid capture the Marawati. In exchange for Dunya’s cooperation, Falco agrees to let the Marawati’s crew live; he stabs Amina and throws her overboard. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a 2023 historical fantasy novel by Shannon Chakraborty. It is the first novel in a planned trilogy. Love love love that this book is being told from a biographer writing about Amina. I can already see these cute moments between Jamal and Amina being a highlight of the book. I do not remember the details of our contract, but I do hope it permits further sexual activities."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. Absolutely. I’m working on the sequel now and have a final volume on the horizon after that. The second book is still in the early draft stages but I’m aiming for something that feels like a cross between a ghost story and a murder mystery, and one that plunges even deeper into the malleability of the past and who gets to determine what history truly is. The Portalist - Shannon Chakraborty Breaks Down Her Writing Process and New Book, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Jena Brown

I do. I think to deal with the past of Dunya’s father she will have to rescue Dunya to learn more about the life he left behind. Books like these are why I adore fantasy with all of my heart. A pirate queen cajoled out of retirement for one last job. A deadly sea with supernatural consequences. And a myth in the making.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. A+ storytelling with compelling writing and such a witty and heartfelt (not to mention feminist) voice!! I LOVE IT Chris Kluwe (Feb 2023). "Book Review: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty". Lightspeed Magazine . Retrieved 11 Sep 2023.

I also already love Amina, strong and a protagonist I feel I can connect with having children of my own, I can see how hard it is to leave them to benefit them in the long run. So I think she was right to take the job. I will end with a very important note, one that bothers me a lot as a Muslim reader and made me feel like this book with "Muslim representation" was not meant for Muslims after all, but instead meant for those who wish to interpret Islam/Muslims from the outside for their own benefit. The transgender character reveal was completely a form of revisionist history that in no way reflects the time period. It felt completely out of place, and that is a clear example of representation just for the sake of it. It did not add depth to the story either. There is nothing I did not like about this story. It stands proudly in the canon besides Chakraborty's already titanic City of Brass trilogy, and other fantasy legacies such as R.F. Kuang, Fonda Lee, Jacqueline Carey, Jenn Lyons, and more. Teuta, Queen of the Illyrian Ardiaei tribe, leads a pirate expedition against rome. - image from WorldHistory.orgI gave in to the hype. I finally read Chakraborty’s book for the first time, and it certainly will not be the last. Amina’s mother isn’t happy with the news of her departure. Next she has to explain her leaving to Marjana. I feel like Amina should totally have accepted the job. Its a crazy amount of money to not even complete the job in full. This adventure can only lead to problems but what kind of story would it be if it didn’t.