4.5! This book is just so beautiful, inside and out. The writing style was incredibly lush and beautiful - it drew me in right from the first page and I was entranced throughout the entirety of it. My favorite part of this book, hands down, is the relationship between Amani and Maram. Admittedly, when I started this, I was expecting the relationship to follow simple tropes, but thank god it didn't. Instead we get a complicated relationship between these two girls and it's beautiful. I'm so looking forward to how that's going to play out in the series. The relationship between Idris and Amani did happen a little too fast for me - particularly since this is a trilogy and I feel like it could've been drawn out a lot more. Saying that, I still desperately wanted them to kiss. Daud's writing style is just so lovely and I could <i>feel</i> the UST. My only other complaint is the pacing - it felt like parts of the story were missing at times. I'm never really a fan of time jumps that are casually like "two days later" or "three weeks later" and that's employed a couple times throughout the book. My love of the writing style and the characters and their relationships more than made up for that small complaint though. I highly recommend this one and I can't wait to continue the series.

Also, if you're not that interested in sci-fi, I would still definitely recommend checking this one out, as it's kind of like a fantasy disguised as a sci-fi. There's not that much science involved with the plot of the book and it definitely has a more fantasy feel to me.

I was intrigued about this story with being able to find a perfect body double. I kept waiting for the “surprise” that they were actually related, sisters or cousins and to my own surprise that piece never materialized. I think all the characters have a lot more to say and the sequel will be waited with baited breath.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 August 15

BOOK REPORT for Mirage (Book 1) by Somaiya Daud

Cover Story: Fantasy-tastic
BFF Charm: Fox Mulder
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away (No, Not That One)
Bonus Factors: Intragalactic Worldbuilding, Body Double
Relationship Status: Slow Burn

Cover Story: Fantasy-tastic

Hot dang, this is a stunner. Although it has the lewk of a fantasy and downplays the book's sci-fi aspects. (I don't know; throw a drone on it? Except don't do that at all.) BUT WHATEVS, IT'S GORGEOUS.

The Deal:

How would you like to get whisked away from your poor existence in a farming village, and into the life of a princess at the imperial palace? Sounds too good to be true, right? (Perhaps even like a mirage, if you'd like. And I'm incorrigible, so I would like.)

All you'd have to do is be forcibly separated from everybody you've ever known and taken off of the moon you've grown up on. Because it's not actually a choice; you've been kidnapped! Which is Amani's fate for looking identical to the cruel Princess Maram, who needs a body double on account of all the people who'd like to see her dead aka LOTS OF 'EM.

Sure, it's not the worst gig in the galaxy — the palatial life is pretty swanky, and hanging out with Maram's fiancé ain't too shabby, either — but there's just the constant threat of Amani never getting to see her own family again and not surviving any possible attempts on Maram's life. So, no pressure.

BFF Charm: Fox Mulder

For all that she's been through, Amani's generous heart still has the capacity for so much trust, kindness, and forgiveness. Whereas I, on the other hand, am deeply suspicious and paranoid of everyone around her. It might be a byproduct of watching far too much Game of Thrones that I'm seeing potential enemies and conspiracies everywhere in a royal court, whether it's warranted or not. TRUST NO ONE, GIRL. (That's an X-Files thing, right? I may or may not get scolded for my ignorance at FYA HQ.)

Swoonworthy Scale: 8

As it so happens, Maram isn't actually in love with her bethrothed, Idris, and the feeling is mutual. Idris and Amani, though, bring about a case of the MAKE OUT MAKE OUT MAKE OUT. Heck, they made me understand why people used to share poetry during courtship 'n shizz.

(Yes, that means this is a non-triangle involving two people with the same face. So, like a very extreme case of dating an identical twin... while being engaged to the other one.)

Talky Talk: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away (No, Not That One)

With a book about a royal body double taking place on different moons and planets, my mind immediately went to Star Wars. But there's not as much stars nor wars; in fact, it mostly feels like an elaborate fantasy with real-world Moroccan influences and then OH YEAH there's fancy space tech — and this combination fits really well together.

One other way that Mirage is similar to Star Wars, though, is how it's making me speculate about future installments. (Slightly spoiler-y, in that this doesn't get addressed, so skip ahead if you're averse.) How was it known that there's someone who looks exactly like Maram? Did someone betray Amani? Are Amani and Maram actually related? Is Maram a secret robot and Amani the real princess?!?! SOMEONE STOP THE MADNESS BEFORE I SPECULATE FURTHER.

(See, this is how the book made me so distrustful.)

Bonus Factor: Intragalactic Worldbuilding

This is the kind of book I desperately want to be adapted just to see these spectacular settings from Amani's tantalizing descriptions. As well as meet the people, especially the badass Tazalghit horsewomen whom I've totally pictured as a cross between the Amazons from Themyscira and the Vuvalini from Fury Road, i.e., ULTIMATE SHEROES.

Also, my kingdom for a map of the star system to satiate my inner astronomy nerd. (I don't ask for much, other than, y'know, everything.)

Bonus Factor: Body Double

In the grand fashion of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Monte Carlo, or some other example without a Disney teen star, Amani must pose as her mean and privileged doppelganger*.

Maram herself is such a complex character, and the relationship between her and Amani so fraught. If danger and treachery weren't enough justification to get a body double, Maram sometimes just doesn't feel like being social. (Introvert fam, y'all get it.) Despite her getting off to a disastrous start with Amani, I can't help empathizing with Maram and hoping that she can still be redeemed — even though she's holding Amani captive, even though she's robbing Amani of her life.

... OK, when I put it like that, I'm a little less inclined to hype up Maram. But I have to believe that she isn't beyond saving — because Amani believes it, too. Or maybe her judgment's being clouded by Stockholm syndrome.

Like I said: FRAUGHT.

*I see you, fellow recovering fans of The Vampire Diaries.

Relationship Status: Slow Burn

Real talk: I'm a bit of apprehensive about getting together with series books. (It's just, like, a lot of commitment!) After finishing Mirage, I'm still in the excited, trying-to-figure-you-out stage — and not knowing where it wants to take me on our next date definitely has me intrigued. Only time will tell if this spark can ignite a fiery passion, but I'm down with returning to its galaxy to find out.

I received a review copy from the publisher for an honest review.
I love the fact that Daud wrote a YA sci-fi, more voices and perspectives are needed in this very traditionally white author genre.
I loved the lush descriptions of setting, and clothing in this book. I could visualize the setting really well.
Critique: I don’t know that I was as driven to push and turn the page to read to completion. Some of the plot development and reversal of feelings about certain characters could’ve happened, but I don’t know that I fully believed it.

This will definitely have a sequel and I’d like to see where this story goes.

First of all, I loved the world! I've been longing for a space fantasy - and there are so few. The writing is so imaginative and the characterization was done so well. The author did a great job of getting us on the main character's level, especially with the transition she underwent in the palace - and even sympathizing for the real princess.

While I loved the world, I think the world building was just a tad confusing, though it didn't deter me much as a reader - I just pressed on. The pacing was a little slow at times, though it seems that was fitting for the story - but I found myself waiting for something more to happen. Either way, I really enjoyed the book and am grateful to have read it!

That’s the ending???

Oh boy, I don’t think I was in any way prepared for this book. It started slow for me because I didn’t realize it was sci-fi but as Maram was introduced and the intersections between characters developed I got more and more invested until I didn’t want to put this book down. And the ending! My heart cannot take it and I cannot wait to see what the future will be for Amani, Idris, and Maram.

I loved the ways Maram grew and how Amani grew to care for her, started seeing her as a nuanced individual rather than simply the cruel future-queen of her people’s conquers.

Amani is a wonderful character, so strong and so full of hope. I loved her so much, and I am just in awe of her.

The writing style is absolutely stunning and the world building is phenomenal. The mythology felt so visceral and the ways it was important and influenced Amani was so delicately and wonderfully executed. The world absolutely drew me in, leaving me wanting more.

Just, beautiful story and I’m so glad it exists. I hope more people read this and fall in love with these nuanced characters and this stunning world.

The book is slow-moving and the character is not very original. Though I appreciate the non-western culture and the emotional depth of the protagonist, she was boring. There was little dialogue and not enough interaction with others: too much takes place just in her head, and she's not even funny. The only interesting thing about the book is the non-western culture and coloured author.

When I picked up Mirage a few days ago, I expected to enjoy it. It was a such a highly anticipated book for me, and with its incredibly gripping synopsis, it was hard for me to imagine myself not enjoying the story. But wow, I definitely did not expect to fall in love with it and the characters as much as I have, and something I expected way less was for this book to become one of my top favorite books of all time in such a short period of time (and after only the first book nonetheless).

One of the things I loved the most about this book was the writing. Somaiya really knows how to write a compelling and magical world. The worldbuilding was absolutely incredible (and normally the thing I love the least in books, so you can imagine how surprised I was that it was one of my favorite parts of this one), and every page transported me into this rich and gorgeous world.

The characters were absolutely incredible as well. Amani, our main character, finds herself in a terrifying situation when she is taken by Princess Maram to be her body double. But through all the hard things she goes through in the palace, she manages to also find her voice and purpose. I thought she was an absolutely inspiring character. Even with the constant suffering she goes through in the hands of the princess, she still manages to find hope within her culture, like with the poems and stories she was taught, as well as her religion. Another thing that about Amani that made me love her so much was how she sees the good in people; she is mistreated in the worst of ways by Maram from the moment she steps foot on the palace, but she still manages to see something broken in her, and soon they develop an actual friendship.

Maram is first introduced as the evil and cruel Princess. She is raised without her mother, by an even crueler king who clearly resents her because of who her mother was. She is desperate for approval, and one of the most compelling and complex characters in this entire story. Its hard to truly know what to make of her, and to know either or not she truly is as terrible as she is, or if all she does is in pursue of her father's approval (or anyone else's love, really). Although she does terrible things throughout the book, that are definitely not excused, I loved discovering all of these layers within her personality. Complex characters always catch my attention, and she was definitely an interesting character that I cannot wait to find out more about and see evolve.

This is a very personal trait of mine, but I can never fully enjoy a book without a swoony romance, and the one in this book definitely delivered the perfect amount of cuteness levels that I was needing. While impersonating Princess Maram, Amani meets the Princess' fiancé, Idris. Without spoiling much of the book, they definitely get close. And in a short period of time, Idris became one of my favorite characters ever .
He is just the perfect amount of soft and cute that I am always looking for in a male character, and his interactions with Amani made me smile like a fool several times (seriously, if I read this in public people would've thought I was the weirdest person EVER). All I want is to wrap him up in a blanket and keep him safe forever.

Overall, this was such an incredible read that exceeded all of the expectations I had. It was so much more than I could have ever dreamed of, and I cannot wait to read the second book.

I was expecting the pacing to be slower than it was; I kind of sped through this one. Granted, this is a pretty slow, character focused story that did drag in the middle, but the dynamic between Amani and Maram was so interesting that I flew through this. Yet, despite it's character focused plot, the overlying themes of colonization, appropriation, erasure and so many other harmful things are at the forefront. We have a rebellion happening in the background and we see how this not only Amani, but third parties as well. And watching Amani enduring what she did and finding hope and determination to survive shows who she is as a person who didn't see them self as strong. As for Maram... at first, I didn't know what to think of her. Daud definitely made me sympathize with her while not excusing her actions. And the relationship between the two made me nervous— captor/captive relationships usually do, but I'd love to see how things develop especially after that cliffhanger ending. If I'm honest, despite all of the subplots occurring, things I feel took a step back in terms of progress, so I'm hoping that book to will step it up in furthering all aspects of the book. This has such an interesting concept, interesting characters, interesting everything, yet I was confused about a few things.

In a world dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated home. But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

I received Mirage in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley. This book is described as being a Science Fiction story inspired by the author's Moroccan upbringing, which intrigued me. I was excited to see what kind of unique setting the author, Somaiya Daud, came up with and what kind of plot she'd come up with to go along. 

The setting of the book definitely did not disappoint. The hybrid between the completely foreign world of Aliana and the culture of Morocco worked beautifully together. It also creates some complicated dynamics between races in the story, that are mirror images to the real world. Amani's race has been subjugated by the Vathek race but she and her family keep their culture alive through celebrating traditions, that create a dynamic and unique backdrop to the story. 

The characters of the book are complex and compelling. Amani goes through a lot of change and development through the book, making her an excellent main character, but even Maram, who appears to be the antagonist at the start of the story, changes and becomes a fully three-dimensions character as the story progresses. Every character proves to be more than the reader originally thought, and none of them are purely good or evil, making them incredibly memorable and interesting. 

Mirage was a fast and fun read, thanks for a fast-paced plot. Tensions are high for Amani from the beginning and every event in the story, ramps up the tension, intrigue and excitement. While I wouldn't consider there to be any real "twists" as the plot unfolds gradually, I was happy with the direction the story took and it surpassed my expectations. This was a book that I quite literally could not put down and was left thinking about for days finishing the last chapter. 

The Moroccan-inspired Science Fiction novel, Mirage, has a beautiful setting, complex characters and intriguing plot line. If you love Star Wars and The Children of Blood and Bone, you'll love the dynamic and intricacies of the world the author created as well as the exciting new technology. Somaiya Daud's debut novel is well worth the read!

Mirage is one of the best books I've read all year.

I just adore this book!!! The characters were great-every one- Amani was terrific but so were Maram, Amani's love interest, and the other side characters, all three dimensional and so real. The writing and setting were gorgeous. I can't wait for the next book.

Mirage with its stunning cover and its roots in Morrocan culture caught my attention, despite not being much of a YA fantasy reader. It sounded so interesting too because it fused together elements of science-fiction and fantasy. While overall reading this book was a decent experience, Mirage fell short of my expectations.

The story revolved around Amani, a young woman who dreams of being a poet. Kidnapped and forced to act as the body-double of as the Princess of the Vathek empire, Maram, she finds her life turned upside down. Amani was a passionate girl. Her love for poetry and her desires for adventure shone through the Mirage. Her main goal throughout this book was to get back to the safety of her home and family.

This was where my biggest issue with Mirage stemmed from. Though you could sense that Amani wanted to go home, I never felt like she actively tried to get out of her situation. This baffled me because this was the core of the plot.

Princess Maram was an intriguing character. She was cold-hearted and cruel, but there were shades and layers to her characters. I almost wish that we will get a novella told in her POV because I'm interested in knowing more about the background that turned her into such a vicious ruler.

My biggest problem with Mirage was the romance. Princess Maram's fiancee, Idris, figured out early on that Amani was a body double. After just a couple of interactions, these two were head over heels over each other and it made no sense. The romance was rushed and felt incredibly out of place. Not to mention, we begin to see no progress in the plot because of this romance. I took away much of my enjoyment of this book. There were no sparks between Idris and Amani too which didn't help this book.

Next, the plot. Mirage seemed to go nowhere when it comes to the story, mostly because Amani did absolutely nothing to get out her kidnapping. This meant that the book was dull in many places. Towards the second half, we did get to see some progress including common fantasy tropes such as secret rebellions and court politics.

In the end, this wasn't a book that 100% impressed me. I think there is much potential here and I only hope it gets explored in the subsequent books.

This Morrocan-inspired novel is one that, susprisingly, has a combination of fantasy and a bit of science fiction.

I’m not a huge fan of Sci-Fi’s but this title got me. The concept is not as new as it may sound, especially in the fantasy category, but I must say that this book has a lot of potential. That interplanetary setting, the moon and the stars? Refreshing. I’d been taken in to a new world. Though it had me confused at first, I was thankful that information regarding the different places were thrown carefully.

Things I liked:

1. the strong and competent female characters - both Amani and Maram are flawed and later on, both developed and became two likable characters. Mirage is a character-driven story. You will be a witness as to how huge the changes were talking about the relationship between the two.

2. the distinction and well-defined culture - like what I said earlier, the different cultures were refreshing as it were complex. But it is pretty obvious that the author did a great job in dumping the important details. Poetry is one aspect that was beautifully aligned with one of the cultures.

3. The narrative - I loved how Daud weaved the story together. The way she wrote it. It’s not always that i get to love an author’s writing style, especially if one has a completely complex world building.

What I did not like:

1. The pacing - it’s rather inconsistent. Most of the time it’s too slow, some other time it’s too fast. Just like how the first installment ended.

2. Insta-love - DO I still need to explain this one? I wanted something that’s slow burn, something organic.

Overall, Mirage is a great introduction to a duology and I cannot wait to dive in to the second installment!

**full review to come**

Mirage is a character driven story following Amani who is taken from her village because she looks like the soon to be queen of her planet, Maram. Amani’s home world has been overtaken by the Vathek and as the Vathek’s king prepares to pass the power over to his half-Vathek daughter, Maram finds her life to be potentially in danger as the very unloved future ruler of Amani’s home.

Amani, looking very much like Maram is taken is as her body double to handle situations that might be too dangerous, or even too boring, for Maram and put her life on the line for the cruel and unwanted queen. Amani finds herself in a tough position as she becomes close to Maram’s fiance, Idris, bound together because of politics, Maram herself, and other people who aren’t happy with Vathek rule.

I found the world to be quite beautiful in description. The author does an amazing job of painting a scene with words. I loved the weaving of poetry into the story, the mythology/folklore of the world being used throughout. I’m not very familiar with Moroccan culture and don’t know how much is strictly that and how much was created just for this world but it was very fascinating. Amani is an interesting character, she’s strong not in the fact that she is a kick-butt, superhero kinda girl, but in her kindness and desire to see the best in an awful situation. Gonna be honest though, don’t want to give anything away but Maram might be my favorite character in this story, she’s infinitely complex and very, very interesting. This is the first in a series and I’ll be looking forward to book two to see how it picks up after that ending.

First of all, let me thank Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the chance to read and review this book: Mirage by Somaiya Daud.
As always, these thoughts are my own. This review is spoiler-free and no main plot points are revealed.

I give this story 3.5 stars.

Synopsis:

In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure and travel beyond her isolated moon.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.

YA Sci-Fi that feels almost like Historical Fantasy.
Okay, I’ll be honest, I had NO IDEA that this was sci-fi until a droid popped up on the page. Wow. It had been so long since i requested it from Netgalley that it had totally slipped my mind. And with a title and a cover like that, I was expecting a fantasy, or even historical fiction. What I got was a brilliantly crafted novel, laden heavily with an Arabic/ Indian vibe and some rich worldbuilding.

I loved Amani, the main character. She acts like a real person who’s been kidnapped + forced to be a body double. She doesn’t while away her time sneaking out and fighting back, she settles in a waits, serves, and watches. The depth of world and the expert combination of middle-east vibes + sci-fi astonished me. I’m in for more.

However, I was disappointed in her reasoning to stay and her complacency near the end. This book got a 3.5 star rating because of it (I can’t say, it’s spoilers, but you’ll figure it out, sweetie) as well as the fact that I’m not one hundred percent sure that this story has a plot. It does, of course, but it’s not clear from the beginning what Amani wants and where she’s going, and there’s no clear inciting incident or denouement. It’s just a part of a book, leading to another book in the series later on, and that disappoints me. It seems like most series nowadays don’t have individual books, just one giant book broken up between a series.

Have you read Mirage? What were your opinions?

Mirage was a fascinating, character-driven adventure blended with a rare mixture of both sci-fi and fantasy. Daud’s unique premise and richly written culture easily transported me into the war-torn star system held under a brutal regime and the conflicted heroine at its very center forced to lose her identity in place of another. Filled with danger and espionage, Amani’s journey will captivate readers from the very first page.

I fell in love with the atmospheric writing of the people and locations, but mostly I fell for Amani and her tragic circumstance. The brutality of being stripped of your religion, culture, freedom, and individuality were sharply poignant and I loved that Daud allowed her to feel contention and strife for her new life—to struggle with grieving who she was versus the guilt of finding joy in parts of her new life. And how effective that storytelling was to making you feel the same way as you experienced it with her. She was a grounded young woman filled with resiliency, but with an equally caring heart—the two halves of her always warring on who to protect. It made for one hell of a story.

Sadly, the one element that felt unnecessary to the story was the romance between Amani and Idris. I had really hoped for it to provoke a response from me—to feel the push-pull of that war between letting themselves fall for one another or to resist it—but it never jumped from the pages. I do hope it’ll be more developed in the next installment and become a better source of tension and emotion.

Mirage was a powerful exploration of female empowerment and friendship. There was a wealth of humanity and depth to be found in every character and the diverse relationships they had (or didn’t) between each other; I’m looking forward to seeing them develop (or deteriorate) as the story continues. With so much more to explore and an ending left hanging, I’m more than anxious for the second book.

"You are not defined by the men in your life, no matter how powerful, You've lived before them and you shall live after them. You can't let them determine your path."
I normally don't quote ARCs because things may change but this ARC had two that stuck out to me: (1) "Wanting never solved anything" and (2) the one quoted above.

This book has it all: setting, characters, themes, romance. The world had a futuristic/tech vibe (I absolutely loved it). The beginning of the book reminded me of Star Wars because of the desert setting with Imperial Droids and a rebellion faction fighting for their country. Trigger warnings for allusion to certain things that happen when a country gets invaded and its people are seen as "less" than the invading group {ie. violence against the existing population in various forms].

Usually the endings are where the climactic scenes are, but in this case, I felt as though those scenes were more in the beginning of the book and the ending was rather anticlimactic because you knew what was going to happen. The characters developed nicely during the story, and there is some political intrigue and a rebellion brewing. The story ends where the reader can guess how the repercussions will play out over the course of the series, but you only see the initial ones. I will definitely be picking up the rest of this series!

3.5 stars

The aspect that most drew me to this story was the Moroccan influenced fantasy world inspired by the author’s heritage. The book takes place in space and includes droids and other sci-fi aspects, but those weren’t discussed as much and to me the story seemed to have more of a fantasy feel.

I loved the rich sense of heritage and culture. The character development- especially in terms of the main character’s interactions with the princess- was really intriguing.

The world and politics were a little confusing to me and I had a hard time keeping everything straight, but I know that the final edition has some really beautiful maps in it that will help with the location aspect.

I also felt like the story was pretty straightforward. There weren’t many twists or things that surprised me.

I definitely enjoyed reading the book, but for me it lacked that ‘it’ factor to push it over the edge. It didn’t totally draw me in and make it so difficult to put down like other YA books I’ve loved. But I know that factor can be subjective, and there are many other early reviewers who absolutely loved it.

For those who are wondering about content level: There is a lot of reference to killing and destruction that previously happened to lead to the time of the story, but I didn’t feel like it was overly gory in it’s descriptions. There is one romantic scene that gets steamy.

The Vath conquered 18-year-old Amani's planet and have attempted to suppress their religious and cultural practices, yet they still flourish here and there, the survivors hanging on to their heritage. Amani is such a survivor, though too young to remember the Vath conquest. She loves outlawed poetry, has a deep connection with her family, and honors her religion. On the day she becomes an adult and receives her daan (a tattoo connecting her to her family), droids take her. Because Amani happens to look like the Vathek heir Maram.

I loved a lot of this--the religion, poetry, the importance of family. The home world-building is wonderful. I also liked Amani, and the love interest was good without being overdone. I did think the Vath were too one-dimensional and vapid. There are several things that happen that seem convenient, for the Vath (and Maram) surely would've caught on or realized that it was problematic. But, despite these flaws, I will be continuing the series. It's a strong debut, and I love the world and Amani's place in it.

Sidenote: Fantasy or sci-fi? It's sci-fi in that there are droids and space, but there's also myths coming alive and it just reads like a fantasy. Guess it's both. :)

[Posted on Goodreads 08/06]
[Posted on Book Riot Peek Over Our Shoulders 08/09]

This book is such a unique blend of fantasy and sci-fi! I love the world that the author created, with complex technology and space travel set in a more cultural and agricultural setting. The author really took the time to build the culture and religious beliefs of her characters while also incorporating futuristic technology and fantasy/sci-fi elements. The writing was well-done and I enjoyed the character development. It took a few chapters for me to really get into the book, but once I was in, I was hooked. I'm really looking forward to the second book!