“It was less frightening...to be confronted by something that was honest about its capacity for violence, than to dread the smiles and false assurances of something that believed in its own goodness even as it murdered and mutilated.”
“The people who want to burn you alive will find a reason to do it, whether you pretend to agree with them or not.”
“People would rather call them witches and burn them than acknowledge that miracles are bestowed upon the world with glorious, unfathomable generosity, because people are idiots.”

What an amazing book from G. Willow Wilson! I adored this story and the beautiful characters and themes it explores. Themes of fear, identity, religion, friendship, reality, faith, and love permeate every page of this book.

I initially became excited to read this book because of the setting; 1491 Spain, or the very end of the Reconquista, has fascinated me ever since I studied Spanish history in college. I will admit to growing up in a Christian culture that painted the Crusades as a holy, righteous war. Only after studying Spanish history did I come to realize that the Catholics were brutally denying religious freedom to an entire country full of diverse religions and people groups. Ironically, the group they sent out to explore the New World in 1492 (Columbus), set out to build a new society with the ideal of religious freedom. The whole thing makes me sick to my stomach, and this novel gave names and faces to a war that previously was anonymous to me.

The main character, Fatima, is a slave in the court of the last Arab kingdom in Granada. When it becomes clear that her friend Hassan will not survive the assimilation to Catholicism due to his homosexuality and his "special talents" with mapmaking, they go on the run. The set-up I just described takes up about the first 100 pages and it is admittedly a little slow-moving. But once they set out on their journey, it is non-stop thrills, magic, and action until the stunning conclusion. This is a "road trip" story like no other, and anyone who loves a story where characters go on a harrowing journey, trying to beat impossible odds, must absolutely read this book!

Some of the fantasy and magical elements went a little over my head - I struggled to picture some of the creatures she depicted. This may be because I am not an avid fantasy reader, but I still felt like some of the descriptions could have been a little more succinct and clear. I was also surprised by how "fantasy" this was - the set-up in the first 100 pages makes it seem like the story is going to be more magical realism, and then all of a sudden jinn and creatures start showing up. It definitely threw me a little. I also felt like the emotional struggles between characters got a little tiring after a while - Hassan & Fatima especially are constantly bickering, sometimes for really stupid reasons. They'll make up in the face of danger and then fight again the next page. I wish we could have seen more consistent friendship between the two of them, but this is a minor quibble.

I really enjoyed this, the characters were wonderful and the story really interesting and new. Entertaining read, well written and a real page turner

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I received an advance copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Short version: I liked it a lot. It drags in places and the exciting ending is kind of abrupt, but the action in the book is secondary to the characters and the relationships between them and those are amazing.

Fatima is the last concubine to the sultan in Grenada, the last emirate in the Iberian Peninsula that's about to be swallowed by the newly-formed country of Spain. The Inquisition has arrived to manage the handover of power and conversion of the Muslim people but Fatima fears for her friend, the palace cartographer, who's a sorcerer and unrepentant gay man, neither of which rank highly in the Inquisition's minds. They escape, with the help of a demon, and the chase begins as the Inquisition tries to catch them on their way to the mythical island of Mount Qaf, home of the King of the Birds.

Wilson's writing is beautiful, the descriptions of palace life are evocative, and her friendship with Hassan rich and complicated. None of the relationships in the book are simple, for that matter, because relationships never are.

Fatima is beautiful, sheltered and spoiled, but she's fiercely loyal and quick to speak out against injustice, not the least of which is that she may have a privileged position as the sultan's concubine but she still isn't free.

"Yes, you were taught to waste your anger. It's convenient for girls to be angry about nothing. Girls who are angry about something are dangerous. If you want to live, you must learn to use your anger for your own benefit, not the benefit of those who would turn it against you."

"The Bird King" works as historical magical realism fiction, a young adult coming-of-age novel, and a dip into mythology, with a young female protagonist who already knows how unfair the world is but can still be surprised at how cruel it can still get, and how powerful she can be against it.

What a gorgeous, gorgeous book. And what a wonderful story! I requested this book for review based upon how much I loved the cover (guilty) and the fact that it was an ownvoices American Muslim story, and jinn were involved! But what I got within The Bird King was so much more than just a beautiful cover. This is my first G.Willow Wilson novel, but based upon this and her work on Ms. Marvel, I would love to read anything she writes! She has such a way with words. There were so many quotes that I drew from this novel, far too many to include in this review, that really resonated with me. She manages to create such a magical feeling throughout the whole story, while also keeping the basic plotlines and concepts rooted in reality.

The Bird King takes place in the palace of Granada, the last emirate of Muslim Spain and follows Fatima, a concubine of the sultan, and her best friend Hassan, the royal mapmaker. Set during the turbulent time of the surrender of the Islamic Emirate to the new Spanish Catholic monarchy, this book deals with so many different aspects of this time in history. Fatima and Hassan are smack dab in the middle of all of this, both characters having not a very extensive knowledge of the outside world, when the representatives of the Spanish monarchy arrive to discuss terms of surrender. Complicating matters is the fact that Hassan’s mapmaking skills are magical in nature, he has always been able to draw maps of places he’s never seen or been and essentially shape reality to his will. Fatima innocently introduces Hassan to one of the women with the Spanish monarchy, unknowingly exposing him to the very person who will try to condemn him as a sorcerer and a threat to Christianity. Confronted with this harsh reality, Fatima and Hassan escape the castle with the help of a jinn named Vikram who can fluidly shift from dog to person.

I loved the characters of Fatima and Hassan, they were both very naive to the outside world and I felt each blow to their innocence while they are running from the Inquisition; I just wanted to keep them safe at all costs! Fatima is a force to be reckoned with and a wonderful main character, she’s volatile, intelligent, occasionally selfish, but she cares for the people she loves with fierce loyalty.

I also really enjoyed the way we get to see the effect that Christianity was having on the Muslim world and their way of life. The juxtaposition of what’s right in Fatima’s eyes and what was right in Luz’s (the inquisitor) eyes was really poignant. At one point, Fatima is thinking of religion to herself and I honestly think the quote directly relates so strongly to how I feel about religion as well.

"She could not envision a God who demanded such particularity of belief, whose mercy and forgiveness were confined to such a precise segment of humankind. Nor, if it came to that, could she fathom hell, which seemed a somewhat contradictory place; you could be sent there for behaving in the right way but believing in the wrong God, or for believing in the right God but behaving in the wrong way. "

But this story also has a distinct vein of feminism running throughout it. As one of the sultan’s prized concubines, Fatima was practically raised in the palace, never going out or being allowed to interact with anyone outside of the palace walls. Throughout the story we get to see Fatima coming to terms with her life and her newfound freedom, and what that means for her. Even though she wasn’t treated harshly in the palace, she has still never known what it’s like to be truly free and watching her grow with this freedom was a delight to read about.

“Yes, you were taught to waste your anger. It’s convenient for girls to be angry about nothing. Girls who are angry about something are dangerous. If you want to live, you must learn to use your anger for your own benefit, not the benefit of those who would turn it against you.”

Lastly, the magical realism in this book was also one of my favorite aspects, though I would have loved to see a bit more of the jinn characters. The imagery and the lush descriptions of the world that the jinn come from, along with the other denizens of that world were so vivid, I just wanted more of them!

Ultimately I would give this book four and a half stars, because the only thing that I would change is more jinn! But overall, the characters, the historical setting, and the messages of this book were wonderful and I would definitely recommend this.

I've read 30% in and I'm DNF. This makes me horribly sad as the cover and premise of this novel is usually my thing. There was a captivating beginning but I have found myself turned off and not wanting to read the story at all.

Quickly on, our main character and map maker are escaping the castle with a version of Vladimar the Vampire. I'm OK with a little weird but I didn't like the direction this novel then took. One other big thing was some of the dialogue of supposed flirting felt very young-adultish. I think the author tried to insert humor at points (having Dogman calling Fatima as "It") but I found it hard to enjoy as I was still reeling from the act of the Dogman eating an encroacher to their campsite.

I've read reviews that if you slog through it, the book is worth the read but I have too many other books to read that have captivated me throughout to continue with this one unfortunately.

Well G Willow Wilson has done it again! I couldn’t put The Bird King down because it held my focus from start to finish! The characters were vivid, including an old favorite from previous books.
I strongly recommend this to any reader who loves a bit of supernatural, and luscious descriptions. I can’t wait for another monograph.
#NetGalley

#TheBirdKing

In the West, we think of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain as a pair of glorious figures riding to victory in the 1480s, but we rarely think about the people they conquered. In The Bird King, a historical fantasy novel, G. Willow Wilson tells the story of Fatima, a beautiful concubine of the last sultan of Grenada and her friend Hassan, a mapmaker blessed with the ability to draw maps of places he has never seen and to remake reality with the maps he draws. When an emissary from the oncoming Catholic forces meets with the Sultan to discuss terms of surrender, Fatima unwittingly reveals Hassan’s secrets to the nascent Inquisition, who views such powers as devilish sorcery. Faced with the likelihood of torture and death, Fatima and Hassan escape from the palace, and with the help of a jinn, a spirit from beyond this world, they flee across a threatening land in search of safety.

Fatima and Hassan are far from the plucky young heroes that usually appear in fantasy novels, however. They have spent years living in a palace, coddled and protected, but treated as little more than useful pets- useful and entertaining in their turn, but forgotten when out of sight. They are utterly unprepared for the world beyond the palace walls and are forced to rely upon Vikram, a surly jinn who made a promise to guard them until they reach the port. But Vikram cannot protect them from everything. Their misadventures force them to face the reality of the world, even as they bicker and push each other to their limits. Our heroes aren’t plucky and sarcastic in the face of overwhelming odds. They’re terrified.

What helps them keep their spirits up through their journey is a made-up game they have played since childhood. Years ago, the sultan’s mother bought part of a long Persian poem, The Conference of the Birds. It is a real poem written in the 1200s by Farid ud-Din Attar, where a group of birds goes in search of their king, crossing frightening lands and falling prey to their own faults as they fly into the unknown. Because Fatima and Hassan have only ever read the first part of the poem, they have spent years making up their own endings to the story, and continue to do so during their flight. As the miles pass and their situation becomes direr, their old game begins to have real-world consequences they did not expect.

The inclusion of The Conference of the Birds is more than just a story element. As an English fantasist might incorporate motifs from Arthurian legend or Beowulf into their story, so Wilson incorporates themes from Attar’s great work into the fabric of The Bird King’s overarching narrative. In the poem, the various birds have flaws that correspond to human weakness. As the poetic birds must overcome their own weaknesses to find their king, so Fatima and Hassan must overcome their own flaws and build up their faith in each other- and their story- to have a chance of finding sanctuary.

I know of few fantasy novels that deal with religion the way that Wilson has in The Bird King. Rather than falling into the binary traps of Good vs Evil, Christian vs Muslim, East vs West, or Faithful vs Faithless, The Bird King sees the flaws in all humanity. Though it contains meditations on faith and sin, it never strays into preachy territory and maintains the right balance as it philosophizes on these heavy topics.

That’s not to say that The Bird King is a heavy, ponderous tome. Though it is steeped in Islamic lore and poetry, it remains light on its feet, blending dry humor and moments of action at just the right time to tell a rich story of a world that never quite was, while showing us a world that could be, if we were brave enough to face our own flaws.

The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

Pros: interesting characters, great melding of history and myth

Cons:

Fatima is one of the sultan’s concubine’s in Alhambra, 1491AD. Amid the siege and her anger at her lack of freedom, her only comfort is Hassan, a gay scribe who can create maps to places that don’t exist. When a delegation from the Spanish monarchs arrives, Hassan’s life is put in danger and Fatima flees with him, hoping to escape the inquisitorial eye and find a better life.

I loved the blending of history and myth and the clash of beliefs that form the foundation of this novel.
The author has a solid grasp on the events and world of 1491, including a lot of minor details that bring the world to life.

I loved her depiction of jinn, which was different from any I’ve read before and made them fascinating. The island being a part of both Islamic and Christian myth was a nice touch, showing that some things are universal.

Beyond the jinn, there’s the magic associated with Hassan’s maps. It’s subtle and beautiful and while the plot hangs on it, it’s sparingly used.

The characters questioned their actions at every point in the book, which made them feel real. They blamed each other for bad decisions. They forgave each other for outbursts they regretted. Fatima is so full of anger and so unaware of the world outside the palace that her growth arc was huge. She’s very passionate and her reactions run the gamut. Luz was absolutely terrifying and I loved that the author played on a modern understanding of what the inquisition was to avoid graphic descriptions. There’s a little information but mostly the book relies on hints of what happens to those put to the question.

The book is fairly fast paced, with the characters constantly running into trouble.

If you like history with a hint of magic, this is a great read.

DNF @ 50%


I really wanted to love The Bird King, but its slow pace and almost nonexistent plot left me incredibly unsatisfied and bored.

The Bird King takes place during the Spanish Inquisition (shout out to National Geographic for their article or I would have been slightly lost) during the reign of the last sultanate in the Iberian Peninsula. Though classified as a fantasy, The Bird King reads almost exclusively as a historical fiction with a little magical realism sprinkled throughout.

The first 30% of this novel is easily the best part of it. The introduction of the characters and the setting is fluid and clear. Wilson explains the setting with clarity without resorting to an information dump. Wilson’s writing is beautiful and poetic. Her descriptions of the palace and terrain are rich and lush making it easy to imagine.

The main character, Fatima, is the last Circassian concubine to the sultan. The sultan and his mother love her, so she’s afforded some semblance of freedom. Fatima is an intriguing character because of her status as a concubine. She grew up knowing her role would be as a bed slave to the sultan, so I expected Fatima to appear older than her seventeen years. Unfortunately, Fatima’s personality flits between one of a twelve year old and one of a seventeen year old.

Regrettably, the novel after the 30% mark is incredibly slow paced and boring. It’s a chore to read because nothing happens and the characters are not fleshed out enough to make readers care about their journey. I wish the entire novel had taken place within the setting of the first 30% since it seemed like Wilson was setting up an intense political fantasy. Unfortunately, the direction the novel takes is slow and I couldn’t get through it.

Overall, The Bird King begins as a stellar historical fiction novel with the potential to be full of political intrigue with a dash of magic, but falls short in the direction it takes.

If I had to rate the 50% of the novel I read, I would rate it three stars.

Fatima is a slave girl born and raised in the harem of the Sultan of Grenada. Hassan, the palace mapmaker with a miraculous gift, is her only true friend. When a Catholic envoy comes to claim Grenada in the name of the Spanish monarchs and discovers Hassan's "blasphemous" talent, Fatima convinces him to escape with her. Aided by supernatural friends, Fatima and Hassan must make their way to safety while being hounded by the Catholics, and in particular a cunning and ruthless woman named Luz who is determined to fulfill her religious calling at all costs.

A story of friendship, love, strength, faith, and perseverance, above all The Bird King is a message of tolerance. Strip away differences such as language and wealth, and at the core we are all human, and faith is not about the trappings of organized religion but about belief and love. This beautifully written journey of self-discovery connects you to each character and through the wondering eyes of Fatima, who has never been outside the palace, makes you appreciate the world anew. Somewhat of a cross between The Alchemist and a fairy tale, The Bird King is perfect for fans of magical realism.

I love a book that combines history with mythology and fantasy. I’m realizing how much I enjoy that genre of book. I thought the relationships amount the characters was wonderful. I’m all about world-building and the author did a great job with this. Somewhat slow paced for me, but I would still recommend this book!

As a scholar of Middle Eastern/Islamic history, I highly recommend The Bird King to fantasy readers and to educators wanting to incorporate fiction into the classroom. Wilson did a great job researching Nasrid Granada and the political, social, and cultural aspects of the Reconquista. Readers get a sense of the material culture and the diversity of peoples in Granada before Isabel and Ferdinand seized the territory.
The main characters are Fatima, a Circassian concubine, and Hassan, a mapmaker with magical abilities to shape maps and the lands he envisions. When the Spanish entourage, led by the Dominican laywoman Luz, wants to try Hassan for sorcery, Fatima arranges their escape. Joined by a jinn and later a monk, the two friends traverse al-Andalus and decide to set across the ocean for the mythical land of Qaf to find the Bird King.
The pacing at times is slow but otherwise the book is a delight. The friendship between Fatima and Hassan is the heartbeat of the story and indeed its major romance. Although Hassan is gay, their friendship is filled with love. Like all friendships, there are trying times but Fatima and Hassan always look out for each other. Another major aspect of the Bird King is the nature of faith. Wilson eloquently and sympathetically explores the relationship between religions and believers who feel left behind/not welcome. The characters find faith not only in the divine, but in each other and themselves.

4.5. Thank you to Grove Atlantic and Net Galley for the ARC.

I confess: the cover put me under its spell immediately and I knew I wanted to read this story even before I read the blurb. The premise of the story only enhanced my feelings though, as I've always had a special connection with Spain and its history. The mention of Granada alone, a city I've been lucky enough to visit myself and admire with my own eyes, would have been enough to make me jump up and down out of joy. Add the promise of a historical fiction setting with a focus on the last sultan of Muslim Spain, a setting right in the middle of the Spanish Inquisition and a fantasy twist, and I knew The Bird King was going to be something special. My instincts turned out to be right: this was such a stunning and absolutely fantastic read! It becomes clear from the beginning that the power of The Bird King is in the prose, attention to historical details and the hint of magical realism in part of the elements. The lines between fiction and fantasy are blurred and balanced in such a way that will surely mesmerize you before you reach the final page. The attention to detail and many descriptions really make the story and its characters come alive. We get a glimpse inside the Alhambra and its daily life under the last sultan and all things culture related. We also get an idea what the Spanish Inquisition was prepared to do in that time, although that is not the main focus of this story. Like I said before, the fantasy elements almost have a magical realism feel about them, something that really worked for me in this story. Each character is unique, well developed and easy to like... You will find yourself rooting for Fatima and Hassan and crossing your fingers they will be able to escape and find the mythical island where the bird king lives. People have complained about the slow pace, and while I agree the pace is indeed rather slow, it also makes it easier to fully savour the prose and all those wonderful descriptions and details. It helped me absorb every single detail all the better and I personally enjoyed every single minute of my time with The Bird King.

I really liked this book and I am glad I read it. I like the story and how it progresses and also the way the author combines some historical facts and mythology with fantasy elements and makes it look natural. The characters and the world - building is also very good. I really liked the friendship that is developed between our main characters. The writing is magical and beautiful.
One negative thing I can say is that the book is really slow paced.

The premise sounded interesting. It was about a concubine that leaves the harem to save her friend. The beginning of the novel was lush and had meticulous details of the sultan’s harem. However, I thought the plot dragged and could have been shorter. Still, the writing was berry beautiful and lyrical. I also love the powerful message of friendship. Thus, I recommend this for those that love historical fantasy.

I've tried few times but I just can't do it. I'm sorry but I find the book terribly slow, tiring and boring. I'm not saying it's bad as my opinion could have changed after finishing it. That said, after another failed attempt to finish it I DNF it at 48%.

The Bird King follows Fatima, the last Circassian concubine to the sultan, and her best friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker. However, Hassan has a secret, he can draw places he’s never been and bend the shape of reality. Unfortunately, they are alive at a time right before the downfall of the last sultanate in the Iberian peninsula. A Spanish envoy comes to the palace, and when they discover Hassan’s powers they want to hand him over to the Inquisition. Fatima decides to help Hassan leave the palace, but how much will she risk to get her friend to safety?

I have mixed feelings about this book. I really loved the setting. Moorish Spain is one of my great fascinations in life and I love reading books set in and about that setting, however, this is at the end of that time period. Even better that this is starts off in the Alhambra, which is absolutely beautiful. It’s a lush and unique setting, which helps to give the novel a strong start. Perhaps, this is what made the second half of the novel a little lackluster.

The second half of the novel, where Hassan and Fatima are escaping the palace and are running away from the Spanish inquisitor starts off strong, but quickly becomes lackluster. It’s full of near misses and the occasional rabbit snack, but the scenery that they are journeying through isn’t as descriptive as the beginning of the novel. It feels like they’re journeying through a weird greyscape essentially. This may have been partially on purpose to heighten the magical dream-like quality the author maybe wanted, but it made the journey fall flat.

The journeying was also incredibly slow. The pacing of this novel needed some help. Parts of it were exciting and just flew by , but they were placed in between long sections of inner character exploration, which while maybe interesting for some readers, I personally can only take some much of. If you enjoy characters looking at themselves and having a great spiritual debate, you may enjoy this novel. Also, the ending was a bit nonsensical. It lacked excitement and purpose.

Overall, I would recommend this for people who like discussions about self and spiritual reflections. Also, for readers who enjoy the long meandering journey novels. However, in terms of a fantasy novel with a quick pace and action, this is not it. It is a slower novel, with some great sections and ideas about spiritual beliefs that I won’t ruin by going into too much detail here. Also, extra points for the Alhambra. I would consider reading another book by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Press for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This post will go up on my blog on 03/05/2019.

The Bird King tells us the story of Fatima, a royal concubine and Hassan a cartographer in the Muslim palace in Granada, Spain.
It is a setting filled with vivid detail where we learn about a time when Christians take back the territory that Muslims conquered in the Iberian Peninsula, more specifically, the regions of Spain and Portugal. It tells us about the Spanish Inquisition, the radical persecution that they made to those they considered heretics.
I confess I usually avoid books with religious themes because I'm always afraid that in a clash of beliefs, one religion will be portrayed as "evil" and another as "good". However, the author knew how to balance it and I was glad.
This is a story that's read almost like a fairytale. It presents historical elements and blends with magical realism. This is the kind of novel you might have a hard time understanding, as it uses a lot of metaphors and symbolism and open interpretations. You will be thoroughly confused in some passages trying to decipher the meaning behind and failing or you can just go with the wind and let yourself be swayed by beautiful, lyrical prose as I did. The author delivers a rich description of the world she created, creating a unique atmosphere, and beautiful imagery that's almost poetic. I absolutely loved it.
As for the characters, we have two main: Fatima and Hassan, although I think Fatima gets more protagonism. Even though Fatima seems at first, a bratty girl, you feel for her. This is a story that supposedly does not have romance, but it has love: Her loyalty, her love for her best friend Hassan got my sympathy.
Fatima's undying love for Hassan is unrequited because Hassan absolutely loves her but not in a romantic way (he is gay). Both Fatima and Hassan are overprotective with each other and if needed would die for one another.
Hassan, persecuted because of his sexual orientation and ability to create magical maps that bend reality struggles to find someone willing to love him. Fatima struggles to let Hassan "go".
They embark on a journey to save their lives and to find freedom. They decide that only a mythical Island, where a mythical king lives, aka, the King of Birds is the only place they will be safe from Inquisition, so the book becomes a VERY slow journey to reach the island where Fatima and Hassan go through many obstacles and learn many things. In my opinion, the journey took too long, it dragged through most part of the book and it made me lose interest several times. However, through the book, I got attached to the characters and it made me go on.
Besides Fatima and Hassan, we have three other characters that are relevant:
Luz, a Spanish Lady in Waiting/Diplomat envoy from the Spanish Queen is the villain that commands armies against them. Her relationship with Fatima is something very complicated and complex.
Vikram is a Djinn that is fond of Fatima and he has the best quotes. As a Djinn, he was supposed to be a fickle, trickster creature driven by impulses and desires and yet he becomes the voice of reason and honesty many times and never fails to be loyal to Fatima. I wouldn't mind reading a spin-off of his past, because he's that great.
And finally, we have Guennec, a Breton monk that is not yet a priest but dreams to become one. He becomes someone crucial in the lives of Hassan and Fatima and I absolutely loved him. I would have liked to see so much more of him and his complicated feelings for a certain character.
The end was rushed and a bit confusing. I confess I was slightly disappointed. It was bittersweet and it left some questions lingering.
Nevertheless, in the end, I felt a pang of nostalgia in a way that a book did not make feel for a long, long time. I was so sad with the death of a certain character and it was hard to say goodbye to characters that I saw growing and maturing through the story and I felt so proud of them.

In conclusion, this book might not be for everyone and some might perhaps find it boring because this book requires patience and there are parts where you might get lost (not in a good way).
BUT if you enjoy Historical, Magical Realism and Fantasy genres with beautiful prose, slow narrative, and interesting characters, you will most likely enjoy this. I certainly did!

TW: attempted rape.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book. When I saw that G. Willow Wilson had written a novel I was so excited as I love her Ms. Marvel series. This book started at strong but about 50 pages in I found myself not really engaged with this story, in fact I was doing anything to avoid reading this one. The writing was fine, just not enough of an engaging story for me.

This review will run on my blog the week of March 4th, 2019.

Note: I was provided an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Fatima has never known a moment outside the palace walls of Granada in 15th century Spain.  Born into slavery and raised as a concubine, she's had a relatively pampered life, but always with the yolk of being bedded whenever the sultan desired. Her only true friend is Hassan, the royal mapmaker who has a secret gift: he can draw accurate maps of places he's never seen.  On the top of that, if Hassan alters a map of a nearby place - say, adds a door on the map where there is no door in reality - that feature will magically appear.  This ability is taken for granted by the palace until Spanish diplomats arrive to negotiate the sultan's surrender and an end to a long-standing siege.  Among the diplomats is a member of the Inquisition, who sees Hassan's gift - and his homosexuality - as heretical sins. Learning that Hassan is in the sights of the Inquisiton, Fatima helps him escape the palace and together they go on the run.  With the aid of a djinn, the two flee to the coast, hoping to use Hassan's ability to find safe harbor at the mythical island of the Bird King.

THE BIRD KING is a light fantasy, bordering on historical fiction, sprinkled with magical creatures and a dash of supernatural abilities.  It was a pairing that works for the most part, especially in the last third of the book, when things become decidedly more fantastical. As for pacing, I found the tale to be bookended by a strong beginning and ending, sandwiching a decidedly slower middle section.  I was instantly hooked by the brief time at the palace that opens the tale; and the last chapters are beautifully heartbreaking.  In particular, I liked the tension as the Spanish delegation arrives and Luz enters the harem, a Spanish woman of dubious intentions. The actual bulk of the story, however, takes place on the run, which I found surprisingly less engaging.

This is in part because I found the characters in turns fascinating and frustrating.  The time fleeing the Inquisition is as much a character study as it is plot. Fatima, who has never left the palace, has to find a strength of both body and mind to overcome the forced pampered life she has lived all her life.  Fatima's not built for days of running through countryside, through no fault of her own.  Watching her struggle to overcome these handicaps, as well as figuring out what she wants in life now that she finally has a measure of freedom, was a worthwhile storyline.  But the evolving dynamics between her and Hassan, and their various traveling companions, only held my attention for so long, particularly as relationships turned to jealousy and bickering.  This may just be due to my own preferences, and others may enjoy watching these characters more.

THE BIRD KING is a slow burn tale of two people just trying to find a place in the world where they can exist without judgement or hatred.  It's a race to freedom that also allows its characters to work through their emotions about the world and their place in it.  How much you enjoy the book will largely be determined by how much you identify with and root for the characters.  Despite my interest ebbing and flowing, I did find the ending beautiful.  It's a fantastical journey looking for a better place, one that we can all relate to, and I'm glad overall for the time I spent along the way.