Everyone I know has loved the books by Chakraborty, so I just had to give it a go. It didn't disappoint! As someone who is not as experienced with the pirate-fantasy genre, I found this was a snap to get into and loved the journey all the way through.

This is the first book by Shannon Chakraborty I've read, though I have her others on my shelves, and I truly enjoyed it. The premise of this book had me intrigued, I like that the characters are close to my age, the adventure and action, and the ending. This book felt like I was really there and I enjoyed every second of reading it.

This is the best 'new to me' book that I read this year! The audio book is fantastic!
Thank you very much to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Amina al-Sirafi is the kind of protagonist to interrupt the impudent storyteller who dares to pepper her recollections with questions. As our storyteller sets out to set the record straight on the infamous lady pirate, often not given her due because of her sex, Amina runs roughshod over the whole affair, recounting her adventures however she sees fit. I love a foul-mouthed heroine, and Amina definitely fits the bill.

The story starts with Amina in retirement. Though she misses her more adventuresome days on the high seas, she has good reason for keeping a low profile. Her new home is remote, giving her a better chance to protect her family, especially her daughter. But it's hard not to attract notice when you're a "giant" with more than the typical amount of ferocity. When a rich, old woman shows up on Amina's doorstep, she's suspicious-- more so when the woman demonstrates knowledge of Amina's past and offers an outlandish, exorbitant sum for the return of her kidnapped granddaughter. Amina is only convinced to take the job when she learns that the missing teenager is, in fact, the daughter of an old friend, one who died under her watch. It's time for Amina to take up her mantle again and set sail.

Amina's promises to her mother and daughter that she'll stay safe on this "one last job" are challenged almost immediately. A con game and a prison break are required before she even sets foot on her beloved ship. As she sets out, we see Amina get her most trusted crew back together, her best shot at getting home in one piece. First, we have Dalila, the poisoner. She has a particular passion for experimenting with knockout gas and is newly excited to explore what she can do with explosives. Then there's Tinbu, the first mate, who knows ships better than anyone else. It's a core crew of middle-aged pirates, where few in their profession survive to claim the title. A new addition to their number is a useless cat who catches no mice and earns much affection all the same. Our crew faces down real, terrifying magic, chases a villain seeking a powerful, ancient artifact, and negotiates with dangerous humans and supernatural beings alike... and it wouldn't be a proper pirate story without a sea monster.

The story takes place around the Indian Ocean with its varied peoples, faiths, and languages that meld into a shared history and seafaring identity. This is reflected in the diversity of the cast, who hail from all over the map. Amina herself has a multitudinous heritage, like many with sailors in their family tree. The characters also practice a variety of religions, not necessarily understanding one another but coexisting amicably. Amina's a practicing Muslim and Dalila's Christian. We also discover that Tinbu, a Hindu man, was seeing a Jewish man before taking off on this latest adventure. And Tinbu isn't the sole bearer of the rainbow flag in the main cast. There's a significant side character who's trans, and though their family is transphobic, they find support from the crew by the end of the book to express themself how they feel comfortable.

The cast of characters largely hails from peoples who live along the Indian Ocean but for one major exception. Our villain is a Frank who became aware of this world and its (literally) rich history due to his part in the Conquests. Falco has a last name that Amina routinely butchers, at least partly on purpose. His interest in the occult and lack of humanity fuel his efforts to possess all the powerful objects he can. Franco is only one (and the most major) example in the book of how the author ruminates on the violence humans inflict on one another. He represents a specific, colonial strain of violence that sadly always feels relevant. Chakraborty also considers the oppression of the poor by any number of groups that makes violence against them more likely and more socially acceptable. These topics are approached in a way that's thoughtful and big picture, interwoven into the plot seamlessly. And we still get a villain to wish a gnarly demise upon.

These human elements are a huge part of my enjoyment of the book's setting, but I also can't express how excited I was to return to the world of djinn, peri, and marid I've missed from Chakraborty's original trilogy. There's even one familiar face that gave me MANY FEELINGS, let it be known. There are also new creatures and mythical conundrums brought to bear in this story. For example, Raksh is a pouty baby of an immortal who operates on bargains and feeds on ambition, but his general demeanor is not as annoying as it sounds because all the other characters know he's an asshole and react accordingly. In writing this way and with so much humor, the author avoids a major pitfall made in many a romantasy novel, in my humble opinion-- the disconnect from reality about who's a pain in the ass even when they're hot. Everyone should be on the same page about who has more selfish angst than sense.

To wrap up, I think this world is fascinating for its historical and cultural elements as well as its magical ones. Even more than that, I'm eager to return to this series because of the characters. The crew has this special bond, in part due to Amina's leadership. She's uncompromising and brave, an explorer and tactician. Through Amina's eyes, we get to consider what motherhood looks like. She might not fit an ideal in many ways, but she cares for her daughter like no one else and seeks the best for her in all she does. Even when there are missteps or selfishness or time apart, she's no less a mother and no less a good one. I definitely want to sail with her on her next journey (metaphorically-- literally, I would be shaking in my boots and worse than useless). This book sets up further quests beautifully, so I'll have plenty to ponder until I can snatch a copy of the sequel. Thanks to Harper Voyager for my copy to read and review!

Ten years ago Amina al-Sirafi was known far and wide as a pirate queen, a woman who went after what she wanted whether it was treasures, men or just the thill of exploring a new place. But now she is forty and has been away from the sea for a decade. She is now a mother and lives quietly with her mother and daughter. Then a visitor arrives.

It is the mother of one of Amina's former crew, a man who did not make it home from their last voyage. The woman reports her granddaughter has been kidnapped by a wizard and wants to hire Amina to find her and return her. Amina demurs but the woman insists Amina owes her and her son and offers her a fortune to take on the job. Reluctantly, Amina agrees.

She gathers up her former crew, her first mate who has been taking care of the ship, a woman known for her skill with poisons, the best navigator in the world and her crew. She also encounters her husband, a man she married before she realized he was a demon instead of a human. They set sail and discover that the wizard is looking for a specific treasure and is willing to do anything to attain it. He has managed to enthrall a sea monster twice the size of a ship and it does his bidding. Can Amina find the girl and defeat the wizard?

Shannon Chakraborty is known for her fantasy novels. Her fantasies are a bit different from the norm as she doesn't build an imagined world. Instead she uses her extensive research into history to set her stories in a true setting. The characters are enticing and Amina is the middle-aged heroine all women will love. The loyalty and family feeling among the crew is heartfelt and Chakraborty has set the scene for further adventures from Amina and her crew. This book is recommended for fantasy readers.

This is a fabulous adventure on the high seas with a spirited protagonist and her loyal companions. Navigating parenthood and one last heist with old lovers and new challenges. Totally recommend for fans of original fairy tales.

This is a story about high seas adventures.

I really enjoyed this one- it didn’t quite land for me as well as the author’s other work, but it was entertaining & well paced if somewhat forgettable ( I got 30% into an accidental reread before figuring out I had read it before- oops!) until the 2nd half where it really picks up!

I LOVED this book. It has all my favorite things: found family, adventure, magic, and some love. Chakraborty has become a favorite of mine and will read whatever this author writes.

I often wonder about how fun it would be to read a book with One Piece vibes. I think The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, albeit more adult both in tone and in its characters, is one of the books that has come closest to capturing that feeling!

I'm a lover of the found-family trope and so I was delighted to read this iteration of it where there was an already established found-family and we got to experience that sort of homecoming feeling as they got back together for one last adventure.

Another thing that I adored about this book was that we got an older female protagonist who's a mother yet is still strong, independent and adventurous, as this is something that we seldom see in fantasy.

And along similar lines, I loved all the tidbits of history and all the diverse cultures represented, especially with the book being set in a time and place that isn't often explored in fantasy.

This book is delightful in its entirety and I have a feeling that I'll be revisiting it for years to come!

I really enjoyed this! It dragged a bit at points, but nothing too much to full pull me out of the story. I can't wait to see what Amina and her crew get up to in the future.

For readers who crave a electrifying blend of historical fantasy, swashbuckling adventure, and rich cultural heritage, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty is a treasure trove of excitement, humor, and heart, weaving together the threads of Islam, piracy, and mythology into a captivating tale of a legendary pirate's final, most daring quest.

I absolutely loved this book! From the characters to the settings also I adore this author. She could never steer me wrong!

Shannon Chakraborty never fails to deliver an engaging fantasy story. Not being one for pirates, this isn't a book I would naturally gravitate towards, but as a fan of the Daevabad trilogy I was always going to give it a try. THE ADVENTURES OF AMINA AL-SIRAFI is simply fun. The characters are wonderful, the voice is fresh, and the way that magic slowly weaves its way through the story (even though Amina really, really doesn't want that to be the case) makes this an unputdownable ride. I loved it, and can't wait for more adventures from this crew.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I really enjoyed the story and characters. Like Amina, I was weak for the deceiver. I’m interested to know what happens. Lots of fun and intrigue in this book.

I honestly was about to dnf this book when I picked it up because I was not enjoying it but omg you guys I'm so glad I didn't because this book lived up to its name. Amina was such a good main character, she was funny, compassionate and so brave and clever. I really loved Tinbu as well as Rakhs and ofc y'all the cat lol. I loved the world building and the different species and monsters and I honestly cannot wait to read the next book to see what's Amina up to.
I think what I enjoyed the most was the humor in the story, it's been awhile since I had something like that.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was everything. I loved the main character and the story. This is an auto buy author for me. I will read whatever they write and this is no different. Please read this and love it.

I was so pumped to have gotten this one, and wanted to read as I found it was going to be in the Fairyloot box, I never finished beforehand to find it I wanted to bu the special edition or not. HOWEVER it’s ok as this one was definitely a pirate gem, it’s such a magical and lyrical tale that I was left on the end of my seat most of the book.

This book was just such a delight. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi has all the elements of epic fantasy that make a story engaging and suspenseful - Amina was an absolute badass who everyone either feared, respected, wanted to marry, or some combination of the three. Seeing a middle-aged mother embody that role when fantasy usually reserves that type of characterization for men or younger women was so amazing. The story holds space for Amina as both a loving parent and an adventurer which was so incredible to read.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

The Adventures of Amina al- Sirafi had all the makings to be a solid favorite read. But truly it felt like I read two different books. The first 75% had me INVESTED. I was hooked and could not put it down. But in the last bit, it was like picking up a different book. So the first portion is a solid four-star while the ending was three stars.

Chakraborty has been a favorite author of mine for a while now. The Daevabad trilogy will forever be one of my favorite series of all time. So I immediately added this book to my tbr when it was announced. And this book was good. It seriously had the potential to be a favorite. But that ending let me down severely.

I do hope to read the next book. I won't let a bad ending stop me from finishing a good story. But I wish it was better.