Obviously a talented writer, this is a strong well-written story. This author has a big following and this will do well in addition to the fact that this is a compelling read. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

I made the mistake of starting this at around 11 p.m. last night. I say mistake because it was so good I couldn't tear myself away and stayed up until 4:30 a.m. to finish it. Absolutely incredible, loved the expansion of the world of the Daevabad Trilogy and that it features a badass female protagonist in her 40s. You can also tell it's incredibly well-researched, and I added more than a few books from the author's note at the end to my reading list. If a book that can be described as "the retired female equivalent of Sinbad the Sailor returns to the sea after being blackmailed into searching for a noblewoman's granddaughter" doesn't excite you, then I'm sorry you have bad taste in books.

After the smashing success of the Daevabad trilogy, fans of Shannon Chakraborty know exactly what to expect from her. She consistently provides: complex characters with complex morality; an in-depth immersion in the Middle Eastern mythology, geography and faith; and a gradual build up to a crescendo of non-stop action. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi brilliantly delivers all of the above.

If you ever wondered how the story of Sinbad would be improved if the lead character were a middle-aged woman whose strength and wit have already reached legendary status in her own time, the character of Amina al-Sirafi is your answer. Magical forces outside her control, and no small amount of greed and political machinations, pull al-Sirafi away from her bucolic life in semi-retirement and cause her to reassemble her eclectic, eccentric, and highly-skilled pirate crew to help save a young woman. Along the way there is plenty of swashbuckling, a jailbreak, and enough witty banter to fill the hold of the largest frigate. There's even a cameo by a beloved Daevabad character.

Chakraborty does not weave her tales out of whole cloth, instead relying on her deep, scholarly appreciation of her source material. Serious readers would do well to plumb the depths of the mutli-page bibliography she provides at the end of the book. But you don't have to be a scholar to love this story. Anyone who loves to watch a scruffy team of big-hearted rogues pull together to use their wits to defeat an unambiguous evil will find much to love in this book.

Be forewarned, as with City of Brass, things move slowly at the beginning of Amina al-Sirafi, but the payoff in the second half of the book more than compensates for the slow early pace. As always, Chakraborty's prose is rich and evocative without feeling overwrought, and her dialogue is as sharp as a pirate's scimitar. Everything about the Adventures of al-Sirafi is a delight, and it's easily a must-read for 2023.

This is so much more than just a book about a retired female pirate back for one last job!

For anyone familiar with Chakraborty’s writing, you’ll know she crafts beautiful worlds with middle eastern influence filled with magic, mystery and (my favorite) found family. And while Amina is no different in that regard, it is breathtakingly fresh in its portrayal of a middle aged mother!

Amina al-Sirafi lives with her elderly mother and ten year old daughter, Marjana. One day, she is visited by a rich older woman who ropes Amina into a job to find her kidnapped sixteen year old granddaughter.

Apprehensive, Amina goes to find her old crew mates and her ship, the Marawati, and heads off on the search! The cast of characters is so colorful and well-developed that I came to care for them all as much as our main character. I also really enjoyed the way the story was told—Amina retelling her tales to a scribe named Jamal.

If this sounds like a simple rescue mission or heist, it is that, but it’s so much more. The first book in a new trilogy, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi will have you on the edge of your seat and saying “just one more chapter”!

Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an eARC! All opinions are my own.

I'm so glad this is the beginning of a new series. Because I want so much more! It's been such a long time since I had this feeling of wanting to stay in the world and to follow everyone. The bread crumbs that the author dexterously wove in this novel for the next ones left me aching for the continuation of the story. But what I really enjoyed is that, even though I could see the next threads for the sequels, the author managed to tell a complete story in this book masterfully. She was able to create the world so vividly but still showing glimpses of tehre existing more; I was completely aware of being in the world that she created. I could tell that she did a lot of research for the book, not that it has info dumps, but in the careful way that she built everything. And the characters... They were so well rounded, so human, so real. The voice that Amina had when telling her story was a joy to follow - I was so engrossed in her tale that even if I knew she didn't die (because she is narrating it) I could still feel the tension. And one thing that I didn't expect but thoroughly enjoyed was the humour - not exactly in the situations but in Amina's voice and in the relationships with her friends and others. I loved every single character.

And the story is so good and fun. It is nerve wrecking, emotional (I had goosebumps in a particular scene with Dalila), and adventurous. And I was shocked with so many twists and turns that I could not see coming. The way the author built the suspense and delivered the reveals was really well done, I never felt she was withholding information to build the suspense.

I felt the same way I did when I first watched the first Pirates of the Caribbean (my previous favorite movie for a really long time). That same feeling of wanting to go in the adventure with my favorite characters in really dangerous situations but loving the feel of the adrenaline. I can't wait for more!

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

I'm trying to think of a way i could love this book more and coming up empty.

Amina Al-Sirafi is an single mom in a multigenerational household with money problems, a problematic ex, and a leaking roof. Amina Al-Sirafi is an infamous pirate captain known throughout the seas for her cunning and bravery. Amina Al-Sirafi is in over her head when an elderly noble enlists/coerces the captain to find her beloved granddaughter, kidnapped by a French mercenary sorcerer. Amina sets out on her quest, with her old crew in tow, to save the day.

NEED I SAY MORE? THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING. THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING.

The writing style is so amazing- reminiscent of alix harrow in humor and snap, but all its own. The mix of redemptive work Amina tries to do while also being a little grumpy and cursing like a (pun intended) sailor is so perfect-i feel like i know Amina. There was so much i learned, so many surprises. I just frigging loved it. Go read it.

This book was a delightful adventure that flawlessly brought together so many elements - a badass female pirate captain dragged out of retirement; a quest to save a rich, young girl that turns out to be way more difficult than anticipated; a myriad of locations throughout the medieval Indian Ocean, beautifully described; a batshit crazy villain that is easy to hate; witty, hilarious, and loving teammates that support our heroine; and strange magic and magical creatures.

The Adventures of Amina-al-Sirafi is told in an interesting way, as though Amina is recounting the story of this adventure to a scribe. Amina, now 40 years old, tells the story of how she has retired from a life of piracy and has settled into a remote village to raise her daughter. That is, until one day a rich older woman tracks Amina down and asks her to help retrieve her granddaughter, who she says was kidnapped by a ruthless Frank who is trying to locate magical items that can bolster his power. She offers Amina riches and wealth in exchange for her services, and Amina can't deny the draw of being back at sea (and the money, of course).

Amina tracks down her boat and her old team, including her first mate and a poisoner, and begins traveling throughout the Indian Ocean to get information on the whereabouts of the girl. But as she does so, she hears stories about this Frank, and what he is after - magic, power, and riches to help him continue his assault on the Muslim world. As they travel, Amina and her team get into a lot of hilarious hijinks and eventually run into Amina's husband (her third one, whom she tried to kill...), a cowardly demon who adds to the fun.

I don't want to give too much of the story away but the showdowns between Amina and the Frank are great. This book is packed with action, adventure, and fantasy. The world building is very easy to understand - this is set in the real world but with a magical element. The set up for future books is perfect and I can't wait to see what comes next!

This was a 4.5 star read for me and I highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Chakraborty book, but it definitely won't be my last.

It took me awhile to get into this book, one, because the tone was so unexpectedly irreverent that it took me a bit to get used to it and two, it really picks up speed about half way when the crew is reassembled.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is written as if Amina is telling the story herself and it has all the fun asides and jokes of such storytelling. Amina is funny and clever and crabby and very much over it all while simultaneously longing for the adventures of her youth. When we meet Amina she is in her 40s with a child and knee problems and far away from the life at sea that the stories about her talk about. With this one last call to adventure, Amina heads out again and gets the band back together.

I could spend pages and pages with Amina and her crew and I feel extremely lucky that we get two more books with them. I really liked how we get a great resolution to the central conflict of this first book while also setting up future conflicts and intrigue.

You can tell how much research and care went into this book but it is never bogged down by the setting and the story flowed so well, never bogged down by world-building. The world of Amina al-Sirafi is one of history and legend and fantastical elements that only enhance the world and the very real choices the inhabitants have to make.

I can't wait to spend even more time with Amina al-Sirafi and her motley crew in the future.

Thank you so much to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A magical and exciting read! I loved the swashbuckling lady pirates! With poisoners, demons, magic and more, this high fantasy read is a sea worthy tale!

Thanks for the digital ARC! All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Amina Al-Sirafi is a retired pirate trying to live out her retirement in peace with her daughter and family. When the mother of one of Amina's long dead crewmates comes to hire her to retrieve her kidnapped granddaughter, Amina brings her crew together for one last adventure. As you may have guessed, this adventure does not go as planned.

I loved this book SO much! Amina's devotion to her daughter, her sense of humor, and her crew being more than her crew but being her family were what I enjoyed most. The end of the book had me crying, but and not for the reasons you might think. I can't wait to read about more of Amina's adventures!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for making this available in exchange for an honest review.

Myth: 4.5/5

Amina was an utter delight! A pirate captain, attempting retirement, she is pulled back quickly into the chaos and adventure of the seas. This story sets up so beautifully for an action-packed series. Amina’s insistence to her scribe that the story must be told in her voice, makes for entertaining interludes within the telling of the adventure itself.

Magic: 4.5/5

After a notorious smuggling career in the Indian Ocean, one might wonder what else Amina could get up to. Her present adventures seem to set her up to be a pirate of legend. Relics of the supernatural, a demon, and a sorcerer are just the start as Amina falls headlong into an unexpected adventure.

Overall: 4.5/5

I think the tone of this book was my favorite part. Amina's banter with her scribe from start to finish was amazing. The framing through which the story was told made it all the more fun to follow along. The characters were rich, having survived plenty of past adventures, only to be pulled reluctantly into a new one. Setting us up for a collection of these stories, Amina al-Sirafi’s adventures will continue and I can’t wait to see what she gets into next.

You had me at Pirates, and then it just got better from there. I love that the heroine is 40 and that she's a protective mom and that she's a total BA pirate. It started a little slow, but I didn't mind getting g to know everyone and then once it picks up it takes off. I'm really looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

3.5 stars I think

I believe a lot of people are going to really love this book. It's definitely one that has very broad appeal. I will say for me, it was good, but not a favorite. I absolutely adored her daevabad trilogy, and I don't want to compare them to each other exactly, except for to say what it is that I love so much about that series that wasn't there for me in this one.

The adventures of Amina Al Sarafi is a whimsically horrific adventure about a middle-aged, female pirate who has to encounter all sorts of extraordinary characters on her forced quest to recover a person who was kidnapped by a power-hungry psychopath. I thought the story in and of itself was really entertaining, and I enjoyed Amina's voice as well as the cast of characters that she interacts with.

The thing that was missing for me personally was the emotional attachment that I felt to the characters in the daevabad trilogy. When I think of a favorite book, it's a book that pulls on my emotions because of the character relationships. It's a book where the stakes are high and believable, and when things finally do work out, if they do work out, the relief is palpable. This book never made me feel like the stakes were very high. It was so whimsical that even if something bad happened it seemed almost silly. There were some really horrible things that happened in the book, but if it weren't for that, I would almost characterize this as a cozy fantasy. I would almost relate it to something like Pirates of the Caribbean. Bad things happen, but I'm not too fussed about it. There was even a character in the book that gave me very much Jack Sparrow vibes in that he did some pretty awful things, and was completely self consumed, but you still end up kind of having a soft spot for him.

If you're looking for romance, if you're looking for a deep emotional connection with the characters, if you're looking for high stakes, that feel like I stakes, you will not find that in this book. If you're looking for a fun romp with middle aged pirates, some obnoxious magical creatures, and campfire style storytelling in a creative setting, you will love Amina.

Hell yes, give me all the lady pirate books! Guys, I knew this was going to be such a fun read as soon as I read the synopsis and I was totally right! It’s amazing, definitely a new favorite!
Amina al-Sirafi has hung up the proverbial pirate hat and has settled down to raise her daughter and be with her family rather than traipsing across the Indian Ocean on her ship, the Marawati. After a decade of domestic life, Amina is tempted back to the sea when the mother of one of her former crewmates comes to her with an undeniably good offer to rescue her granddaughter from the man who kidnapped her. Though she is loath to leave her young daughter behind, Amina accepts the offer with the thought that the payout will set her family up to live comfortably for the rest of their lives and she hopes it will alleviate the guilt she feels for the death of her former crewmate. Thus begins the high stakes adventure that leads Amina, Dalila the poisoner, Tinbu her first mate, and Majed the navigator, and the rest of the Marawati’s crew to numerous countries and into unimaginable danger.
If the synopsis and my little plot teaser aren’t enough to make you want to read this book, here's a few more things I loved. Amina is not a young, beautiful prodigy heroine - she’s 40, she’s got a gold tooth and scars, and she’s like 6 feet tall. She’s also a mother (a ferocious, protective one) and when we first meet her, she’s very happy to live her quiet life away from past adventures, though you can tell she longs for the sea. It’s rare to have an older heroine and especially one who’s also a mother and I really appreciate seeing that in fantasy! It’s also a tale of friends reunited after many years and they share tidbits of their wilder past together. Oh, and did I mention there are magical artifacts just waiting to be found? And beasts and beings of legend? I’m pretty sure this is set in the same world that Chakraborty’s Daevabad trilogy is set in and I have my fingers crossed for a character cameo at some point. Either way, there’s strange dark magic, lovable rogues, terrifying enemies, and a clear set up for several more exciting books where Amina chases down more magical artifacts!
I delighted in every page of this book and I absolutely can’t wait to read more tales of harrowing pirate adventures. This book isn’t all lighthearted either, there are darker themes, violence and gore, and bad guys that resemble Davy Jones’s crew from Pirates of the Caribbean. What I’m saying is, go buy this and read it because you can’t tell me you won’t have a great time doing so.

I was so excited to get a copy of this book since the author wrote one of my favorite fantasy series I discovered in 2022, the Daevabad Trilogy.

This one took me awhile to get into. 44% to be exact. Then the demon was introduced and it picked up speed. But before the 44% mark I felt like it was dragging. There was a couple times where the action perked up, but the pacing felt off to me. I wasn’t connecting with the characters, even though they were interesting and had some good banter.

I think I needed more dialogue. There was a lot of internal monologue and excessive descriptions. Lots of words.

But I kept comparing my feelings to her other series, which probably isn’t fair to this book. All in all it was enjoyed. But took some time.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an earc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book has a wonderful central theme about the complexity and depth of being a woman. How we contain multitudes. How someone can be both a mother and also want to pursue adventure and their own dreams.

The first half is a bit slow, and there's a lot of character set up before the plot gets going. But honestly the characters are so fun, & I really love the dynamic between Amina and her crew. The second half really gets intense and interesting and I didn't want to put it down. There's kiiiiiind of an enemies to lovers thing, it's hard to describe without giving much away: Amina's fourth husband and her are estranged for *reasons* and when he shows back up there is a lot of general animosity, exasperated dialogue and tension which will likely continue through the series. The ending of the main plot is fairly resolved, but it sets up very well for the rest of a series, which I am excited to read.

-mid-aged badass main character
-who is also a mother
-swashbuckling pirate adventures
-ancient magic
-reunited found family
-celestial/magical beings
-LGBTQIA+ representation

4/5 stars
1.5/5 🌶️ (closed door) My personal preference would be a bit spicier (because Raksh is HOT), but maybe it will go there in future books idk?

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi was provided to me for review by NetGalley. My rating is 4.5/5 stars.

“I have always loved it. I loved being on my ship, the wind in my face and the salty damp in my clothes. I loved taking pride in running a tight vessel and a capable crew, jesting with my companions and rising each dawn to see a new expanse of water stretching toward the horizon. Seafaring has been stamped into my soul long ago; there was not rooting it out.”

What more can I say besides a badass pirate mom, who will do anything to keep her family safe, including coming out of a decade long retirement.
In this book we follow our main character Amina Al-Sarafi as she recounts the story of how she came out of retirement to help protect her child and mother. This may or may not mean she has to track down her rag tag group of retirees and former pirates to help her find a missing child. This story includes everything from LGBTQ+ representation to demon husbands, I mean….what more can you ask for really? When the adventure really turns, is when the man they are tracking down turns out to be a magic coinsure and lover of all things evil, Amina and friends must face the possibility of going home to everyone they love empty handed, or facing something she isn’t sure she can beat.

Everything I loved about this book:
• Amina as a main character is such a great representation of who we all should be when we get older. Fierce, loving, caring and a true friend. She was written so well and I cannot say enough how much I loved the book from her POV and how she wasn’t this young adventurer who had to find her way in the world, she already knew it and used it to her advantage.
• The supporting characters were amazing and a great group to follow along with. The author did a wonderful job of making me care for these characters that I had just met, while giving each a distinct personality.
• The plot of the book is intriguing and very fast paced. There were very few times where I thought I knew where the story was going and then BAM, I was VERY wrong. I love being wrong and being surprised by where the story is going and how it is all going to turn out.
• I think that my favorite part of the book was the way that Amina felt so REAL. She just came to life on the pages and was immediately a part of my world and the author did something truly wonderful to make that happen. I also LOVE the trope that the story is being recounted and the little blurbs in between that show that this is a story being told.

For things the book could improve on:
• Honestly now that I am forced to confront what the book could possible have wrong with it….I am almost at a loss for words. The two points below are the only things I can come up with. READ THE BOOK, IT’S WONDERFUL.
• Since this was an ARC, I read it on my phone so the physical book might be different, but I would have loved a glossary or a pronunciation guide in the beginning so I knew how to say some of the more difficult words mentioned. (This is included, it is just in the very back of the book on the e-reader).
• I think the story wrapped up really well, but I did feel like the ending was just the slightest bit rushed. It was nothing major and this is really just me being nit picky if I am honest. There was only 1-2 chapters where I felt like maybe the story got a little lost, but regardless, it moved the story further along and is important for the future books.

Summary:
To give a summary of my thoughts on this book, PLEASE READ IT. I actually DNF’ed her other series The City of Brass (I am not a YA reader and the romance was a bit off for me) and this one blew me away. If you are a fantasy reader, a mother, a person who loves Pirates of the Caribbean….Then this is for you. I feel like this book is going to be a book that can be for anyone.


Favorite Quotes from the book:
• “For the greatest crime of the poor in the eyes of the wealthy has always been to fight back”
• “Happy sixteen year old's are rarer than kings”
• “I have always loved it. I loved being on my ship, the wind in my face and the salty damp in my clothes. I loved taking pride in running a tight vessel and a capable crew, jesting with my companions and rising each dawn to see a new expanse of water stretching toward the horizon. Seafaring has been stamping into my soul long ago; there was not rooting it out”
• “I would not want her to believe that because she was born a girl, she cannot dream”
• “These things that men obsess over when they hate what they desire and desire what they cannot possess”
• “Women are the forgotten spouses and unnamed daughters. Wet nurses and handmaidens; thieves and harlots. Witches”

Former nakhudha Amina al-Sirafi is rather content in her retirement. Sure, her roof leaks, money is tight, and too many people know about her and her exploits to live in the public eye, but she has her daughter and they're safe. Mostly.

That is, until a wealthy woman tracks Amina down and offers her a million dinar to rescue her granddaughter from a Frank who might also be a dangerous sorcerer.

The money isn't the only thing that entices Amina. The chance to return to her seafaring, adventurous life aboard her ship, the Marawati, excites her more than it should, considering she has a daughter to look after and she's not as young as she used to be. But Amina al-Sirafi is big, bold, and brash in a world that would prefer her to be anything but, and this adventure proves too tempting to turn down.

Chakraborty's narrative voice for Amina is incredible - funny, personal, and foul in the best way. I don't often love books that are structured in this way, where the main character is telling another person their life story, but this framework is absolutely what makes this book work so well. Amina feels like a fully realized human being, and her personality absolutely shines through in the text. The asides with the scribe she's recounting her story to add a ton of humor, and it really drives home the fact that Amina's actions are setting her up to be a legend. I also quite like the added documents in between some of the chapters that gave a bit more context to characters and treasures found in the story, what a fun world building element!

And really, "fun" is the main word I would use to describe The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, but I feel like that really undersells what Chakraborty accomplished here. This world is excellently crafted and researched, and she wrote the hell out of this book. It has all the elements of a classic pirate story, but with a setting and diverse set of characters that we don't often get to see in the genre. I'm so glad I read this, and I can't wait for future installments in this series!


Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for an arc of this title.

This was my first Shannon Chakraborty book and I now understand the pull, her world building is rich and the Islamic terminology is quite comforting to find in a fantasy narrative. I found Amina to be a compelling character that will likely stay with me for a long time. I'm always a sucker for the older, seasoned fighter being pulled back into the world they swore off however those stories are usually about men and their bitter glory. This story felt completely different being in the perspective of a struggling Muslim woman, a pirate, a cutthroat, a mother, and a beloved daughter (there are never living mothers in pirate stories, I just realized this upon writing this review}. Unfortunately there were a few nitpicky things that took me out of the story, like the contemporary names for places and things that didn't match the time period this was meant to be written in. But there were other inconsistencies with history I did appreciate and ultimately, I think they balanced out. The strong female lead was definitely my favorite aspect of this book, but the actual plot fell flat and I don't know if I'll be continuing with the next book in the series. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars and realistically I think it's a 3.5.

This was everything I had hoped it would be! Shannon Chakraborty’s first series, The Daevabad Trilogy, is one of my absolute favorites.

Thoughts:
- Amina is a middle-aged mother, a retired pirate who goes back out to sea, and an absolute badass. Her voice as a narrator is so cheeky and delightful
- Pace was good - lots of action/adventure - it was nice having a mostly single POV, with a few short insertions from an additional character who is chronicling Amina’s story.
- I was able to pair the audiobook and ebook, which was amazing because we know I really like to listen to books instead of reading them with my eyes…but fantasy gets a little complicated. It was nice to be able to reference the ebook, especially if I wanted to spell character names
- You do not have to have read The Daevabad Trilogy in order to enjoy or understand this book. It is set centuries later with a whole new cast of characters!
- I love that Chakraborty includes diverse characters in all of her books. Characters in this story practice different religions, are different ages, and includes LGBTQ+ characters.


Thank you to @netgalley @harper @harperaudio for my review copies! All thoughts are my own.