With plenty of YA authors jumping into adult fiction, it was time for best-selling author Shannon Chakraborty (also known as S.A. Chakraborty) to jump on the bandwagon and prove, once again, that she is the queen of fantasy. Her new trilogy explodes onto the adult fantasy scene with the first book, "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi," Boy, are you in for a wild ride.

Set in the medieval Middle East and Northern Africa, Amina's retirement from her career as one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates should be filled with peace and quiet as she settles into a life of motherhood and piety, with no supernatural or piracy involved. All that changes when she's tracked down by the mother of a former crew member and offered a massive sum to find the crewman's kidnapped daughter. It's just one last adventure with her crew; what could go wrong? Well, everything, in fact. As Amina and her crew journey across the Indian Ocean, this rescue mission becomes much more complex than she anticipated.

Once again, Chakraborty has made me head over heels for her characters. Amina and her crew are the perfect balance of clashing personalities and attitudes but love one another fiercely. Each character, even the minor characters, is written with nuance and a deep understanding of the human condition and the contradictions that come with it.

I'm a sucker for books with layered narratives. Chakraborty perfectly weaves Amina's adventures with the scholar's commentary and additional information. Although this narrative style isn't the most prominent feature of Chakraborty's novel, it adds a layer of scholarly intelligence and mystery to what will ultimately be a small story part of the grander legend that is Amina al-Sirafi.

Suppose you've read Chakraborty's YA series, The Daevabad Trilogy. In that case, you'll find the writing style similar but with touches of cynicism that come with age and dry humor that make you howl with laughter. Chakraborty's decadent descriptions and wild imagination are on full display in "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" and, although occasionally unnecessary, accumulate to a starry-eyed read. And the magic?! The magic Chakraborty weaves into the story is an interesting take that builds upon ancient legends without trying to remake them into something more appetizing for the reader––so be prepared for some wild magic thrown around.

As I mentioned, "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" is no YA series. As such, Chakraborty's themes reflect Amina's challenges in motherhood, fame, and guilt like no other. Other adult fantasy novels follow similar themes, but Chakraborty's version isn't a tale of darkness or violence (although there's plenty of both in this new book). Amina shields Marjana from the world's darkness––including her own history as a pirate. Chakraborty could've taken a darker route with Amina's struggles with motherhood, but it was honestly so refreshing not to go down that road. Despite this, Amina's guilt and dreams of legendary proportions definitely take a more sinister and tear-jerking route. But Chakraborty doesn't hold back on the grief and guilt Amina feels, only strengthening the nuance and wonder of this first novel and hopefully exploring them in more depth with future installments.

Heartfelt, witty, and a good ole blood-pumping high fantasy, "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" is precisely what the adult fantasy world needs: a Muslim feminist who isn't afraid to kick some ass. Do yourself a favor and pick up this soon-to-be bestseller on February 28th.

This ARC was provided by Harper Voyager and Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

(I received a free digital ARC in exchange for honest feedback to the publisher)

So, this book is a masterpiece. Is it fantasy? Is it historical fiction? I don't know, but it is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Amina Al-Sirafi is a rich, complex character, entirely believable as a person and also the kind of person who encounters the adventures recounted in this book, and thoroughly deserves to go down in the hall of fame of literary pirates along Long John Silver, the Dread Pirate Roberts, and Jack Sparrow, but surpasses all of them in her complexity, her humanity, and the rich historical context that she is drawn from.

Part treasure hunt, part heist, and part epic fantasy are all told in a brilliantly composed oral-narration, as written down by a scribe (who is also a character) set in the medieval Indian Ocean, off the coasts of Yemen, Somalia, and Madagascar. Places that today are often still viewed as pirate dens, but this story flips the perspective on how these many cultures are viewed, placing them at the center of the story in a beautiful subversion of how we typically see the Middle Ages.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a book that I savored, fell in love with, and already plan to reread. It is the tale of a mother, a pirate, and a woman whose primary goal is now to protect her young daughter. Amina al-Sirafi is given the chance of a lifetime- one last job to guarantee the security of her family. However, nothing is ever that simple and the job has layers of complexity that are soon revealed. As Amina rounds up her old crew and grapples with long-held secrets, she must decide: is one last job worth it if she risks her life?

Shannon Chakraborty’s adult debut is an unquestionable triumph. I loved every word and have hundreds if not thousands of highlighted quotes that I’ve marked. Some books speak to your soul and take you on the most epic of adventures and this is one of them. Amina and her crew will capture your heart, make you wish you could sail the high seas with them, and emphasizes the importance of found family.

Amina has had many fantastic adventures as a pirate and I really enjoyed how these were recounted. Chakraborty is very inclusive in her writing, realistically making the high seas a diverse and interesting place to be. The writing is extremely clever and witty- I found myself laughing out loud! I loved that the protagonist and crew are older, past their youthful glory days, and must make adjustments as they craft their schemes. Amina’s love and concern for her daughter and family felt genuine and very well-written. I am so curious about what will happen next with her daughter and her mysterious father!

I cannot wait to see where Amina’s adventures take her next and am so happy this is a trilogy!! I would recommend this book to anyone, especially for readers who enjoy Samantha Shannon, Roshani Chokshi, and Maiya Ibrahim. If you enjoy adventurous books with epic journeys, hilarious banter, and an outstanding cast of characters then you need to read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is available March 7, 2023. Thank you so much to Shannon Chakraborty, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

This is the grandest adventure you will read this year. I loved it desperately. It's everything I've wanted for years in a book. So often our stories about older women are nearly nonexistent, and our stories about mothers are short and uninspiring. I loved that Amina was neither pure nor uncomplicated, but that she was so conflicted about how she saw herself. I loved that this book shed light on the history of a region we often disregard as having history here in the so-called West, a convenient narrative that allows us to ignore our own harm. I loved the marid. I desperately loved the marid. I'm so glad that I was able to review this book (Go HCPU!).

I can't wait for the next installment. A full review will be coming on my blog during release week.

Shannon Chakraborty is an author I strive to be one day. She so perfectly morphs culture with fantasy and intrigue in a way that captures the reader from the very first moment.
Pirates, strong female leads, and magic are three of my most favorite tags when looking for new books to read, and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi covers all three. Chakraborty is adept at creating characters that are both relatable and disastrous. As a reader, I found that I simultaneously wanted to be the character as well as smack them across the face when they do something stupid.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way this book is written. We are introduced to the fantasy element right off the bat, but then it goes away and we’re left with building a relationship with the main character from a different view than the one we were expecting. After a bit, however, the lens draws back and opens up and we get a bigger and broader view of Amina’s world and all she worked to be.
All in all, Chakraborty will always deserve a read. She has yet to disappoint.

I loved this so, so much. The characters, the little interludes between the chapters, the world, and the adventures that our crew gets up to. I CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE OF THEM!

This is a story of a renowned sea captain living beside her infamy.
It’s defiantly an adventure of a book, with sea creatures and demons that held my interest until the end. If the plot wasn’t enough, the characters were the most enthralling. Their chemistry and banter kept the story alive, and it was really refreshing to read. I enjoyed that Amina was a mother, and not a stereotype of a female pirate. She had a family she cared for, yet wasn’t afraid to be ruthless when they were threatened.

However, the story starts off really slow, making it hard to get into. It doesn’t really pick up until about the midway point. Further, the ending was also slightly disappointing. I enjoyed the slight twist as I learned who the narrator was, but Amina’s development of magic stunted the development, in my opinion. I understand its place in the story and how it furthers the possibility of more adventures, but it would’ve been more empowering and striking if she managed to defeat the villains as a human and decided to continue being a pirate and be a mother without them.

What an adventure! (see what I did there?)

Jokes aside, this was absolutely fantastic. The writing? The setting? The characters? The banter? The plot? The representation? The found family? *chefs kiss*

Writing + Worldbuiling

If you are worried that Chakraborty's previous books set too high of expectations, have no fear. Much like the Daevabad trilogy, the world building is immersive and fluidly done, and the writing is absolutely beautiful. However, unlike Daevabad, this reads a little more like that of a storybook adventure, as it is told as a recounting of Amina's adventures from the woman herself. Throughout the book, we get little snippets of Amina breaking from the normal narration to talk with the individual interviewing her, While this had the potential to get messy, it never did. Instead, it added a charm and made Amina all that much more endearing.

Characters

Amina is the type of main character you just have to love. She is strong, she is witty, she is loving and she is a ton of fun to read about. Additionally, Amina is a mother, which is not something you often see in fantasy novels, but it was so fantastic to see. Amina shows how a woman can be maternal, loving, and supportive while also being a strong, bad bitch who can do anything she sets her mind to. I really loved the way she was written.

The supporting characters are just as strong. Amina surrounds herself with one of the most entertaining groups of people I've ever met. There is a lot of fantastic back and forth, and the banter with a certain individual is absolutely fantastic.

Plot

I love, love, LOVED the story this book told. I had so much fun going along with Amina as she set out on one last quest. I am so very excited to see where things go from here, and I cannot wait for book two!

---- 5/5 stars!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read too much fantasy with pirates as a main component and I have to say: this was so cool. I think the narrative voice was so well done--I loved reading from Amina's point of view. I also thought that the adventures and hijinks were well described and realized. Sometimes, with ambitious works like this, I get the sense that a lot of stuff is happening off screen and then hurriedly described for the reader, but even when things occurred off screen in this book I still felt that they were so well conveyed to the reader that I didn't have any issues. The pacing is a bit slow to the build, but once you get a couple of chapters in, it really takes off running. I love this author's work and can't wait for more!

I was really looking forward to this book and was not disappointed! I loved The City of Brass, but ended up DNF'ing the rest of the series–so I was interested to see how I would like this author's newest work. (I loved it!)

This story's MC is a grown ass woman, picking back up her swashbuckling-pirate ways after being retired for a few years. I will say that it had a slow start for how action-packed the synopsis made the story seem. The first 50% of this book was all set up and getting the squad back together, and I found myself enjoying the flashback sequences more than the current timeline. However, that changed once the squad set forth on their quest and all hell started breaking loose! I was on the edge of my seat during the second half of the book. Also, I want to mention the world building and islamic influences weaved throughout, which created a beautiful and immersive story.

The cast of characters were really diverse and interesting, all coming from different backgrounds. First you have:

Tinbu: the first mate taking care of Amina's boat during her retirement, freed slave in love with a jewish merchant.

Dalia: the mistress of poisons, christian refugee with a mysterious past who loves to blow shit up.

Majed: father of maps, older man who worked on the boat with Amina, and her father before her.

Raksh: questionable demon husband.

Dunya: daughter of the dead sailor Asif, she is a scholar of the occult mixed up in some bad shit.

Jamal: the scholar writing Amina's story.

I am cannot wait to the next installment!

I actually haven't read a lot of fantasy that focuses on pirates and full on adventures but this one really did a great job with narration in Amina's POV and on top of that it really did a great job in providing full on details about the adventures. It felt like I was part of the adventure which I loved! At first, this book was a bit slow but once I read a couple of chapters, it got me hooked real fast!

4.5 stars

Don't you just love it when a book lives up to its hype? I was hooked by chapter one and obsessively reading by chapter five. The story telling is done wonderfully in this book. Chakraborty does an excellent job capturing Amina's unique tone and swagger as she narrates her story to Jamal, our story teller. I loved that our MC was someone older, a mother, experienced, and yet not infallible to mistakes and, of course, sexual desires (eye brown wiggle). Amina Al-Sirafi is really such a strong character, and her companions are no different. They each bring their own unique views and backgrounds

The fantasy elements seem light at first and then hit you full force by the middle of the book. Magic, both light and dark, djinns, demons, fantastical creatures.. its all there in one roaring high sea adventure with a (re)found family, heist kinda feel.

This is the first in a trilogy, but is very self contained and won't leave you hanging.. but you will want more. I cannot wait for the sequel and I'm already looking forward to my re-read.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did feel like the beginning was a little slow but not in a bad way. We just had to get to know our characters and get the band back together. I've never been big on pirate stories or ones that take place on ships but if someone could convince me, it's S.A. Chakraborty.
There's very little magic in about the first half of the book and then when the magical elements are introduced, they come at you hard and fast and you're transported to a whole new world - literally! I really enjoyed the ending and I am excited to see where Chakraborty takes our characters next!

It has been a long time since I have stopped reading a book because I simply do not want it to end.  Clearly I have no self control, so a day later I picked it back up and finished the 496 pages, but oh what a treat to be swept away aboard a magnificent tale with rich history, Muslim characters, Islamic references, developed fantasy world building, complex side characters, excitement, plot, adventure, and everything else you would expect from the author of the Daevabad series.  The book is an adult read, and I really can't suggest it to YA readers, the protagonist is a middle aged mom with a foul mouth and a bad knee, there is cursing, and killing,  hetero, gay and demon love interests among the main characters, a transgendered character, sex mentioned, drinking, and magic, it is all part of the story, but it isn't so in your face that older mature Muslim readers will be uncomfortable.  So why am I reviewing it here, I honestly don't know.  Clearly it is not to be shelved in the Islamic School Library, but there is so much authentic Islamic centering on every single page, that I want to give it space to remind/encourage us all that we don't have to hide or water down our faith in mainstream books- not if the writing, story, and characters are so incredible.  I really thought a historically set pirate fantasy would be hard to read, that the vocabulary and references would leave me lost and confused, but it is written so beautifully that the pages fly by and you forget you are reading; it is as if you are watching the story unfold in front of you.  Please consider preordering this book so that publishers know support exists for authentic OWN voice Muslim character led books, I have an e-version, but have also preordered a physical hard back copy here.

SYNOPSIS:

It has been a decade since the infamous nakhuda Amina al Sirafi has taken to the Indian Ocean to plunder and sail. The stories of her have grown and traveled in her retirement, but life is now more about protecting her daughter and fixing her leaking roof.  When her previous life finds her and threatens her, however, she must return to her Marawati, call on her old friends, and put together a crew.  Told through a storyteller, with banter between Jamal and Amina, the fourth wall is broken and the reader knows that the hero will survive, yet the adventures of outsmarting Aden's defenses, peris, demons, Franks, pirates, and marids to prevent the Moon of Saba from being manipulated is a fast paced chaotic adventure that pulls you in from the first page.  The fairly linear story from one point of view (mostly), connects the haunting past to the trials at hand, as the crew and characters are understood through their captain.  I don't want to give anything away, but the side characters are nuanced and developed in a way that you feel just as close to them as Amina does, and as she becomes frantic to save them, the reader too is invested in their choices and actions.  Pirate adventure, saving the day, a mom as a hero and a missing demon husband refound, yeah, don't read summaries of this book, just read the book.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I was surprised at the religious redemption arcs and details that were included on truly every page, from the meaning of the translation of Ayat ul Kursi, to acknowledging past sins and striving to not repeat them, Amina al Sirafi practices her Islam in her five daily prayers, regular supplications, regular repentance, and view of the world and her place in it.  She isn't preachy, and much of what she faces tempts her to drink wine and fornicate again, but her struggles are really refreshing to see.  It isn't that she is Muslim and that is the framing for the al-ghayb elements alone, it is so part of her and thus of the book, that you can't help but feel seen.

The gay character's lover is mentioned, neither are Muslim, but it is only a few lines in the entire book.  The transgendered character starts off uncomfortable with being forced to marry and hints that she doesn't feel feminine, Amina pieces together what she is saying and then at the end it shows that she is now identifying and carrying herself as a man.  It isn't a big part of the text, it has a strong effect on the story and it does touch on God's view of such things, as the character is Muslim.  The demon love interest SLIGHT SPOILER is Amina's husband that she thought she had killed, she has had a lot of husbands, but when he turns up alive, she realizes technically they are still married.  He asks her quite often to have sex.  It is usually is just that blunt with no romance or longing, and when they do partake in the act, it isn't overly graphic, it is "closed door."  There is killing and murder and deceit and lying and drinking, all things assumed would be in a pirate story.  None of it is overly glorified, but it is normalized.

I really just love the characters and the fast paced action, the book leaves off implying there will be more tales to come and I hope there are.  (I keep writing what I love about the book and deleting it, because you know....spoilers, ahh).

“…to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted.”

This book is a great setup to a new series by Shannon Chakraborty. This is the story of Amina al-Sirafi. While tales of her pirate adventures and vicious rumors about her character have permeated the societies around the Indian Ocean, she has settled down to a quiet, isolated life with her family and the light of her life, her daughter Marjana. Until one day, she’s called out of retirement to hunt down the kidnapped daughter of an old friend.

It’s ultimately a crew book, and I love crew books even though the ones I’m drawn to are usually in space. I enjoyed how the characters bicker and how their love for each other and adventure is always clear, and I also learned quite a bit about twelfth century societies and beliefs. The representation—across religion, age, and the LGBTQ spectrum—was really amazing as well.

I can’t wait for the second book to come out.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins!

I read an eARC of The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager.

The story is fun, a great adventure that starts with an old pirate who lives with her parents, helping keep their old home from falling apart. Starting with trying to get a little extra money using her old skills, which backfires on her, and she ends up rescuing two little boys instead. She started her pirate ways after hearing stories from her grandfather and wanting to break free of the repressive ways of her people have on especially women.

One day a rich old woman shows up, and threatens her family including her little girl, and then demands she saves her granddaughter who is the daughter of one of the men in Amina’s old crew. With the threat over her head, and the itch for adventure pushing her, she accepts and goes to collect her old crew.

This really was a fun story.

The story does a great job of bringing in a cast of colorful characters. The best is the poisoner. She is the most fun, but her stories of her old husband are a close second. As the story goes on we learn more about her past, her regrets, and the complications of the political situations in this world that mirrors ours, but with touches of world-destroying magic. As the story goes on, the magic becomes more and more dire and amazing.

In the end, while I wish it had a little more reflection on the issues it touched on, I loved the story overall. It was fun, and I’d continue to read about her adventures if there were more stories.

DNFing this one…It’s very well-written, but I’m not jiving with the main character and I just can’t get into it 🤷‍♀️ I could’ve done without the constant commenting of her gender and how all men are idiots.

A big thank you to Harper Voyager for sending an advanced copy of this book!

✍🏻Writing Quality: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
🗺 World-Building: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
👤Characterization: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
💭Dialogue: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
🎯Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
👣Pacing: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
🖤Enjoyment Level: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

「 Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆」

*Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was an amazing book. I have yet to read the Daevabad Trilogy, frankly, I was intimidated by it. Lots of positive reviews for it. But this is a new series so it felt safer to jump into it. But now that I know Chakraborty's writing style, I feel ready to read her other books.

Amina is a new favorite character. She's older, I think in her late 30s or early 40s. I want more protagonists who are older. Teenagers aren't the only ones who can go on adventures. The format took a couple of chapters to get used to since parts of it are written as events are being told to a scribe, and the scribe interjects between chapters adding to the lore and the world-building.

Something else that I love about this book is the positive and non-patriarchal stance on motherhood. Sometimes, when a gook tries to be "feminist" it drags the idea of being a mother, and it doesn't have to be like that. I know that being a mother isn't for everybody, and that's fine. But shaming women are mothers isn't the answer. Amina is a mother, but she's also a fearless badass.

There is a wide cast of characters who all have their own motivations for rejoining Amina's crew. I, once again, am being intentionally vague because I feel like going into this book mostly blind is the best way to read this. It will make reveals hit harder. I am very excited to read more of Amina's adventures.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy.
Amina Al-Sirafi was a solid epic fantasy book with a strong female lead. It showed readers how strong woman could be, with not just only physical strength.

Amina al-Serafi is a retired pirate, hiding out on an island that's accommodations are in disrepair. She is visited by a woman who wants her to find her granddaughter who has been kidnapped (supposedly. Amina wants no part of the job but when she refuses the woman threatens her and her family, she also offers an exorbitant amount of money for the granddaughters return. Reluctantly( and mostly because of the threat of harm to her family), Amina agrees and begins to gather her crew from her former life. A sailor, a poisoner and a mapmaker and the adventures and calamities begin. There is also a valuable treasure that might be found during this quest. There is an evil sorcerer (who may have kidnapped the granddaughter) and a husband that Amina thought she had buried that shows up to "help".
The book is a rollicking good read!! It is well researched and has some of the best character development I have read. I thoroughly reccommend this book , it is delightful!!!!