Overall, this book was everything I wanted and more. A beautifully crafted historical fantasy setting with the right touch of magical mystery. An epic adventure with a diverse cast of characters that captured my interest almost immediately.

✔️Epic and doomed quest
✔️Demons, djinn & marids
✔️Medieval Indian Ocean setting
✔️Diverse cast of characters
✔️World building rich with culture and religion
✔️Witty and feministic narrator

Amina al-Sirafi might be one of my new favorite FMCs. Fiercely loyal, witty, brave, and one of the greatest pirates on the Indian Ocean, she’s someone I would want on my team. She’s also a single mom in her early 40s and it was so REFRESHING to read about a FMC who wasn’t 19😅

Definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read this month and maybe year! It felt very original and I can’t wait for book 2.

A wonderful romp that focuses on a middle aged woman, I enjoyed seeing myself and my feelings on being a mother reflected in fantasy books. The story was also a joy to read and I loved getting a glimpse into a (fictionalized) section of history that I was not taught about in school.

This was probably my most eagerly anticipated read this year. I'll admit I didn't take to it right away. I had a hard time falling into the world and the characters. But once I did the magic of Chakraborty's writing took over and we were off on an amazing adventure. It's a departure from what we're used to from Chakraborty but not in a bad way at all. Come for your love of the author and stay for the magic and adventure!

This book was really enjoyable. I love the characters as well as the representation. Jamal! My heart. Can’t wait for the next two books and to see where Shannon and Amina take us. I highly recommend.

I unfortunately did not have a chance to finish this title before it was published despite having an interest in it. Rated 5stars, did not finish.

I can’t begin to tell you how surreal it felt to just hold this book in my hands, let alone be able to finally read it. It was so worth the wait 💖 I mean, a female pirate who goes on adventures? SIGN ME UP.

“Women are the forgotten spouses and unnamed daughters. Wet nurses and handmaidens; thieves and harlots. Witches. A titillating anecdote to tell your friends back home or a warning.”

Amina delivered everything I hoped for and more - a headstrong, smart-mouthed MC, incredible group dynamics, adventure, supporting characters I wanted to be friends with, and plenty of social commentary.

“I would not want her to believe that because she was born a girl, she cannot dream.”

Shannon Chakraborty did an amazing job at giving Amina a unique voice. What really amplified that for me was how the story is told. Amina is sitting down with a scribe, recounting her tale. At random points, she breaks what I guess would be the third wall by addressing the scribe directly in only the way Amina can. It added even more humor to the story and let us get to know Amina in another way.

“Save me, nakhudha, and I will make you a legend. People will sing songs of you for centuries.”

Throughout the book, we learn snippets about the adventures Amina and co. went on prior to us meeting them. While I would love to read those tales later on, I loved where we found them. There’s something sweet and semi-nostalgic watching these characters find each other again and work through their issues together.

I wish I could reread this or had the second one in my hands. But I know it will be well worth the wait and honestly cannot wait to see where Amina goes next. In the meantime, this will be added to my list of “books I will never stop recommending because everyone needs to read it”

This book ultimately ended up being a good and interesting story, but it took SO long to get to the interesting part it really dampened the experience for me. This is the first in a series (which I didn't realize when I started it, but I am looking forward to reading the other books), so there was a lot of character building and background to lay for the first book in a fantasy series. The world building was not very complex, and the meat of this book is the characters and the development of the characters was great! This was found family and reunited found family...which I loved. The main characters were also all in the 40's which is rare for a fantasy book and I loved that! I am looking forward to the future books in the series, but I was a little disappointed by this book and wanted to like it more.

I absolutely loved this. I read the finished copy that I preordered. I was immediately sucked into the story and I’m dying to read more, but I’m not mad about the way this book was wrapped up.

Look, I read The City of Brass by this author and I loved the writing. I admit that I do still need to finish the Daevabad trilogy. And I do plan to, because it was fantastic. Also, this book is set in the same world…so I think you can jump right into reading this, even if you haven’t read the previous trilogy, but there’s also a chance that there could be throwaway lines that reference characters or events from the previous books.

Anyway, I loved Chakraborty’s writing and characters, and I was already very excited for this book. And then I started seeing reviews come in from fellow book bloggers. Every review was glowing and gushing and declaring this as their favorite read of 2023 and unlikely to be dethroned. High praise, indeed, and it only made me even more excited to sit down and read this.

Which I did, after clearing my evening so I could just read and wouldn’t need to run off and do errands or worry about anything else. I knew already that I was going to be swept away into an adventure.

I think I fell in love with the story from the beginning, with the scribe who is writing this tale as told by Amina, preps us for what is about to come with a delightful mini rant on the plight of women in pretty much every other tale. And then we go from that introduction to Amina beginning her story (and being interrupted a fair few times by the scribe). It was fascinating that we never heard his side of the conversation, only Amina’s.

Anyway, I was drawn into the story, compelled by Amina and wanting to know more about her prior adventures as well as the current one she is undertaking and telling the scribe/us.

Look, I think this historical world with the hints of creatures of magic and myth and lore, is done so very well. When I read mythological stories, they have this same veil of wonder to them, and I just love it.

Honestly, I feel this book pretty much had everything: adventure, magic, action, mystery, danger, love in many forms, fascinating characters…Definitely exactly what I needed after completing the previous read, which was disappointing.

And, while I wait for the second book in the trilogy, I guess it’s probably time that I return to the Daevabad trilogy and finish it.

I loved City of Brass trilogy and was so happy to return to the world. There was a lot to love in this story including a middle aged MC who can still kick butt. Us moms don’t always feel seen but this was a breath of fresh air. The writing style was more cheeky and very different than City of Brass and did take a bit to get into. I do prefer her other writing style.

This story was incredible. I went into it expecting a fun little pirate story and got so much more than that. This story showcases amazing friendships and sacrifice in order to protect those you love. It also had awesome magic and cool lore. I had so much fun reading this adventure filled high sea fantasy. The narrator who is telling Amina's story is so funny and has such a great voice. I fell in love with these characters from the very first page and I loved how it was all about a found family getting back together to go rescue someone. I can't wait for the sequel!

Shannon Chakraborty is an expert storyteller and all of her books that I've read so far have been great. I loved that she chose a middle aged heroine who is a mother to be the center of her story. The cover is fantastic - looks like the same artist as another adult fantasy favorite of mine. The audiobook narrator is also great.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and it did not disappoint. Adventurous, imaginative, funny, with a wonderful narrative tone and characters I fell in love with. Chakraborty always does a wonderful job of incorporating history and mythology in her works, while also creating a world of her own.

4.5 Stars

THE 411...

☆☆ “𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚗: 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍. 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍.” ☆☆╮

When I first heard we were getting a story with a middle aged single mother who was a renowned fearless Pirate...I smiled, nodded and paired it with a fist pump! We get a healthy balance of plot + character growth in this seafaring adventure full of excitement and world building. Admittedly the first 40% is a bit slow + that's because our girl is in retirement! After several husbands, backstabbing rogues and an actual demon...she's spending time with her child and mother on some remote island far away from all of the enemies she's accumulated over the years as a Pirate in the Indian Ocean. When the mother of a former crew member finds her and pleads her case for aid in finding her kidnapped grandchild, Amina sets out to get the old gang back together again on her ship. Dalila, Majed, Tinbu, the Scribe and another character (I won't mention their name as it is spoilery) make a phenomenal supporting cast. The queer representation felt organic and I personally would love a Tinbu novella *fingers crossed*

We follow Amina as she recruits her crew members back and it's been 10 years, they're all feeling a little worse for wear. That being said, they also share one thing in common and that's that they miss the high seas/high stakes adventures that comes with Amina at the helm. This job also comes with a promised hefty pay-off, one that  can truly secure their retirement. In this world there are stories of Djinn and Gods/Goddesses and before venturing out on this last journey, that's all they were to Amina...Just stories. The life of a Pirate has enough challenges but things get all the more interesting when those stories filled with magical beings become your reality. 

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

Slow to start while the troops are being rallied, This is one you just have to trust that you're in for a good time. I thoroughly enjoyed Amina seeking out each of her crew members out from their hidey holes (haha!) because it provided the opportunity for their backstory. This led to each crew member being well fleshed out and easily imagined with personalities that are quite distinct from one another. Amina is at the very start telling her tale to a scribe and with that come challenges to decisions she made that probably weren't the best. That is where the humor shines and we get GRADE A SNARK! Amina dishes it out and I ate it up! In fact I've heard that the audiobook narration really delivers on those one liners our girl Amina was quipping. I will absolutely be doing a tandem read with the audiobook when it's time for a re-read. Also, as a Fantasy reader I love jumping into a freshly made up magic system and setting like the rest of us. However, I have found that I enjoy a Fantasy ten times more when it draws inspiration from History or recreates it as best possible. In the preface, Chakraborty states that she tried to stay true to the history of the 12th century Islamic societies of the northwestern Indian Ocean but it's still Fiction. I loved seeing the representation of various religious beliefs in her characters, religion as a whole is an important theme in this story. Amina is a Muslim woman trying to get back on track with her religion and acknowledges where she falls short. Her crew members have their own differing religious beliefs and we see Amina try and respectfully understand theirs as they respect her own. It truly was beautiful to see this found family not only co-exist with one another but also honor each other's beliefs. I am eagerly anticipating another adventure with Amina and her crew!

“For this scribe has read a great many of these accounts and taken away another lesson: that to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted.”

Amina is a pirate - but she's an adventurer at heart. She loves seeing new places and discovering new lands and people. But after her latest husband lands her with child - she retires and chooses a softer life with her and her mother. But when an offer she can't refuse (read: blackmail) comes along - she rounds up the old crew (all middle aged now!) and goes on to try to rescue this teenager from the Franks but the stakes suddenly get much higher when the truth comes out. The Franks are after the Moon of Saba - a pearl that can rewrite the world.

If someone told me a few weeks ago that I would be in love with a book that focuses on a mother MC as a PIRATE - I would be shocked. This book alone showed me just how few books have Mom's as actual MCs! It was so new to me - and I adored seeing how Amina's push and pull between her love for her daughter fought with her love for the sea and adventuring. Her crew is incredibly diverse in terms of sexuality, age, ethnicity and religion and specialities. This book really reads like an older version of One Piece and I loved it!

The chapters are broken up with short texts on information on the cast's past or myths - a great tie into the story that flowed so well. This book is so funny - you can really see the MC's age and the "I'm too old for this foolishness" come through at moments. There are unexpected twists and magic, epic battles in the past intertwined with the struggles of getting older and beautifully rich details of the world throughout. I simply cannot wait for book 2! I need to see more of this boat cat too!

rep// Muslim mc, Yemeni, Omani, Somali, Iraqi, Hindu characters, gay rep, trans rep, Christian and Jewish rep

cw// violence, death, grief, colonization, slavery, transphobia, torture, kidnapping, body horror

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wild ride for me! I have never started out hating a book so much, to then fall completely in love with it, to THEN end on an absolutely mediocre note.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi has a lot going for it. A pirate fantasy told about a mother, years after she has left behind adventure, along with a diverse crew, magic, and creatures of myths and legends. I so wanted to love it, and through most of the book was in love with it. I struggled in the beginning, finding the first chapter to not be about out main character. What an odd way to start a book? Then once you get with Amina, the book still takes 10% to even start. Once the adventures do get going, I was so hooked. The characters were amazing and the world so magical. Near the end I started to struggle again. Between long chapters and a loss of focus from the plot, I found myself losing interest and no longer caring what happened.

Overall, I would totally recommend this book. I think a lot of the problems I had were personal for me. AND while I didn't love the book as much as I wanted to, I still think it had a lot of good going for it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Books for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m convinced SA Chakraborty can do no wrong. I loved her Daevabad series, and was so excited to read about a 40-something female pirate. It absolutely did not disappoint. It was full of adventure and action and magic and danger and heart. Amina is strong in a multitude of ways, her fierceness in combat parallels her fierceness as a mother, one not detracting from the other in any way.
I loved this one and cannot wait for the rest of the series! Highly recommend.

4.25 - A fantastical pirate quest filled with whacky and lovable characters, rich settings, and heart-pounding adventure! Shannon Chakraborty has expertly crafted a historical world that is believable yet filled to the brim with magic. After excelling at political fantasy in The Daevabad Trilogy, she successfully wrote one of the most epic pirate adventures I’ve read in years. I can’t wait to follow Amina as she tracks down more magical artifacts in future adventures!

I’ve never been big into pirates but SAV has changed that for me! The characters and the plot are perfection as usual. If you’re a fan of City of Brass, you’ll love this. I’m also a sucker for a good heist. Throw a demon into the mix and you’ve got me hooked for life. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Pirates and poisoners and monsters — oh, my!

Man alive am I obsessed with this book. It’s a wonderful combination of magic, myth, and history, all told in a daring and fresh fashion. Amina has settled down from her life at sea. Yes, she misses it, but she loves being a mom more. And she’s created a life for herself that will keep her daughter safe — as much as the ocean might call. The scuttlebutt about her says she’s “a giant. Dark, with her teeth filled into gold-capped fangs and a scar covering much of her right arm, scorched there by naft.” But as much fun as the old legends about her are, she’s retired. But when a rich woman offers Amina more money than she could possibly imagine for saving her granddaughter, Amina has to reclaim her spot at the helm of her ship and get her old motley crew on board.

Shannon Chakraborty takes an interesting approach to our heroine. Amina isn’t in her prime. She’s not young, she’s not beautiful. She has a bum knee, and her eyesight is starting to fail her. The rest of her crew fares similarly. They’d be considered past their prime, but they believe (as I do) that their best is yet to come. And what a cast of characters this book has; on top of the pirates, we have poisoners and snarky scribes and demonic not-quite-ex-husbands. There are sea monsters and magically inclined super sailors. And, of course, an artifact that, if in the wrong hands, could bring about the end of the world. No big deal.

The cast of characters already has strong bonds, and I know they’ll only continue to grow as this series progresses. But it really is Amina who shines. I love that she’s a middle-aged mother whose most outlandish exploits are behind her. She’s fierce and loyal and experienced. She’s not a naive, fresh-faced 19-year-old heroine thrust unassumingly into a fantasy world. She’s been around the block, and she’s survived. She’s a veteran. And she’s done and seen things she wishes she could forget. Amina’s religious conviction is wonderfully inserted into this book and feels intimate but never preachy.

This story is playful and strong and matters. It’s witty and feminist. Chakraborty made me feel like I was along for the ride — the highs and lows and crazies — the whole time. I was on that ship, too, with the wind in my hair and my eyes on the horizon. She has given us a carefully researched tale that’s epic in proportion but is still personal and heartfelt. There’s swashbuckling galore, but there’s reflection and growth, too.

And, of course, there are pirates.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.