Reviewed by Wendy Haynes
This Young Adult 12+ romance fantasy novel inspired by
Persian mythology is the first book in this epic series. It’s rich with
beautiful language, sensory description, and a sense of urgency for the main
character Alizeh. This is a must-read story that will surprise you at every
turn, filled with loneliness, hope for the future, disappear, and a cleverly
craft story, and of sorts a retelling of Cinderella. It is gripped with tension
and anticipation sprinkled throughout the narrative.
The story follows Alizeh as she strives to survive as
a simple servant hiding in plain sight. She is the long-lost heir to an ancient
Jinn Kingdom, and if discovered by her many enemies her very life could be
lost. She hides under the veil of a snoda, a mask that the lowliness of servant’s
wear: this serves to aid in protecting her identity until one day she makes a
mistake.
A forbidden romance starts to unfold between Alizeh
and the crown prince of Ardunia, Kamran who meet only on a few occasions but are
drawn to each other with much force. Kamran, usually level-headed and
disciplined, seems to lose all his faculties in Alizeh’s presence.
The prince is very aware of where his loyalty must lie
and though reluctant to take the throne his will honours his duty, his
grandfather, and his people.
A gem from this National Book-award nominated author.
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