Tag: djinn

Posted in Books, Reviews

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

Posted on by Ariana Hussain

Mafi,Tahereh. This Woven Kingdom. Feb. 2022, 512 pp. HarperCollins, $19.99. (9780062972446). Grades 9 – 12

In the world of This Woven Kingdom, once powerful Jinn are living as second-class citizens to humans. 

Alizeh is a Jinn; alone in the world at a young age, she works laborious jobs for humans in order to survive. Because of the actions of Iblees, who eventually became Shaytan (the devil), her people are collectively demonized, even at a truce with human beings, their powers are reduced, and they are subject to constant exploitation and threats of violence. Alizeh is additionally set apart from her people by the ice runs in her blood and identifies her as part of a larger prophecy that could lead to the liberation of jinnkind or the destruction of mankind. She lives in hiding and constant fear of being killed or used. 

Heir to the kingdom of Ardunia, currently led by his grandfather, King Zaal, Kamran encounters Alizeh by chance. Immediately attracted to each other they grow close, but as plots are uncovered and more is revealed about Alizeh, their situation grows increasingly complicated and each must make irrevocable decisions.

Mafi’s prose is deliberately paced to build tension and intensity while building a rich fantasy world based on Islamic folklore and the Persian Shahnameh epic. Intended to be a multi volume series, Mafi skillfully builds the foundation for a tale that promises adventure, romance, and political intrigue. Alizeh is a formidable protagonist and readers will find themselves emotionally invested in her happiness.

The world of This Woven Kingdom is predicated on Islamic stories of jinn and the creation of humankind, with jinn having the same moral capability of humans to exercise free will and thought in which they choose to worship Allah. However, in many cultural contexts, jinn are associated with evil, and Mafi’s use and tying of the actions of Iblees and the properties of jinn and their abilities to the status of jinnkind is both intriguing and validating, moving this story beyond common tropes or retellings of western fairytales. Iblees moved into a villain role devoid of religious context still very much works for the story, while also having the reader examine and reflect on the irony of the lack of freewill the characters have at times, and the structures of power upon a subjugated people. Elements of Islam, Islamic practices, and culture (i.e. miswak used for oral hygiene) throughout the book are instantly recognizable to those familiar, though religion itself is never mentioned in the world. Instead, Mafi translates these religious concepts of Islam to a fantasy world setting impeccably and respectfully. This Woven Kingdom is an outstanding fantasy novel that feels fresh and swoonworthy, in a world accessible to any reader.

Thunderbird : Book One by Sonia Nimr, M. Lynx Qualey (Translated by)

Thunderbird : Book One
by Sonia Nimr, translated by M. Lynx Qualey
Center for Middle Eastern Studies at University of Texas-Austin / University of Texas Press

The Thunderbird trilogy is a fast-paced time-traveling fantasy adventure centered on Noor, a young orphaned Palestinian girl who starts in the present and must go back in time to get four magical bird feathers and save the world. Aided by a djinn cat and girls who look identical to Noor and who each have one of the bird’s powers, in this initial volume Noor begins her journey through different historical periods, striving to keep the wall between worlds intact.

Summary and cover image via Edelweiss

Narya and the Djinn by Iasmin Omar Ata

Narya and the Djinn by Iasmin Omar Ata
Penguin Random House/Viking Books for Young Readers

In this coming-of-age graphic novel with a fantastical twist, Nayra Mansour, a Muslim American girl is helped on her journey to selfhood by a djinn.

Nothing is going right for Nayra Mansour. There’s the constant pressure from her strict family, ruthless bullying from her classmates, and exhausting friendship demands from Rami –the only other Muslim girl at school. Nayra has had enough. Just when she’s considering transferring schools to escape it all, a mysterious Djinn named Marjan appears.

As a djinn, a mythical being in Islamic folklore, Marjan uses their powers and wisdom to help Nayra navigate her overwhelming life. But Marjan’s past is fraught with secrets, guilt, and trouble, and if they don’t face what they’ve done, Nayra could pay the price.

In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, Iasmin Omar Ata has created a realistic coming-of-age story with an enchanting dose of the fantastical about strength, identity, and, most of all, friendship.

Summary via Edelweiss

Posted in Books, Reviews

Review: The Candle and the Flame

Posted on by Mahasin Abuwi Aleem

This review was originally published in School Library Journal, May 1, 2019.

The Candle and the Flame

by Nafiza AZAD
416p. glossary. Scholastic. May 2019. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781338306040.

Gr 7 Up—Eighteen-year-old Fatima is a human who carries the fire of the djinn within her. She’s a devout Muslim raised by her adopted Hindu family in Noor, a city along the Silk Road, when her parents and all but two other of the city’s inhabitants are slain in a massacre by the Shayateen, a class of djinn who thrive on chaos and destruction. Noor emerges from the ashes to become a vibrant multicultural city where Muslims, Hindus, and others live together in a brokered peace maintained by human rule and the protection of the Ifrit Djinn, who value order and reason. There are signs, however, that this peace is under serious threat. When Fatima’s presence at the violent death of Firdaus, a powerful Ifrit, transforms her into Fatima Ghazala, she is changed in ways that upend her identity, threaten her relationships, and thrust her into the center of the city’s ruling class. Under the protection of the Ifrit’s leader, Zulfikar, Fatima finds herself grappling with feelings she’s never had before. In this sophisticated debut novel, Azad combines Islamic concepts and Middle Eastern mythology with a variety of other traditions to create a magical treatise on identity, community, friendship, and love. Readers will identify with female characters who struggle against limiting societal expectations. The themes of trauma and grief are treated with care. Azad’s vivid depiction of the details of Noor’s sights and sounds make the city come alive. Back matter includes a glossary of terms. Readers may also enjoy the forthcoming title We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal.

VERDICT A moving commentary on gender roles, identity, love, and loss, and a first purchase for school and public libraries.
Reviewed by Mahasin A. Aleem, Oakland Public Library, CA , May 01, 2019