Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Harper Voyager (2023), 496 pages
Description
Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates, she's survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural. But when she's tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she's offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade's kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family's future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God's will. Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there's more to this job, and the girl's disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there's always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power ... and the price might be your very soul.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pgmcc
I finished The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi this morning and loved it. The writing was tight and the characterisation strong. It was 2am this morning when I put the book down and went to sleep with thirty pages left to read. I finished the book as soon as I got up and before I had breakfast.
The
There are several pieces of social commentary that hit home, and Chakraborty does not spare politicians in her assessment of their behaviour and actions.
I am writing this on my phone so it is much shorter than I would like it to be. There are parts of the book I will be looking through again to grab the quotes and comments I want to retain. In my first reading I was just enjoying the story and did not take notes.
The
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book is strongly feminist, and promotes inclusion and diversity. All that and magic too.There are several pieces of social commentary that hit home, and Chakraborty does not spare politicians in her assessment of their behaviour and actions.
I am writing this on my phone so it is much shorter than I would like it to be. There are parts of the book I will be looking through again to grab the quotes and comments I want to retain. In my first reading I was just enjoying the story and did not take notes.
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LibraryThing member zeborah
Amina is a Muslim(*) ex-pirate trying to raise her daughter in peace and atone for her many sins; naturally the narrative does not allow this and she's offered one more adventure she can't refuse. Thus ensue richly-drawn near-historic settings, fun characters, and much swashbuckling and magic. The
(*) The author is a white convert to Islam.
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narrative voice is fun and the story rollicks pleasantly along. It stands alone easily despite the set-up for more books to follow.(*) The author is a white convert to Islam.
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LibraryThing member jillmwo
A ship's captain has withdrawn from the sea to care for her young daughter and to keep out of the sight of those who she believes may hold grudges. She is drawn back into the world by the demands of a powerful old woman and is driven to reconnect with senior members of her old crew -- her first
These are plenty of adventures and voyages here -- not unlike those of Sinbad. As the reader, one encounters the demons, the monsters, the elemental powers. But there is a strong narrative thread tying it all together. Where is the old woman's granddaughter? What of the Moon of Saba?
This book by Shannon Chakraborty is the set-up of a new series, one that draws on Arabic culture in much the same way The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold did. The story here doesn't seem quite as complex as the books that made up the Daevabad Trilogy, but it does establish the personalities gathered around our brave sea captain.
If you're in the right mood, this book is a good deal of fun! The author knows well just how to bring in plot twists so that the reader is caught off guard. Magic is not always benign; generally speaking, it's more likely not to be. And be cautious of any contract entered into with those who have the means to wield such powers!
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mate, her navigator, her chief poisoner, an ex-lover. (The first chapter all by itself is a delightful attention-grabber.)These are plenty of adventures and voyages here -- not unlike those of Sinbad. As the reader, one encounters the demons, the monsters, the elemental powers. But there is a strong narrative thread tying it all together. Where is the old woman's granddaughter? What of the Moon of Saba?
This book by Shannon Chakraborty is the set-up of a new series, one that draws on Arabic culture in much the same way The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold did. The story here doesn't seem quite as complex as the books that made up the Daevabad Trilogy, but it does establish the personalities gathered around our brave sea captain.
If you're in the right mood, this book is a good deal of fun! The author knows well just how to bring in plot twists so that the reader is caught off guard. Magic is not always benign; generally speaking, it's more likely not to be. And be cautious of any contract entered into with those who have the means to wield such powers!
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LibraryThing member Magus_Manders
What a fun, heartfelt adventure! I would love some sequels, though frankly I hope Amina just gets a chance to rest! And I'd read that book too.
LibraryThing member RandyMorgan
The life of a pirate on the Indian Ocean is not easy so when Amina al- Sirafi discovered her pregnancy, she retired. For ten years she worked odd jobs to make ends meet. When Dunya disappears, her grandmother tracks down Amina with an offer she cannot refuse. One last adventure to set Amina and her
Chakraborty writes fiercely independent female characters and Amina is no exception. Though the world building is dangerously slow, the reader establishes meaningful relationships with many characters. The delicate foreshadowing made for a tantalizing tease to the fantasy, and still the book is full of many surprises. Diversity is a prominent theme throughout The Adventures of Amina al- Sirafi; from the characters to the voice actors, there is a little bit of something for everyone to identify with.
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descendants up for life. Chakraborty writes fiercely independent female characters and Amina is no exception. Though the world building is dangerously slow, the reader establishes meaningful relationships with many characters. The delicate foreshadowing made for a tantalizing tease to the fantasy, and still the book is full of many surprises. Diversity is a prominent theme throughout The Adventures of Amina al- Sirafi; from the characters to the voice actors, there is a little bit of something for everyone to identify with.
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LibraryThing member sublunarie
I have this vision of a child in the 30s or 40s, reading Robinson Crusoe and other piratey adventures and absolutely losing themselves in the stories. I think this scene is inspired by a film I watched as a child, but I cannot be sure.
Reading Amina felt like this vision. I wasn't into fantasy or
But everytime I picked up Amina's tale, I felt like I was living my vision. That I was the young child from the past, hiding in my room with a lantern or reading my adventure stories by the light of the moon. This book woke up my imagination in a way no book has done since I was that age myself.
Reading Amina felt like this vision. I wasn't into fantasy or
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adventure tales as a kid. (I was a Stephen King reader from age 10.) I've never particularly been drawn to these types of stories.But everytime I picked up Amina's tale, I felt like I was living my vision. That I was the young child from the past, hiding in my room with a lantern or reading my adventure stories by the light of the moon. This book woke up my imagination in a way no book has done since I was that age myself.
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LibraryThing member deslivres5
I adored the audiobook of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty.
It truly was laid out in my mind like the 7 voyages of Sinbad, with some great ensemble vibes ala The Blues Brothers ("we're getting the old band back together").
Readers familiar with the authors other series, The
There is also interspersed in the story some "breaking the third wall" chapters which had me laughing. The use of a "microphone" sound in the audiobook, for an interview taking place in a medieval timeframe was strange but hilarious. The two narrators Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal are excellent. Lameece Issaq brings the bold Amina to life.
The only think which put me off was the flagrant use of the "F" and "MF" words throughout.
I *know* that Amina is supposed to be a hardened pirate, but it just seemed so *modern* to me to hear those words thrown out so much.
I believe this can be read as a standalone, but, oh, I can't wait to read the further adventures of Amina, her family and her crew!
It truly was laid out in my mind like the 7 voyages of Sinbad, with some great ensemble vibes ala The Blues Brothers ("we're getting the old band back together").
Readers familiar with the authors other series, The
Show More
Daevabad Trilogy, will be familiar with the settings, but the tone is quite a bit more playful.There is also interspersed in the story some "breaking the third wall" chapters which had me laughing. The use of a "microphone" sound in the audiobook, for an interview taking place in a medieval timeframe was strange but hilarious. The two narrators Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal are excellent. Lameece Issaq brings the bold Amina to life.
The only think which put me off was the flagrant use of the "F" and "MF" words throughout.
I *know* that Amina is supposed to be a hardened pirate, but it just seemed so *modern* to me to hear those words thrown out so much.
I believe this can be read as a standalone, but, oh, I can't wait to read the further adventures of Amina, her family and her crew!
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LibraryThing member KallieGrace
A fantastic, female-led pirate adventure with everything from caverns of treasure to magical islands to tentacled sea beasts. I love the setting on the Indian Ocean and the Middle Eastern/African cultures that are the basis for the lore and magic. The main character is daring and larger than life,
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but also a mother with very real feelings of worry and protection for her child. I think I'll read anything by Chakraborty at this point. Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
Threats to her family and the lure of a fortune lure retired pirate captain Amina out of retirement and run her headlong into collecting her old crew and encountering a formidable new enemy along with encounters with supernatural beings both new and unfortunately familiar. Fast paced and
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interesting adventure in the little explored realms of 12th century Indian Ocean. Show Less
LibraryThing member maryreinert
I am not usually a fan of fantasy, but I started this and it pulled me in. I think it was the setting of ancient mid-East that appealed to me. Amina is an older mother of one child who is approached by a grandmother whose granddaughter supposedly has been kidnapped by a very evil Falco. After
There are wild prison escapes, mythological creatures which may or may not be friendly, and lots of adventure that I could imagine on the movie screen going on and on with lots of techno effects.
Apparently this is the first of a series with Amina traveling the world undoing evil and apparently Dunya, now known as Jamil, who is a storyteller.
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threatening to harm Amina's family if she doesn't agree to find the girl and bring her back, Amina goes, finds her old ship along with some of her dearet crew members. Amina's past life as a rough and tumble private comes back to her and the adventures begin.There are wild prison escapes, mythological creatures which may or may not be friendly, and lots of adventure that I could imagine on the movie screen going on and on with lots of techno effects.
Apparently this is the first of a series with Amina traveling the world undoing evil and apparently Dunya, now known as Jamil, who is a storyteller.
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
Having been looking forward to this book since it was announced, I've also had my fingers crossed that it was going to be as good as I hoped. So far, mission accomplished, as Chakraborty's main character is great, being a one-time pirate who spent her prime living like there was no tomorrow, but
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who now has to deal with the consequences of those acts. If you were going to pigeon-hole this novel in terms of sub-genre, I'd call it sword and sorcery, with Amina the warrior confronting an Italo-Norman wannabe master of the universe (this novel's setting is after the First Crusade). Now the only problem is waiting for the next book to come out. If I have any particular critique it might be in regards to pacing. I found that Chakraborty's "Daevabad" books started collapsing under the weight of all their plot points, whereas with these books, it looks like Amina is going to power up very quickly, leading one to wonder what the ultimate climax is going to gook like; it should be a good ride though. Show Less
LibraryThing member hhornblower
I very interesting story, very poorly told.
This felt very much like the author had a list of things that she wanted to include in the story and sure enough would throw something in just so she could check off a box; gay character...check. Trans-gender...check, etc etc. That aspect of the character
Then, I know there isn't any logic to magic, that's the whole point of magic. In this authors hands, it's very much just a Dues ex machina device...I need the character to end up here, ok add a magic island (that again is not explored or developed in the least...just "boom, magic island". Problem solved.)
This is just one of those books that I find particularly annoying, because it has a significant amount of unique story elements (female, Muslim, pirate. Set in the 13th century around the Arabian peninsula), that I hadn't seen before. It could have been so much better then what we ended up with. There's obviously going to be many more books with these characters in this world. Unfortunately, I'll never know if they actually get any better.
This felt very much like the author had a list of things that she wanted to include in the story and sure enough would throw something in just so she could check off a box; gay character...check. Trans-gender...check, etc etc. That aspect of the character
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wouldn't be explored in the least, just a throw away paragraph placed in passing. Then, I know there isn't any logic to magic, that's the whole point of magic. In this authors hands, it's very much just a Dues ex machina device...I need the character to end up here, ok add a magic island (that again is not explored or developed in the least...just "boom, magic island". Problem solved.)
This is just one of those books that I find particularly annoying, because it has a significant amount of unique story elements (female, Muslim, pirate. Set in the 13th century around the Arabian peninsula), that I hadn't seen before. It could have been so much better then what we ended up with. There's obviously going to be many more books with these characters in this world. Unfortunately, I'll never know if they actually get any better.
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LibraryThing member streamsong
Amina Al-Sirafi, once the most notorious pirate queen on the Indian Ocean (and married to a demon) has been retired for ten respectable years, quietly as any good Muslim mother, raising her daughter, while watching for signs of said daughter having inherited a bit of her demon father’s power.
But
The magic for me with this historical fantasy was not the story itself, but the setting – I loved the Arabian sea and the Indian Ocean, the surrounding countries and the time period.
I think the author felt the same way, as she explained in her Author’s Note at the end of the book: “The Indian Ocean is arguably among the oldest seas in maritime history, witness to over five thousand years of humans traveling its shores and crossing it’s expanse. Pilgrims and pirates, enslaved persons and royalty, traders and scholars. In our modern age, we are accustomed to thinking of continent and land borders; rarely do we see the sea and its littorals as places of shared culture. But long before the so-called European Age of Exploration (an age that would do more damage to existing Indian Ocean networks and indigenous populations than any such incursion before), the ports of the Indian Ocean were bustling, cosmopolitan places where one could find goods and people from all over.
“…It was always my dream to write a book set in this world, to pull on the stories that had resonated so deeply, and when I first began, I was thrilled to finally have a proper work excuse to throw myself into research.” P 473
But
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the mother of a former crew member appears and begs, cajoles and threatens Amina to save her granddaughter kidnapped by an ex-Crusader aspiring magician. She promises wealth beyond Amina’s wildest dreams for a successful outcome. And since Amina has quietly kept her ship in ship-shape condition, and knows the whereabouts of much of her old crew, she undertakes one last foray into the 12th century Arabian Sea – a place of fables, magic and demons.The magic for me with this historical fantasy was not the story itself, but the setting – I loved the Arabian sea and the Indian Ocean, the surrounding countries and the time period.
I think the author felt the same way, as she explained in her Author’s Note at the end of the book: “The Indian Ocean is arguably among the oldest seas in maritime history, witness to over five thousand years of humans traveling its shores and crossing it’s expanse. Pilgrims and pirates, enslaved persons and royalty, traders and scholars. In our modern age, we are accustomed to thinking of continent and land borders; rarely do we see the sea and its littorals as places of shared culture. But long before the so-called European Age of Exploration (an age that would do more damage to existing Indian Ocean networks and indigenous populations than any such incursion before), the ports of the Indian Ocean were bustling, cosmopolitan places where one could find goods and people from all over.
“…It was always my dream to write a book set in this world, to pull on the stories that had resonated so deeply, and when I first began, I was thrilled to finally have a proper work excuse to throw myself into research.” P 473
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LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Amina al-Sirafi series. I borrowed a copy on ebook from my library.
Thoughts: I was looking back and I did read the first 60% of "The City of Brass" and ended up not finishing it. I kept hearing great things about this book but kept putting off
This story is apparently set in the same world as "The City of Brass" but a thousand years earlier. Being that I didn't finish "The City of Brass" I don't really know how this book ties in with that one. This story follows Amina al-Sirafi, a retired pirate who is trying to live a quiet life with her daughter. That is until an old woman, up who is the mother of one of her former crewmen, shows up. The woman offers Amina a huge sum of money to find her kidnapped daughter. Of course, the story isn't that simple. Suddenly Amina is finding herself blackmailed into more of an adventure than she ever wanted, although she kind of enjoys it. She is back with her old crew and facing off against supernatural powers beyond her wildest imaginings.
This was very well written and easy to read. The story is fast-paced with fun characters, lots of action, and some intriguing twists and turns along the way. I adored Amina and her crew and enjoyed that all the characters were older than you typically see in adventure fantasies. They all had families and other responsibilities that they needed to balance with their crazy adventures. The magical aspects around the spirits, gods, and celestial magic were very well done and intriguing too.
I think my only complaint is that it felt like so much happened in this book, I couldn't help wondering if it would have been better as two shorter books. However, I really loved it and plan to pick up the next Amina al-Sirafi book.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this book. It was a fun and fast-paced fantasy adventure with entertaining characters that are a bit older than your typical adventuring type. I enjoyed the magic and the world as well. The story was engaging with some excellent twists and turns, and the characters were unique and likable. I plan on reading the next book in this series when it releases and would recommend this to those who enjoy adventure fantasy.
Thoughts: I was looking back and I did read the first 60% of "The City of Brass" and ended up not finishing it. I kept hearing great things about this book but kept putting off
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reading it because of my dislike for "The City of Brass". I am happy I finally picked this up. The characters in this book were way more entertaining and the pace a lot faster than "The City of Brass". This ended up being a very well done and entertaining read. It is pretty long and it did take me a while to get through, but I was engaged and entertained the whole time.This story is apparently set in the same world as "The City of Brass" but a thousand years earlier. Being that I didn't finish "The City of Brass" I don't really know how this book ties in with that one. This story follows Amina al-Sirafi, a retired pirate who is trying to live a quiet life with her daughter. That is until an old woman, up who is the mother of one of her former crewmen, shows up. The woman offers Amina a huge sum of money to find her kidnapped daughter. Of course, the story isn't that simple. Suddenly Amina is finding herself blackmailed into more of an adventure than she ever wanted, although she kind of enjoys it. She is back with her old crew and facing off against supernatural powers beyond her wildest imaginings.
This was very well written and easy to read. The story is fast-paced with fun characters, lots of action, and some intriguing twists and turns along the way. I adored Amina and her crew and enjoyed that all the characters were older than you typically see in adventure fantasies. They all had families and other responsibilities that they needed to balance with their crazy adventures. The magical aspects around the spirits, gods, and celestial magic were very well done and intriguing too.
I think my only complaint is that it felt like so much happened in this book, I couldn't help wondering if it would have been better as two shorter books. However, I really loved it and plan to pick up the next Amina al-Sirafi book.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this book. It was a fun and fast-paced fantasy adventure with entertaining characters that are a bit older than your typical adventuring type. I enjoyed the magic and the world as well. The story was engaging with some excellent twists and turns, and the characters were unique and likable. I plan on reading the next book in this series when it releases and would recommend this to those who enjoy adventure fantasy.
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
Amina was a pirate once, but now she's retired. She just wants to live in peace, raising her daughter -- until the day an old woman comes to her door with an offer Amina can't refuse: enough money to secure her whole family's future for generations if she rescues the kidnapped daughter of a former
I enjoyed this, but it didn't flow along smoothly for me. I suspect I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind for it, and it's probably not the book's fault at all. If you're intrigued by fantasy on the high seas with pirates and magic and a swashbuckling middle-aged heroine, I encourage you to pick this one up!
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shipmate. Of course, nothing is as easy as it seems at first...I enjoyed this, but it didn't flow along smoothly for me. I suspect I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind for it, and it's probably not the book's fault at all. If you're intrigued by fantasy on the high seas with pirates and magic and a swashbuckling middle-aged heroine, I encourage you to pick this one up!
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LibraryThing member macha
Chakraborty is a terrific storyteller, and she invents interesting characters. this book is about a female pirate in the medieval Indian Ocean, and it's a pretty neat historical fantasy, somewhat like the stuff Guy Gavriel Kay might write, with a lot of arabian magic involved anchored by a
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well-researched real world. i didn't get fully drawn in till i was a third of the way through, so give it time, because once it gets going it never slows down. i hope she's busy writing more of this. Show Less
LibraryThing member fionaanne
What fun! I have a soft spot for middle-aged women going on adventures that society tells them they ought not enjoy because they're better off at home weaving or breeding. The end got annoying when the obvious set-up for the next book dragged things out but that's only a small quibble and it was
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such a grand tale. Show Less
LibraryThing member lorax
This was tremendous, tremendous fun.
I'm not usually a fan of the "getting the gang together for one last big score" trope, which is how this started off, but it worked for me - the titular Amina al-Sirafi is a middle-aged woman retired from piracy offered a ludicrous reward if she locates the
Both characters - Amina, her crewmates, and others - and setting (the Indian ocean region in the medieval era) are richly realized and Amina's narrative voice is captivating. While the book stands alone it clearly sets up sequels, and I'm definitely looking forward to them.
I'm not usually a fan of the "getting the gang together for one last big score" trope, which is how this started off, but it worked for me - the titular Amina al-Sirafi is a middle-aged woman retired from piracy offered a ludicrous reward if she locates the
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daughter of a former crewmember. The fantasy elements, initially minimal to nonexistent, become more and more apparent as the book moves on, not surprising to readers of Chakraborty's Daevabad trilogy. Both characters - Amina, her crewmates, and others - and setting (the Indian ocean region in the medieval era) are richly realized and Amina's narrative voice is captivating. While the book stands alone it clearly sets up sequels, and I'm definitely looking forward to them.
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LibraryThing member Kristelh
Reason read: I read this one for a fantasy read.
The story is of pirates, motherhood, magic, religion, etc
Its a mix of stuff and does have "bases covered" basically skillfully into the story but not fully and the story would have been just as good if not better without trying to dot i's and cross
The story is of pirates, motherhood, magic, religion, etc
Its a mix of stuff and does have "bases covered" basically skillfully into the story but not fully and the story would have been just as good if not better without trying to dot i's and cross
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ts. Overall the story is of a young mother, former pirate that is bribed into searching for a grandmother's missing granddaughter. And then the adventure begins. It is engaging and it reads as if this is just one of a series. probably 5 books if I were to guess. Would I read more. No probably not. Not because the stories wasn't engaging but because I don't lean toward series but I the book fits the moment, I might. Rating 3.4 Show Less
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 2024)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Fantasy — 2024)
NPR: Books We Love (2023)
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Science Fiction and Fantasy — 2023)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — February 2023)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2023)
New York Public Library Best Books: For Adults (Top Ten — Speculative Fiction — 2023)
RUSA CODES Listen List (Selection — 2024)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2023-02-28
Physical description
496 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
0062963503 / 9780062963505
Local notes
Signed