The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

Author: Shannon Chakraborty

Series: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

Genre: Fantasy, historical fantasy

Format: Digital purchase via Kindle

Publish Date: February 2023

Read: May 2023

Favorite Quote: Men find it easier to believe they have been swindled by a witch than outwitted by a woman.

Story Synopsis: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi takes readers on a beautifully written journey chronicling the pirate captain Amina al-Sirafi. After retiring from pirating and raising her daughter, the mother of a former crewmate approaches Amina for one last adventure. This adventure requires Amina to rescue the kidnapped granddaughter, and in exchange, Amina will receive more money than she and her children’s children could ever hope for.

After assembling her crew, which includes the Mistress of Poisons and Father of Maps, Amina seeks out the kidnapper whose reputation for sorcery and violence grows at every port. She also encounters her former husband, Raksh, who is a demon. Amina and her crew then learn that the kidnapped granddaughter they seek is in possession of a magical artifact. The more information that comes to light, the more Amina realizes there’s more to this job than appeared - and no way to back out.

Why does this book beguile? Set one thousand years before The Daevabad Trilogy, Chakraborty does a great job marrying historical facts with beautiful fantasy and magic. Amina is a strong woman in a male-dominated field, in a male-dominated world. She holds her own and explores her faith as a Muslim woman, despite the temptations of the pirate life. I fell in love with Chakraborty’s The Daevabad Trilogy, and I was so excited to read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. Amina is strong, smart, funny, inclusive, and admirable. You won’t be disappointed by this story - and one that I hope is the first of several!

Rating: 5/5

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