Tuesday 14 November 2023

Book Review: The Jinn Daughter by Rania Hanna (Fantasy)

Title: The Jinn Daughter
Author: Rania Hanna
Publisher: Hoopoe
Publication Date: 2 April 2024
Pages: 232
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: Fantasy
Source: ARC via Edelweiss

A stunning debut novel and an impressive feat of storytelling that pulls together mythology, magic, and ancient legend in the gripping story of a mother's struggle to save her only daughter.

Nadine is a Hakawati jinn tasked with one telling the stories of the dead. She rises every morning to gather pomegranate seeds--the souls of the dead--that have fallen during the night. With her daughter Layala at her side, she eats the seeds and tells their stories. Only then can the departed pass through the final gate of death.

But when the seeds stop falling, Nadine knows something is terribly wrong. All her worst fears are confirmed when she is visited by Kamuna, Death herself, who reveals her desire for someone to replace: it is Layala she wants.

Nadine will do whatever it takes to keep her daughter safe, but Kamuna has little patience and a ruthless drive to get what she has come for. Layala's fate, meanwhile, hangs in the balance.

Rooted in Middle Eastern mythology, Rania Hanna deftly weaves subtle, yet breathtaking, magic through this vivid and compelling story that has at its heart the universal human desire to, somehow, outmaneuver death.

 

The Jinn Daughter was a captivating standalone fantasy story. I loved the way Middle Eastern mythology was woven through the tale, and the action proceeded at a good pace throughout that always kept me turning the pages. The characters were memorable and well presented, and the prose was simple yet engaging with some lovely descriptive passages. The ending felt satisfying on all fronts, and I would definitely pick up further works by this author in the future. Recommended if you like mythology-inspired standalone fantasy novels with strong female characters. I am giving it four stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 

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