This was the first book that I’ve read by Chakraborty and it immediately made me want to go and read her other books. This was the perfect pirate book with aspects of humour and heartwarming moments. Not only were the main characters well developed, the side characters were too. I cannot wait to see what the next book brings.

"The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" by Shannon Chakraborty captivates with rich world-building and a strong, witty heroine. Amina's swashbuckling return to piracy is thrilling, with vivid settings and folklore magic. A solid 4-star read for fans of historical fantasy!

Literally one of my favourite books ever. A bit of pacing issues towards the end which knocked off a star but I could tell it was needed for the sequel. I'll keep thinking about this for a while now. (also my bad for uploading this so late on netgalley)

I really enjoyed this, it wasn't what I expected at all! I loved how the protagonist is an older character, so many books are set around 18yr olds so it was refreshing to have someone who has experienced life and their perspectives!
It has been a while since I read this (back in 2023!) but I'd definitely like to reread it again.

What a fun adventure!
The pacing of this book is spot on, I read this so fast.
I loved that the characters were not typical young adventurers.
The fight scenes are brutal!
I loved reading this, thank you for my arc!

Firstly, thank you so much for giving me a copy of this book early to review. I was slightly latchy, however I devoured this book once I started! I could not stop. Shannon Chakraborty has done it again, gripping my imagination with a fasinating world, colourful cast and beautifully written dialogue. All I can say is I need the next book as soon as someone will let me have it.

As an aside, as I read Amina once it was released, I also listened to the audio and can highly reccomend it!

"For this scribe has read a great many of these accounts and taken away another lesson: that to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted."

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is an incredible book. I loved City of Brass so I knew I was likely to enjoy this book too, but I had forgotten quite how magical Chakraborty's writing style is. I felt like I lived every moment of this book alongside Amina and her friends.

"Yes! That captain Amina al-Sirafi. The smuggler, the pirate. The blasphemer that men of letters acuse of serving up human hearts for her sea-beast husband,and the sorceress, for she must be a sorceress, because no female could sail a ship so deftly without the use of forbidden magics. Whose appearance somehow both beguiles and repulses. Traders along our fair isles warn against speaking her name as though she is a djinn that might be summoned as such - though, strangely, they have little compunction when it comes to spreading vicious rumours about her body and her sexuality: these things that men obsess over when they have what they desire and desire what they cannot possess."

Amina was an infamous and well-known pirate until the death of one of her crew lead her to retire out of guilt. Amina now lives with her daughter and her mother in a ramshackle house with a leak in the roof. If she sometimes longs for her old life then those feelings are pushed aside for the sake of her daughter's safety. Then one day a rich old lady offers her a large some of money to search for missing granddaughter, enough money that she and her daughter need never worry about money again. Amina is swayed to return to life at sea one more time and magical adventures follow.

It was incredibly refreshing to read a story where become a wife or mother is not the end of the story.

"A mother if you believe it! Ah yes, a certain degree of rebelliousness if expected from youth. It is why we have stories of treasure-seeking princesses and warrior women that end with the occasional happiness. But they are expected to end - with the boy, the prince, the sailor, the adventurer. The man that will take her maidenhood, grant her children, make her a wife. The man who defines her. He may continue his epic - he may indeed take new wives and make new children! - but women's stories are expected to dissolve into a fog of domesticity...if they're told at all.

Amina's story did not end. Verily, no woman's story does."

I love that this story is set in a predominantly muslim country and that Amina's religion plays such a large part in her character and influences - in particular guilt.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi is a wholly unique book and I hope to hear more from this chracter.

after finishing the incredibly fun, if not surprisingly brutal adventures of amina al-sirafi, i feel like i've actually read half of two different books.

the first half of this was dark, mysterious and exciting but then the second half melted into too much magic surrealism that wasn't as apparent in the beginning. there was no fluidity in joining the two sections together. for me, i needed to have more magical elements in the first half to fully believe in the second section, instead i was rolling my eyes at magical swords and little magical islands that just so happened to spawn.

the tone of the book, much unlike the themes, felt slightly ya to me too, which was interesting given the main character is middle aged. i think primarily because everyone bickered like teenagers. however, found family <3 so all is forgiven. and we love a strong independent woman so there's that too.

Immediately after finishing this I went back out and purchased Shannon Chakraborty's City of Brass because I just couldn't stand the fact that I wasn't reading her writing anymore. I absolutely loved this, it's one of those books that I wish I could go back and read again for the first time. Absolutely brilliant.

What I loved about this book was the location and the history. It's a part of the world I wouldn't have read much about so I really liked this. I also liked the representation of an older protagonist going on one last adventure.

It was not my favourite pirate fiction book I've read but it was overall enjoyable, though a bit hard to follow at times. I'm glad I read it but I'm not in a rush for the sequel.

Thanks: Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

! In Shannon Chakraborty's The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, we find our heroine retired, living a quiet life… well, as quiet as a woman who once wrestled demons can manage. But when a plea for help arrives, Amina can't resist the call of one last adventure.

This novel is a swashbuckling delight. Chakraborty masterfully weaves a tale of high seas chases, hidden agendas, and the deep bonds of chosen family. Amina is a phenomenal protagonist – fierce, witty, and possessing a heart that's both hardened by experience and fiercely loyal. Her crew, a motley bunch of rogues and specialists, brings the story to life with their banter and unique personalities.

The plot is a rollercoaster ride, taking Amina and her companions from bustling ports to treacherous waters. The historical fantasy setting, inspired by the 12th century Indian Ocean, feels rich and vibrant. Chakraborty seamlessly blends real-world details with fantastical elements, creating a world that feels both familiar and wondrous.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is narrated by Amina herself, regaling a scribe with tales of her exploits. This first-person perspective allows readers to truly get inside Amina's head, experiencing her regrets, her triumphs, and her dry wit.

While the novel works well as a standalone, it also sets the stage for a thrilling series. The ending leaves you wanting more, eager to see where Amina's next adventure will take her.

Shannon has this beautiful way of writing that just draws you in and has you never wanting to let go. I loved the world she's created and how vivid her descriptions are. She can honestly do no wrong in my eyes as I have loved every single one of her books so far.

I loved that our main character was older than most fantasy mcs as it just made it so much more unique. I quickly grew to love Amina and getting to know her and her crew through this book. They all felt so realistic and each had their own set of flaws and individual strengths.

I'm desperate for the next book in this series as I need more of Amina in my life!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The worldbuilding was delightful but I couldn't connect with the main character, Amina. I found Dahlia to be a much more compelling character. At times, the character work fell flat for me especially with the constant reference to Amina's stature and figure. It's disappointing because I adored the Daevabad trilogy.

This is the best book that I've read this year! Female pirate, magic, demons, and a kraken. What else could I possibly want from a fantasy novel?! What I loved about this book as well is that the MC is 40. She's not a 20-something year old. She's a mother, and it was absolutely fantastic to read about a character at this age.

Best book that S.A. Chakraborty has written so far!

A fun pirate adventure that I flew through! A bit slow at the start but once Amina has gathered all her old crew mates I was firmly hooked. I loved the side moments with Jamal when Amina was narrating everything back, which were done with excellent effect in the audiobook. I'll be eagerly awaiting more books in this series!

I haven't enjoyed a book quite this much in such a long time!! It reminded me everything I love about fantasy - the characters, the world building, the adventure!!

We follow our main character Amina, a notorious pirate captain who has retired but gets persuaded back into one last jaunt to rescue a nobles granddaughter. She gets her crew back together and together they set off on a magical journey.

Amina was such a great character, she was so well fleshed out and complex but also extremely loveable. I loved the side characters and themes of motherhood. My favourite character was probably Rakesh, Amina's demonic ex-husband who was such an iconic character, he reminded me a lot of Vargo from Mask of Mirrors!

WHAT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR, GIVE ME A JADED OLDER PIRATE ANYDAY!
I totally adored the new look of pirates, and hearing about their shenanigans and history.
The magic system was fantastic.
Like the tide, this book ebbed and flowed but kept my attention at all times. 5/5

This is the first instalment in the Amina al-Sirafi series.

Amina al-Sirafi was once a name uttered in awe or fear. She captained a fearsome crew of pirates and was embroiled somehow in every single legend still worth talking about. And then she disappeared. Since then she was been content with life on land, raising her daughter, and spending time with the family she once neglected. That is, until the past comes knocking on her door and her daughter's life will become forfeit if she closes it.

This, initially, felt like reading a middle book in the series, in the best possible way. There were many references to past adventures and it really enhanced the bond with the characters, to hear so much of their former exploits yet get introduced to them in an aged and altered state. Each one returned to the story in some way, either through a character from that time re-entering the storyline, or from some debts still left to be paid, or an enemy they must face off with again.

I also loved how comical each of the characters were. This was a book full of such tense and tragic scenes and the humour from the characters really aided in both alleviating tension and in not allowing the reader to become bogged down in emotion.

I also really appreciated reading about a primarily older cast of characters with this genre often features those experiencing independence for the first time, with their head full of notions and ideals about a utopian world. This older cast often looked down on these romantic notions from those younger than them with distaste, and yet reluctantly recalled their own exploits due to similar notions of how the world should work or how love could conquer all, when similarly aged. It allowed them to enter into the same adventures with more realism, maturity, and knowledge and also to reawaken the way they once saw the world within themselves, which was beautiful to behold.

This was magical and whimsical yet adventurous and awe-inspiring. I adored the high seas setting and the abundance of fantastical creatures the pirate crew met with, and the myths and legends they spoke about, uncovered, or set about bringing to life. In short, it combined all my favourite elements of the fantasy genre and I'm eager to see what book two will bring us.

I was excited to see how Shannon would fare in her first foray outside the Daevabad world, but sadly this one wasn't as good. Maybe I had a lot of expectations especially after loving the City of Brass trilogy so much, so maybe that's on me. But yeah, this one was not for me.

"For when Amina chose to leave her home and return to a life at sea, she became more than a pirate. More than a witch. She became legend."

Amina al-Sirafi is a legend, I was so invested in this story that I almost feel her story will be carried from generation to generation of adventure seekers. Mentions of her name will inspire quests across the open seas and stories will be told of her perseverance. I am always open to stories about pirates and was immediately curious when I discovered Amina al-Sirafi is a retired pirate but offered a job to rescue a missing girl. Trying to balance motherhood, keeping her daughter safe and venturing once again into the unknown, Amina al-Sirafi's tale is a captivating and adventurous one.

“After all, we build our homes upon the ruins of lost cities and sail our ships over the drowned palaces of forgotten kings.”

Letters and articles are included and these add a level of authenticity to the story. The pacing fits perfectly like a ship at sea - sometimes slow and steady and other times fast and tumultuous. There were times when I couldn't read fast enough. I feel that this story needs more appreciation as it is so well written and Chakraborty touches on important topics that make a reader think. It's not just about a woman who is a pirate on a rescue mission, there are deeper layers that hint at society in the modern day.

For this scribe has read a great many of these accounts and taken away another lesson: that to be a woman is to have your story misremembered. Discarded. Twisted.”

The ending had me gripped and I could easily picture it with all the vivid descriptions. The author's note and further reading provide more insight into Chakraborty's thoughts. I recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy a fierce FMC, well-developed characters, books set at sea, and adventure that will have you smelling the salty ocean. I loved this book from the first page to the last!


- Fantasy
- Pirates
- Adventure
- Muslim rep
- demons
- magical creatures


Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an electronic copy of this book.