There are no words to describe just how excited I was to get my hands on this book. I read an ARC of City of Brass way back just before it was published, and fell head over heels in love with Shannon Chakraborty’s phenomenal fantasy world and characters in her Daevabad series. It is without a doubt my favourite fantasy series of all time, so I was ecstatic to get into a new series from her. I really wish I had loved this one as much as I love Daevabad… but I had mixed feelings about this one.

First off, I would like to say that I listened to the audiobook of this one and I kind of feel like that may have affected my enjoyment of it a little. The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the characters and this world to life, but there were a few moments where the character is talking to her scribe and the sound drops out a little, which made it very difficult to hear. I didn’t really think that was a great choice for the audiobook… but the rest of it was good.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi is very, VERY different to Shannon Chakraborty’s Daevabad series. The Daevabad series is very rich in magic and fantastical elements surrounding the Djinn… and while there are magical moments in this book they take a while to get to. It is very much focused more on adventure than magic… which is awesome, but after the Daevabad series I did go into this one expecting some high fantasy elements and was very surprised to not really see them until well over the 50% mark.

This book is hilarious. I kind of loved the humour vibes that we had throughout the book. Not to keep comparing it, but Daevabad was a very serious fantasy book so I was surprised to get all of this humour and hilarity happening very soon in the book. But I loved that! I absolutely adored Amina. She is hard as nails, super tough but she is just so comical and I loved her narration of her story. One thing I absolutely loved about this book is almost every character is aged 40+. I feel like in so many fantasy books, even adult fantasy the characters are super young, usually late teens or in their 20s. I loved that we had this adventure happening with characters a little later in life, with more life experience. I loved that Amina was a Mum, and everything she was doing was for her child. I think that gives this book such an edge over other books like it.

My main issue with this book was the pacing. It was really off for me. The first half of the book is super slow. It’s building up a lot of the backstory of Amina and her crew, and journeying to bring the crew back together and while I did enjoy that… I got a little bored. I was dying for some swashbucking action and everytime I would lose focus on the audiobook there’d be something exciting to draw me back in… but then it slowed down again. There is a lot of action and plot in this book, but for me it took far too long to get there. I needed it to happen a lot sooner than it did, but I do believe if I re-read this later in the series, I might appreciate that build up and the backstory more than I currently do now.

Once we got the introduction of the ‘demon husband’ I loved it. Once the magical elements came into it, I was thrown back into Shannon Chakraborty’s phenomenal fantasy worlds and I was so happy that we got that. There is even a nod to Daevabad that made me fangirl like crazy. The last 40% of the book was stunning, and I loved every moment of that 40%. I just wish I’d felt like that before that point. I am super excited to read the next book. After that ending it’s all just so exciting and magical and it has set everything up perfectly for such an exciting adventure. I will re-read Amina Al-Sirafi, as I do feel like choosing the audiobook wasn’t right for me and I may have loved it so much more physically reading it. Shannon Chakraborty is a genius and is still my favourite fantasy author. So definitely pick this one up but be prepared for a slow start.

While I enjoyed the authors City of Brass when it first came out, I never much felt inclined to continue on with the series. However when I heard that she was writing an adult fantasy I knew I had to give that a try. And I think I was right to as I feel the story and characters work better for me than her young adult story.

That is not to say that I had an easy time with this book. Especially the start felt somewhat drawn out and it took me a while to start liking Amina as a character to follow. And noticeably I started having a better time with this book once she had her crew together. The interactions and relationship between these characters was right on for a family feel. You can really feel the love there. Though I am still a bit unsure on our lady poison. But she'd like that best.

What I like best about this book is that these characters are older. They are experienced and have had a whole life together but also without each other. Which means that they also have to get to know each other a little again. But that basic bond is still there.

I enjoyed the plot a lot more also when the father of Amina's father came into play. Of course it was obious that he was going to be apart of this story from the start and sometimes it felt that was what they were all waiting on. For him to appear. I think that made the pacing a little off in places.

But other than that I found it a rather enjoyable story. I can't wait to see what other adventures Amina goes on and when he finds out about his daughter. Because isn't that what we are all waiting on?

Chakraborty has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I loved the Deavabad series and eagerly dived into this new series!

Amina al-Sirafi is a notorious pirate now retired with her daughter, leading a quiet life. One day someone with a tie to her past comes knocking and Amina is forced to leave her retirement and daughter to search for a missing person. As she gathers a gang to complete this mission, she begins to find that her employer wasn’t telling the full truth about the missing person and what dark magic may be surrounding them.

There is so much to say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil anything more. Please read this book if you love pirates, found family, magic, and morally grey characters!

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi really does feel like classic adventure: a band of distinctive characters, a mysterious location with mystical significance, and a lot of trouble along the way. It really shines in its points of difference, focusing on Middle Eastern nautical history and a slightly older female protagonist balancing ambition and family. Some nicely casual queer rep and some wacky magic elements also stand out. However, this is so classic a narrative that the beats are so familiar, and there is nothing really radical about the story itself, so this was a read I didn't power through. Ultimately it was a comforting pirate tale with some modern sensibilities, and that's nice enough.

I really wanted to enjoy "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi", but the plot and characters just didn't work for me. The story was too over the top for my liking, I didn't like the frequent mentions of religion, and I definitely enjoyed "The City of Brass" a lot more.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi just came along at the right time for me. I fell in love with the World and the story following an older, strong female MC with a badass attitude who also happens to be tall! As a tall girly I LOVED this! No maiden staring up into the man’s eyes from many stories but an intimidating female pirate who commands the room. YES!

It is such an interesting story starting with the infamous Amina retired and looking after her family in a secluded lifestyle hiding from her past enemies. Until someone finds her with a proposition too good to turn away. It slowly builds adding more characters with heist themes, lots of wit throughout, mystery, love, magic, plot shocks... It’s the first pirate story I think I’ve read and I’m looking forward to seeing where it is going to go.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in advance in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Shannon Chakraborty’s writing in this book! It was such a fun adventure full of fantasy, action, and some romance! I loved the main character.. She was fierce and a little bit older than the typical main character! Shannon’s books have been some of my favorites, and I cannot wait to read more from this other!

God I love this book. The characters, the setting, the atmosphere, it's all gorgeous. I am obsessed with the concept of a middle aged female pirate and Amina is just so authentic and loveable. I'll definitely be seeking out more of Chakraborty's books.

Loved this so much and can not wait to spend more time with Amine, her crew and the world. I loved the twist at the end relating to the scribe - OMG. This was different from The Daeverbad Series however similar in the way that the story has been told - I need the next one now

I have rarely been so excited to be approved for a title on NetGalley and I started reading in good time but for some reason struggled with the beginning? No idea why. I put it down for a few days that turned into weeks, then picked it back up a couple of days ago and couldn't put it down! I loved it every bit as much as I had hoped, having previously devoured the Daevabad trilogy. A thrilling combination of loveable criminals, magic and magical creatures, danger, adventure and high stakes cons! Historically the most successful pirates were women so I'm delighted we've finally been given a fictional pirate queen to live vicariously through! I'll be waiting impatiently for the further advantures of Amina Al-Sirafi and the Marawati!

WOW! What an adventure this book was! our FMC is Amina. Famous pirate who is notorious but alas she's in retirement to raise her daughter and give her stability. While Amina's daughter gets older and she misses her past life she springs on an opportunity to get the time together for one more adventure. A little disclaimer from me: I've never read anything by SA so this was my first intro to her world and flow of writing. The beginning was foundation building and was kind of slow. We get a lot of background and told how badass the FMC is but once the adventure begins the action doesn't stop! I not only liked the MC but the side characters were amazing! I want a novella on a few of her crew members and some of their past adventures! I also liked how Amina isn't portrayed as young and tough. She's in her 40's, has a teenager of her own and is very much a modern Muslim portrayal!

This book has it all: a strong FMC, an amazing crew of side characters, an adventure, some magical beings (mostly demons) and Pirates led by the strong FMC!

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperVoyager UK for providing me with this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for this honest review.

Shannon Chakraborty, yet again, proves herself to be one of the strongest in the fantasy genres, if not the strongest in the historical fantasy sub genre. I dove into this enchanting read with incredibly high expectations, having read and adored Chakraborty’s works before, and left it feeling like it had given me more than I had dared dream of.

Each character were phenomenal. They had their own ambitions and things in their pasts, both things that fueled their motivations and things they had to overcome. Even with the amount of great characters, Amina and her crew shone the brightest, especially a certain scribe narrating the story, who proved to play a vital role. The reveal of his identity towards the end almost had me in tears, as Chakraborty, yet again, managed to create one of the best characters I’ve read. Furthermore, it must be stated that the Muslim representation is well written and the religion so intimately tied with the story, it would not be able to exist without it. Chakraborty’s talent for seamlessly weaving history and religion together with elements of fantasy is unmatched.

Truly a spectacular read and I’m already certain this will be one of my top reads of the year.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty is a delightful and engaging book set in the ancient Middle East. The story follows the young Amina Al-Sirafi, the daughter of a famous trader, as she sets out on a journey to prove herself worthy of joining her father's trading caravan.

Throughout the book, Amina encounters a variety of obstacles and challenges, from thieves and bandits to sandstorms and dangerous animals. However, with her wits, courage, and determination, Amina always manages to find a way to overcome these obstacles and continue on her journey.

One of the strengths of The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi is its vivid and colourful descriptions of the setting and the characters. The book paints a rich and detailed picture of life in the ancient Middle East, and readers will find themselves transported to a different time and place as they follow Amina on her journey.

Another strength of the book is its focus on strong female characters. Amina is a brave and resourceful protagonist, and she is joined by a cast of other strong and capable women, including her mother and grandmother. This is an important message for young readers, particularly young girls, who will be inspired by these characters to pursue their own dreams and goals.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I’m going to cut right to the chase and say I adored this book so much that I stopped 20% in and ordered a special signed edition so I could savour it even more.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi hooked me right from the start. I mean, a story about a fierce middle-aged female ex-pirate captain being forced to go out on one last adventure? This book was exactly what I needed to read right now.

I loved Amina, I loved her crew and apparently I just love me a swashbuckling adventure.

At first I wasn’t sure about the interview style elements to the narration, but got used to it quickly and ultimately it didn’t change how much I loved it. I absolutely have to check out more by this author, it was just 100% my kind of fantasy.

Amina is a great character and so is the supporting cast. I really enjoyed and was invested for the most part. It was a bit of a slog in the middle and I really didn’t feel the stakes and was pretty bored but the end got better. this was an enjoyable, easy and engaging read, and makes me wonder if I should try her other books...

A retired pirate, a chaos spirit and a young girl walk onto a ship... The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is as wild as it is vast, a stunning portrait of a world filled with magic and possibility told through the eyes of the morally questionable. Ultyimately about family, both real and found, Amina surprised me with her tenacity and I can't wait to see how the rest of her adventures unfurl.

The Adventures of Anima al-Sirafi is the beginning of a series following a retired pirate's journey back out to the waters. After being offered a job she can not refuse, Amina rounds up her crew to rescue the daughter of a former crewman. As Amina adventures more, she discovers there is a lot more to this job than she anticipated.

There is a good array of characters in Amina's crew. My personal favourite was Reshk, Anima's demon (maybe ex) husband. He is a sassy, self-preserving coward who I found fun to read about. It has good world-building, based around Africa and Asia with a lot of folklore I was unfamiliar with.

On Amina's adventure, as a reader, you will learn, 'the first law of seafaring is that if something can go wrong, it will.'

Overall, I really enjoyed The Adventures of Anima al-Sirafi. If you like stories about pirates, magical artefacts, and other worlds, this is a book for you.

Amina Al-Sirafi is head hunted by an elderly woman who asks her to find her kidnapped Grandaughter Dunya. The woman has ties to Amina's old crew member and Amina feeling guilty over the death of her son reluctantly agrees to come out of her retirement to find Dunya. Setting off Amina gathers her old crew and ship, for what she hopes will be one final adventure. Things however don't go very smoothly and Amina soon finds that the man whom is suspect for kidnapping Dunya named Falco has also been searching for Amina, Falco's old associate reveals that Dunya's disappearance is not as straightforward as she had been lead to believe and that Dunya is working with Falco.

When Amina runs into her (ex-?) husband, who happens to also be a demon that she married accidentally the mission starts to go wayward.

This is another solid book from Shannon Chakraborty, the woman has created a fantastic world and produces another book filled with wonderful characters. The author writes Characters that wish you love, you also hate and it brings some nice realism into the storyline as they are all equally flawed in one way or another. This book was a solid 5 stars for me. I would recommend checking out the City of Brass series before reading this book as you are likely to get more out of the story line and the crossovers that occur. This will also help those who find the book a little confusing towards the end of the book as 'City of Brass' has a back story to the Daevas, history and explains the magic structure. Reading City of brass however is not necessary to understand the story line of this book.

This book is essentially told as a story, so at the beginning you have a mysterious narrator who we learn very little from and introduces Amina to tell her story. Occasionally get glimpses into conversation that Amina has to the 'offscreen' narrator, but you only ever see her response to questions that she asks the narrator, but it becomes clear that this individual is somehow involved in the story. I liked this as it added a certain mysterious element to the book.

I loved the character of Amina and how she is portrayed as a more mature adult with responsibilities and a daughter, but also someone who has had quite an adventurous past. Amina is not afraid to bend the rules to suit and in my eyes she is quite a strong female character. I loved the diverse crew and the interactions between the characters are down right hilarious. Whilst these characters are a little older than characters in books I typically read, I didn't mind as the story wasn't any less enjoyable and there were even jokes made toward some of the characters ailing bodies! This book was filled with plenty of action and was set at a pace that was fast, even if jokingly some of the characters weren't.

The book is clearly part of a series and there is more to be told in Amina's journey, however the book didn't end on a cliff hanger which I loved. There are questions still left unanswered at the end of the book, but the plot isn't left dangling in the air which is rare for books published nowadays. Overall I'd highly recommend this book, as its just so good!!

This book was a true five-star read. I adored everything about it, it was fun, fast-paced, entertaining and I was hooked from the first line. This universe full of tough lady pirates, funny and grumpy characters, magic and adventure was everything I hoped it would be.

Amina is such a strong character, she doesn’t mince her words and her relationship with her crew was so precious to me, I would have died for any of them. I often found myself laughing out loud at the banter and Chakraborty has such a visual writing style that I could just picture their facial expressions.

I can’t wait to read more about their adventures and see this amazing cast of characters again!

I adored everything about this book, but Amina was definitely the highlight. She’s a badass female pirate - captain, no less - a mother, and just all around strong willed protagonist that’ll fight for what’s right. I want to be Amina when I grow up (I say as if I’m not 27 and a fully fledged adult). 🥹

I also loved the format! It’s a sort of reminiscent narrative, but you feel very much in the moment with Amina and her crew. The snippets of extra backstory from Jamal, Amina’s scribe made it all the more entertaining!

Throw in the appearance of a rogue pirate cat and you have a story I’ll treasure for life!