I received a copy of this for free, to review as part of a book tour with The Write Reads.

This young adult book was quite a short read, but in some ways, it was a lot more intense than I had first anticipated. Reading just the first few pages, I felt connected to the protagonist, Nardeen, and deeply sorry for what she was going through. I think that as a reader, I somehow felt the need to stay with her, to see her through a difficult journey.

As I read on, I felt more and more connected to Nardeen. There was something about her narrative that I found thought-provoking. I also thought the general design of the book was beautiful, and despite the hardships faced by Nardeen, I found the story uplifting to read.

Thank you to Neem Tree Press, NetGalley, The Write Reads, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

4.5 stars

Set in the ‘Golden Age’ of Baghdad in the Abassid Period, this short novel from Djamila Morani is both a wonderful history lesson about the court of one of the most famous rulers in Islamic history; as well as an engrossing tale of grief, revenge and power politics, with an ending that I had no idea was coming until the final few pages!
The main character, Nardeen, is a perfect mix of intelligent yet vulnerable and you I couldn’t help but root for her, even if some of her decisions seemed questionable. All of the side characters were well thought out and added depth to the overall plot. The setting was also wonderfully evoked and I can still see now in my mind the vast Bimaristan with its beautiful gardens and wards full of sick patients.
If there’s one thing I would critique, though, it’s that the first few chapters felt like they were a ‘means to an end’ in terms of telling us the backstory of Nardeen. It felt quite rushed and chaotic and I felt like I didn’t know what was going on until I put the pieces together when thinking backwards once I had gotten most of the way through the book. I’m sure this was intentional, but for me at least, it was a bit too confusing and I could see it preventing some people from purchasing.
Overall, a fantastic depiction of an important moment in history, with a main character to root for and fantastic images of a world I never really knew before I started.

Thank you to NetGalley and Neem Tree Press for my DRC :)

As a teenager, the books that I read – and the stories that I enjoyed on film or the TV screen – were almost exclusively filled with characters who were white British, sometimes American or European, and written by authors who fell very firmly into the same category. In anything that was set outside of these areas that did feature non-white players, they were almost certainly cast in the role of the bad guy or a servant – something that I didn’t really notice at the time but that older, wiser, me is now greatly saddened by.

In this beautiful new title from Algerian novelist and Arabic language professor Djamila Morani, we are transported over a millennium back in time to a Baghdad ruled by caliph Harun Al-Rasid, with whom you may be familiar due to his association with the stories of the 1,001 Nights. A read that is part historical fiction, part romance and part murder mystery, younger me would’ve been spellbound by the richness of its storyline and how different it was from my then typical fare and, although they may not realise it, its intended audience are very fortunate to take reads like this for granted.

For 12-year-old Nardeen, life is good in the home she shares with her parents and siblings as she spends her days reading her doctor father’s medical books until the night that a ruthless gang bursts in and leaves her orphaned and alone. Not understanding why her family has been targeted, two days later Nardeen wakes up sick in the Bimaristan (hospital), where she is adopted by Muallim Ishaq, a professor and respected scholar, who brings her up as his student and continues her medical eduction.

As she grows older, in a society where doctors are exclusively men and nurses are always women, can Nardeen find her place and continue her father’s work as he would’ve wished or is she destined not to live out her dream to join the profession he was proud to belong to. And with the men who slaughtered her family yet to face justice, can she bypass her passion for healing and the preservation of human life to track down her father’s murderer and carry out the revenge that her heart demands?

Nardeen is a great heroine – one who is sharply intelligent, full of curiosity and one whose powers of observation and deduction are vastly superior to her male peers. Initially dutiful to Ishaq, as she was to her father, as she moves towards womanhood she starts to gain more confidence in her own medical knowledge and skills despite the opposition she faces from some quarters – opposition that, sadly, many young women still come up against – and does not allow the prejudice of those around her to determine her fate. Although her story is one that is set centuries ago, in many ways it is completely modern and today’s readers will not find it difficult to relate to it.

Education has improved in many respects since I was young, so that the contribution to science and knowledge from peoples outside of Europe is gradually becoming increasingly recognised and although this is – obviously – a work of fiction, at the end of the book there are notes about the time within which it is set and the importance of the Bimaristan in treating the sick and injured, which I found really interesting.

At 160 pages, this YA title is shorter than many middle grades and this together with its beautiful cover will ensure that it has enormous shelf appeal. I really enjoyed it and am hugely grateful to both publisher Neem Tree Press and to Net Galley for my virtaul advance copy of the book. The Djinn’s Apple publishes 29th February.

Algerian writer and academic Djamila Morani’s YA novella is set in Baghdad during the reign of the famed Harun Al-Rashid who ruled in the late eighth and early ninth centuries. It centres on a young girl Nardeen whose settled existence is shattered after her father’s falsely accused of a terrible crime. He loses his position as a respected physician and the bloody aftermath leaves Nardeen orphaned. Despite everything that happens, Nardeen somehow finds a way to rebuild her life, so that she can track down the ones responsible for her family’s fate and take revenge. Morani provides fascinating insights into the everyday culture of medieval Baghdad in a turbulent era, taking in developments in areas of medicine and medical treatment. It’s fertile territory and Morani’s plot features some unexpected twists, Nardeen’s also a sympathetic but complex, feisty character. But the length meant the story could feel quite rushed at times, and I sometimes found the prose style a little stilted – I’ll be interested to see how younger readers respond to this one. This edition includes an array of useful background material on the historical context, as well as a glossary and reader’s guide. Translated from Arabic by Sawad Hussein.

"This novel is a short but impactful read that left a lasting impression on me. The story follows Nardeen, the sole survivor of a brutal attack that claimed the lives of her entire family. As we join her on her journey with Muallim Ishaq, we are transported to a society that is rife with political corruption and oppression. The author has done a fantastic job of weaving together elements of crime and historical fiction, which makes for an engaging and thought-provoking read.

One of the things that I loved about this book was the world-building. The author has crafted a vivid and immersive world that feels like it could be real. From the bustling streets of Abbasid Baghdad to the quiet corners of Nardeen's world, every detail is meticulously crafted and thought out.

Another thing that I appreciated about this book was the way that the author provided definitions for specific terms used in the book. This helped to deepen my understanding of the world that the author had created and made it easier to keep track of the various characters and factions.

Overall, I found this novel to be a fascinating and insightful read. The themes of political corruption, oppression, and power are explored in a nuanced and thought-provoking way that left me thinking about the story long after I had finished reading it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a gripping and immersive read that is sure to leave a lasting impression."

THE DJINN'S APPLE is a historical novella set in late 8th century Baghdad, the city's golden era.

I loved getting a glimpse into the world of Abbasid Baghdad. This is a period of a vast caliphate that in its west is fighting against the Byzantines and expanding in its east deep into Central Asia. My knowledge about it comes from the fighting on the western border (the disadvantages of a Euro-centric education!), so I loved getting to see more of normal life in its heartlands.

The book looks at the consequences of political purges as Nardeen is trying to survive after her family falls afoul of palace politics - and also wanting revenge for their death. It is a tale of learning new skills, finding new family, and searching for the truth no matter how painful it is.

I enjoyed the tensions between Ishaq (her teacher and adoptive father) and the powerful lord who heads up the hospital; where they both work, who is linked to her parents death. It was a dense knit of conflicting motivations and raised the stakes for Nardeen as the lord had multiple reasons to want to kill her if he knew who she was - the last survivor of a massacre and also the student of his greatest rival. To complicate matters, Nardeen starts a relationship with the lord's son, who also has a past with Ishaq.

This is a translated novel, translated from the original Arabic by Sawad Husssain. It's a novel that showcases what a novella can be - a lot of plot, a lot of character development, and a lot of world building in a very short word count. It flows well, taking through the amount of information packed in so that you don't notice how much is coming at you, every word used for maximum effect.

The Djinn's Apple intwines historical fiction with a crime fiction heart. With themes of family, justice and just how far you could go to prove your families innocence and understand the mysteries that may have been the reason for the loss of your family.

"A ruthless murder. A magical herb. A mysterious manuscript" with rich world building and a main POV you cant help but get behind, The Djinns Apple is well worth a read.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I liked the characters and the writing plus the story. I liked it enough to finish but did find it quite forgettable

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc