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jordun9008's review against another edition
3.0
I had really high expectations going into this book, and although I ended up enjoying the book, I don't believe it met the high bar that I unintentionally set.
I really liked the relationships amongst the females in this book. It could have easily been catty, but instead the females were strong and fierce, and they had each other's backs in the end. Plus there is a band of warrior female assassins, or at least that's my interpretation of them.
Now the reasons I didn't love it. I just felt that it dragged for the majority of the book, and I didn't really enjoy it until the last quarter of the book. Also, even though I generally liked the characters, I wasn't invested in them so I really didn't care that much what happened to them.
It is still a really good book, and if you are thinking about reading it then you should do it.
I really liked the relationships amongst the females in this book. It could have easily been catty, but instead the females were strong and fierce, and they had each other's backs in the end. Plus there is a band of warrior female assassins, or at least that's my interpretation of them.
Now the reasons I didn't love it. I just felt that it dragged for the majority of the book, and I didn't really enjoy it until the last quarter of the book. Also, even though I generally liked the characters, I wasn't invested in them so I really didn't care that much what happened to them.
It is still a really good book, and if you are thinking about reading it then you should do it.
rlstrayer1's review against another edition
4.0
I'll be honest...the only reason I picked up this book is because Sarah J. Maas's review was on the cover. I love Maas and will read anything she recommends. And I'm so happy she did! This was a wonderful little gem of a book. It was funny, romantic, and full of awesome and strong female characters. I definitely recommend it!
kanejim57's review against another edition
5.0
This was a sampler version of the book but I liked it. A deeper and darker take on Aladdin. Hope to read the full book.
alesha_rose's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
carrymey's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely flew through this book. The world building is amazing, so much that I actually kept wondering what of it might be reall and what not. Zahra was a great character and actually all were. I loved the chemistry between her and Aladdin. The story was soo well thought out and beautifully done!
inkfire's review against another edition
3.0
The pacing is a little choppy, a bit draggy in places, and the very nonhuman jinn are very relatably human in their characterization...
Other than that, I really liked this book. An interesting twist on the old story of Aladdin and the Genie of the Ring smashed together with the story of Aladdin and the Genie of the Lamp, and a strong implication of adventures to come, whether or not they're written down.
Other than that, I really liked this book. An interesting twist on the old story of Aladdin and the Genie of the Ring smashed together with the story of Aladdin and the Genie of the Lamp, and a strong implication of adventures to come, whether or not they're written down.
carmela9's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
aklev13's review against another edition
5.0
Wow was surprised by how good this book actually was! Great retelling! And i loved Zhara - very well written :)
caitlinbythebook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
shimauchiha's review against another edition
5.0
Let's face it, as much as I love Jasmine and her fabulous hair, the real love story in Aladdin is between Aladdin and the genie. The most emotional moment in the movie isn't when Aladdin kisses Jasmine, it's when he uses his last wish to free his bro from the lamp. #Bromance
Now, while that would be the stuff of a dream for an LGBT retelling, The Forbidden Wish is the next best thing. This book does what the most successful retellings aim for, it is original and creative but it still perfectly captures the heart of Aladdin, not just in shifting the romance but also in honouring the significant part of the strong women at the core of the story. Jasmine is one of the strongest old heroines of Disney, here not only is Cespida an amazing woman but so are her watchmaidens and most importantly so is the genie.
The Forbidden Wish has everything I wanted from it, it has incredible romance (and it had been a very long time since I read such a beautiful relationship), amazing badass female characters with swords and sass and heartwarming female friendships that transcends the ages. On top of all ot this, it manages to keep the balance between keeping the powerful genie magic and still not rendering the plot moot by making the reader wonder "Why doesn't the all-powerful genie just do it?" or even worse by having the all-powerful genie just do it.
These are not everything the book has, its writing is gorgeous and the humour is top notch and the inspiration from Arab culture is just enough to add the setting flavour without taking over all the world-building.
It's not the most serious book, it's not thought-provoking or particularly shocking, but that's not what every book needs to be. This book is sweet and beautiful and its guaranteed to make you smile and sometimes that's everything that you need.
Now, while that would be the stuff of a dream for an LGBT retelling, The Forbidden Wish is the next best thing. This book does what the most successful retellings aim for, it is original and creative but it still perfectly captures the heart of Aladdin, not just in shifting the romance but also in honouring the significant part of the strong women at the core of the story. Jasmine is one of the strongest old heroines of Disney, here not only is Cespida an amazing woman but so are her watchmaidens and most importantly so is the genie.
The Forbidden Wish has everything I wanted from it, it has incredible romance (and it had been a very long time since I read such a beautiful relationship), amazing badass female characters with swords and sass and heartwarming female friendships that transcends the ages. On top of all ot this, it manages to keep the balance between keeping the powerful genie magic and still not rendering the plot moot by making the reader wonder "Why doesn't the all-powerful genie just do it?" or even worse by having the all-powerful genie just do it.
These are not everything the book has, its writing is gorgeous and the humour is top notch and the inspiration from Arab culture is just enough to add the setting flavour without taking over all the world-building.
It's not the most serious book, it's not thought-provoking or particularly shocking, but that's not what every book needs to be. This book is sweet and beautiful and its guaranteed to make you smile and sometimes that's everything that you need.