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nicholeb84's review against another edition
4.0
I have been hearing a lot of amazing things about this novel, so naturally I was excited to read it. I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, the reimagining of the Jinni was interesting, and who doesn't love the story of Aladdin? While this novel didn't blow me away - I really enjoyed it.
The novel was (as several other people have stated) written beautifully. Our leading lady is someone you root for from the very beginning. And the relationships in this novel? While the romance between the Jinni and Aladdin didn't knock my socks off, it was enjoyable. The real high-light of the novel was the friendship between the ladies. Let me be frank: the greatest part of this novel is the Jinni, Zahra. Zahra makes this novel what it is and I totally adore her. Aladdin is playing second fiddle here, and that works out beautifully.
My biggest issue with the novel (and its one I've been seeing a lot of lately in YA novels. Maybe because they are stretching things out to make series?) is that the story started off rather slow. It took me a while to really get into the story.
Overall, I really liked this one and am awaiting the second novel in the series.
The novel was (as several other people have stated) written beautifully. Our leading lady is someone you root for from the very beginning. And the relationships in this novel? While the romance between the Jinni and Aladdin didn't knock my socks off, it was enjoyable. The real high-light of the novel was the friendship between the ladies. Let me be frank: the greatest part of this novel is the Jinni, Zahra. Zahra makes this novel what it is and I totally adore her. Aladdin is playing second fiddle here, and that works out beautifully.
My biggest issue with the novel (and its one I've been seeing a lot of lately in YA novels. Maybe because they are stretching things out to make series?) is that the story started off rather slow. It took me a while to really get into the story.
Overall, I really liked this one and am awaiting the second novel in the series.
theowlerybooks's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely beautiful but I did find some faults in Aladdin aa a character and the plot overall a very satisfying read!
classiestcass's review against another edition
2.0
So I bought this book while during a buying spree on Book Outlet. The title looked cool and after reading the description, it totally caught my eye. A retelling of Aladdin but the genie is a woman and there's more backstory? It sounded amazing! It started off okay, but then never really launched off from there.
***Spoilers Ahead***
I was never really hooked in past the description. I liked the characters, but it was way too cliche and predictable. Zahra quickly falls for Aladdin and it seems like it's unrequited love until he randomly tells her he loves her in the latter half of the book? It might be just me, but it really seemed out of nowhere. Sure, they shared many long, wistful looks with one another, but that was really the extent of it. And sure enough, the girl gets the guy at the end of the book. Despite this, however, I do like how Zahra saved herself from the curse instead of having a "master" like Aladdin do it. Instead, she was able to save not only herself, but Aladdin and everyone else that she had grown to care for and love.
Overall, I think the book was just okay. It's not the worst book I've ever read. I enjoyed the characters, but I really feel like it was way too predictable for its own good. The ending had a small plot twist that I liked, but I feel like for some people, that could totally be predictable in and of itself. Not to mention that this book literally took me months to read, when a book that really pulls me into it will only take a few days.
***Spoilers Ahead***
I was never really hooked in past the description. I liked the characters, but it was way too cliche and predictable. Zahra quickly falls for Aladdin and it seems like it's unrequited love until he randomly tells her he loves her in the latter half of the book? It might be just me, but it really seemed out of nowhere. Sure, they shared many long, wistful looks with one another, but that was really the extent of it. And sure enough, the girl gets the guy at the end of the book. Despite this, however, I do like how Zahra saved herself from the curse instead of having a "master" like Aladdin do it. Instead, she was able to save not only herself, but Aladdin and everyone else that she had grown to care for and love.
Overall, I think the book was just okay. It's not the worst book I've ever read. I enjoyed the characters, but I really feel like it was way too predictable for its own good. The ending had a small plot twist that I liked, but I feel like for some people, that could totally be predictable in and of itself. Not to mention that this book literally took me months to read, when a book that really pulls me into it will only take a few days.
kylie1416's review against another edition
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I am very critical when it comes to retellings of Aladdin, but this was rather enjoyable. I liked the new spin on the classic tale that I love. The new characters were an interesting addition and it was nice to read something different.
rgyger's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars
This was such a good read. From the first time I saw the word, "Habiba', I was hooked. Aladdin was never one of my favorite stories as a kid, but this was a pretty good retelling. Aladdin was my favorite character, even though he wasn't actually the main one of this story, and I can only hope more retellings like it.
There were some weak points. A lot of the magic is ambiguous, without much so far as explanation, and the fights between the jinni were a little hard to keep track of because I was not sure how to interpret how badly someone was losing.
However, the other conflicts were well portrayed, with stakes that were both personal and far reaching. There are also some really strong female characters, and not the typical "strong" heroines in YA who are really just brooding jerks. These girls are tough and loving, setting a good example of how to be feminine and still stand on their own to feet. I highly recommend it.
This was such a good read. From the first time I saw the word, "Habiba', I was hooked. Aladdin was never one of my favorite stories as a kid, but this was a pretty good retelling. Aladdin was my favorite character, even though he wasn't actually the main one of this story, and I can only hope more retellings like it.
There were some weak points. A lot of the magic is ambiguous, without much so far as explanation, and the fights between the jinni were a little hard to keep track of because I was not sure how to interpret how badly someone was losing.
However, the other conflicts were well portrayed, with stakes that were both personal and far reaching. There are also some really strong female characters, and not the typical "strong" heroines in YA who are really just brooding jerks. These girls are tough and loving, setting a good example of how to be feminine and still stand on their own to feet. I highly recommend it.
elisabeth_julia's review against another edition
4.0
Whoa!! I’ll jump straight into it: This book delivered EVERYTHING I needed from it.
"The Forbidden Wish" is an enchanting Aladdin fairy-tale retelling. The difference to the original story is: He doesn't fall for the princess and shows her the world. Instead, he falls in love with the jinni - and she shows him the world.
The Forbidden Wish had everything I wanted:
The Arabian world in this fairy-tale retelling is vivid and wonderful. Jessica Khoury did a magnificent job bringing letters to life. Needless to say, The Forbidden Wish was beautifully written.
The world is full of magic and so are the characters: Zhara, the powerfull jinni in the lamp and Aladdin, the charming human boy full of fire. The side characters kick ass too. Literally. They are really, really cool.
I started The Forbidden Wish before bed-time, only reading the first two chapters before I had to turn the lights off, but the next morning I grabbed it and finished it in one sitting – and that says something, because I am terribly slow at reading. I could not put The Forbidden Wish down.
The story was incredibly complex and rich for a stand-alone book. Not at one point was I able to predict the ending, and every second of reading it I feared and hoped and felt for the main characters.
The Forbidden Wish had so many different layers and yet the story is tied up nice and neatly in the end. It is such a well done, thought through book.
There was a bit too much of the romance, especially during the last third of the book. On the other hand, I know exactly that if I had read The Forbidden Wish as a teeny, I would still swoon over the romance and Aladdin would have become my top fictional crush of all times (and it would have ruined me for real life romance and all that) and I would still not be able to get over it.
Because… Aladdin is charming, cute, passionate, would take an arrow for you, couldn’t harm a fly, protects you, doesn’t mind talking about his feelings and gives you cute nick names like “Smokey” (why hasn’t anyone ever called me that?)
Zhara is passionate and dangerous and strong and kind and together they would make the perfect couple.
I thought that Aladdin’s character weakened a bit towards the end of the book and related to that there were a few tiny little issues I had with the plot later on in the story , but apart from these minor things “The Forbidden Wish” delivered every bit of what I wanted: A beautifully written fairy-tale, enthralling and enchanting, with a heart melting romance that left me breathless.
"The Forbidden Wish" is an enchanting Aladdin fairy-tale retelling. The difference to the original story is: He doesn't fall for the princess and shows her the world. Instead, he falls in love with the jinni - and she shows him the world.
The Forbidden Wish had everything I wanted:
The Arabian world in this fairy-tale retelling is vivid and wonderful. Jessica Khoury did a magnificent job bringing letters to life. Needless to say, The Forbidden Wish was beautifully written.
The world is full of magic and so are the characters: Zhara, the powerfull jinni in the lamp and Aladdin, the charming human boy full of fire. The side characters kick ass too. Literally. They are really, really cool.
I started The Forbidden Wish before bed-time, only reading the first two chapters before I had to turn the lights off, but the next morning I grabbed it and finished it in one sitting – and that says something, because I am terribly slow at reading. I could not put The Forbidden Wish down.
The story was incredibly complex and rich for a stand-alone book. Not at one point was I able to predict the ending, and every second of reading it I feared and hoped and felt for the main characters.
The Forbidden Wish had so many different layers and yet the story is tied up nice and neatly in the end. It is such a well done, thought through book.
There was a bit too much of the romance, especially during the last third of the book. On the other hand, I know exactly that if I had read The Forbidden Wish as a teeny, I would still swoon over the romance and Aladdin would have become my top fictional crush of all times (and it would have ruined me for real life romance and all that) and I would still not be able to get over it.
Because… Aladdin is charming, cute, passionate, would take an arrow for you, couldn’t harm a fly, protects you, doesn’t mind talking about his feelings and gives you cute nick names like “Smokey” (why hasn’t anyone ever called me that?)
Zhara is passionate and dangerous and strong and kind and together they would make the perfect couple.
I thought that Aladdin’s character weakened a bit towards the end of the book and related to that there were a few tiny little issues I had with the plot later on in the story
Spoiler
Zhara uses Aladdin for her own selfish purpose and feels like she is betraying Aladdin, but that never gets resolved somehow. Aladdin just becomes this indifferent love-drunk puppy dog and that's it. I bet if the roles were reversed and Aladdin betrayed Zhara, we would have had to read 10 extra chapters just on how she stops talking to him after she finds out about him using her and then he would try to make it up to her and ten chapters and a hundred pages later they would finally move on.astudyinfantasy's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
twiththebooks's review against another edition
4.0
I truly enjoyed this twist on Aladdin! Im very satisfied with the ending also.
And this is definitely giving me a little bit of feminist vibes #powertothev
And this is definitely giving me a little bit of feminist vibes #powertothev
kusamochi's review against another edition
4.0
The Forbidden Wish adalah retelling kisah Aladdin tapi di buku ini jinnya adalah seorang gadis bernama Zahra. Zahra terkurung di dalam lampu dan terjebak di gurun pasir selama lima ratus tahun, sendirian, terisolasi, dan dihantui masa lalu. Suatu ketika seorang pemuda, Aladdin, menemukan lampu ajaib tersebut dan membangunkan Zahra dari dalam lampu.
Aladdin di buku ini adalah seorang pencuri, pemabuk, dan penggoda perempuan. Dia menyimpan dendam. Namun kita tidak bisa tidak merasa simpati padanya. Aladdin sadar dia mempunyai kelemahan dalam menjalankan rencananya untuk balas dendam.
Aku sangat suka Zahra. Dia salah satu jin terkuat dan pintar. Tapi kita juga bisa melihat kesedihan dan kesepian yang dirasakannya. Bagaimana dia dihantui masa lalu akan apa yang terjadi pada majikannya sebelumnya. Terikat dengan lampu selama ribuan tahun, melayani banyak majikan, dan ketika dia ditawari kebebasan ternyata tidak mudah untuk mendapatkanya.
Aku juga suka karakter perempuan lainnya di buku ini. Sang putri, Caspida, bersama garda putrinya digambarkan sebagai sosok-sosok perempuan yang tangguh. Mereka dan Zahra saling menghormati satu sama lain. Tidak ada kebencian di antara mereka.
Gaya penulisan buku ini juga sangat bagus dan indah. Semuanya berhasil diterjemahkan dengan baik. Tapi aku penasaran dengan versi bahasa inggrinya.
Terakhir, buku ini cukup berat di romance. Biasanya aku tidak terlalu suka genre fantasi yang terlalu berat di romance. Tapi di sini romancenya tidak berlebihan dan diceritakan dengan baik tanpa mengorbankan pengembangan karakter di dalamnya.
Aladdin di buku ini adalah seorang pencuri, pemabuk, dan penggoda perempuan. Dia menyimpan dendam. Namun kita tidak bisa tidak merasa simpati padanya. Aladdin sadar dia mempunyai kelemahan dalam menjalankan rencananya untuk balas dendam.
Aku sangat suka Zahra. Dia salah satu jin terkuat dan pintar. Tapi kita juga bisa melihat kesedihan dan kesepian yang dirasakannya. Bagaimana dia dihantui masa lalu akan apa yang terjadi pada majikannya sebelumnya. Terikat dengan lampu selama ribuan tahun, melayani banyak majikan, dan ketika dia ditawari kebebasan ternyata tidak mudah untuk mendapatkanya.
Aku juga suka karakter perempuan lainnya di buku ini. Sang putri, Caspida, bersama garda putrinya digambarkan sebagai sosok-sosok perempuan yang tangguh. Mereka dan Zahra saling menghormati satu sama lain. Tidak ada kebencian di antara mereka.
Gaya penulisan buku ini juga sangat bagus dan indah. Semuanya berhasil diterjemahkan dengan baik. Tapi aku penasaran dengan versi bahasa inggrinya.
Terakhir, buku ini cukup berat di romance. Biasanya aku tidak terlalu suka genre fantasi yang terlalu berat di romance. Tapi di sini romancenya tidak berlebihan dan diceritakan dengan baik tanpa mengorbankan pengembangan karakter di dalamnya.