Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

The first 2/3 of this book was a VERY enthusiastic 5 stars for me. The slow burn of this found family of middle-aged former pirates getting the gang back together for one last (very personal) job just sucked me in. The descriptive-yet-witty narration does an incredible job of immersing you in their world and making this place and time come to life. And I absolutely adored Amina's old crew, who each felt like unique, fleshed out people. The story really sold their existing sibling-esque bonds, which is no easy feat for a story that picks up decades after those relationships were forged.

And I especially - ESPECIALLY - loved Amina al-Sirafi as a POV character. She's a middle-aged sea rat with a bad knee and a penchant for swearing. She's sharp and funny, observant and ambitious, long-suffering and guilt-ridden. She's devoted to her family and crew and tries her best to balance both. She's faithful but certainly no saint. She's genuinely the most fascinating narrator I've read in recent memory and I love her SO much. And I don't usually like 1st person! Her narration, how she sees the world, and her relationships with her old crew just sparkle off the page.

I also loved the framing technique of Amina telling her story and her hilarious back-and-forth with the scribe writing it down. It's genuinely so fun, and it gives the scribe their own voice when they interject with asides and bits of historical letters to help you contextualize the ports and places in the story.

What fell a little flat for me was the pacing in the last 1/3 of the book. It felt like the story switched genres and backslid into stereotypical fantasy plotting, complete with a shoehorned quest to extend it into a series. Maybe I misjudged the genre (I went in mostly blind and have never read this author before) but I thought the story was stronger when the supernatural aspects lurked around the edges as a more unknown entity. Going full stereotypical fantasy killed some of that tension and mystery, and the cliché plotting weakened the writing for me. Personally, it just made those chapters a slog to get through.

But honestly, even if I found some of the pacing and plotting a bit disappointing, I still absolutely adored the characters and world-building. The pace picked back up for the climax and everything wrapped up in a satisfying way while promising future adventures with the most fun cast of characters I've read in a long time. Plus, on a superficial note, the cover is gorgeous (though my hardcover's sleeve seems designed for a book 100 pages thinner rip). If you can stomach the content warnings - which I'll go into below - I highly, highly recommend.

P.S. to fellow reviewers: It's possible to mention representation without spoiling things. Signed, a

trans person

delighted by the nuanced rep and yet spoiled by well-meaning reviewers. (And also by annoying reviewers who think the mere existence of queer people is inherently political or ahistorical. Insert eye roll here.)

Content Warnings

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was a delight to read. I enjoy reading mythology and legends from cultures other than my own, and this story provided all of that and more. the characters felt so well defined and detailed. the writers voice in this story was so distinct and powerful. it really felt like being in Amina’s head in her travels.

Content Warnings

violerwolf's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

First book to help me get out of my major reading slump. I think it’s so fun and I’m excited for the next books in the series. A lot of folks seem to dislike the last quarter of the book, but I really enjoyed it. If you’re looking for pure piracy, the ending might be a bit disappointing, but if you’re interested in

quests and divine intervention

, I think you’ll find the ending quite satisfying.
I do think the prose and framing narrative could use some work, and this book focuses more heavily on plot than character development, but I thought it was a fun read.

Content Warnings