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A review by lovelymisanthrope
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I picked this as my Book of the Month for March, and I also ended up receiving an additional copy in my FairyLoot subscription.
"The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" follows ex-pirate and single mother, Amina al-Sirafi, on a wild adventure to rescue a young girl. Amina al-Sirafi gave up her ship, crew, and perilous life when she had her daughter, but she still feels the pull to return to the water and go on a grand adventure. A former crewmember's mother tracks down Amina al-Sirafi and asks for her help in finding and returning the crewmember's daughter. If Amina al-Sirafi can return the girl, the elderly woman has promised more money than Amina al-Sirafi could ever imagine. She is hesitant to put herself and by proxy her daughter in danger, but she cannot turn down this opportunity to set her family up for life. With everything on the line, Amina al-Sirafi embarks on an unforgettable adventure.
I knew that this book was about a pirate going on a great adventure, but I did not realize the pirate was a middle-aged woman and mother. I really, really loved seeing this badass woman going on this great adventure but still struggling with the guilt of motherhood. She wants to be home with her daughter, but the sea and adventure also call to her. She would do anything for her family, but her mother does not really approve of her lifestyle. The fantasy genre is so saturated with young people, at least the books I gravitate towards, so I loved seeing this strong main character who is in a different chapter of her life.
This story has some light magical and fantastical elements. I really enjoyed reading these moments because they felt laced with culture and history that I am not entirely familiar with. I really enjoyed learning more about a different country's history and lore. I also really enjoyed that the magic was not overly complicated and did not take me out of the story. I personally really enjoy fantasy novels that are still rooted in the realms of reality.
I feel ready to set sail and find treasure, and I cannot wait to pick up the sequel of this book when it comes out!
"The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" follows ex-pirate and single mother, Amina al-Sirafi, on a wild adventure to rescue a young girl. Amina al-Sirafi gave up her ship, crew, and perilous life when she had her daughter, but she still feels the pull to return to the water and go on a grand adventure. A former crewmember's mother tracks down Amina al-Sirafi and asks for her help in finding and returning the crewmember's daughter. If Amina al-Sirafi can return the girl, the elderly woman has promised more money than Amina al-Sirafi could ever imagine. She is hesitant to put herself and by proxy her daughter in danger, but she cannot turn down this opportunity to set her family up for life. With everything on the line, Amina al-Sirafi embarks on an unforgettable adventure.
I knew that this book was about a pirate going on a great adventure, but I did not realize the pirate was a middle-aged woman and mother. I really, really loved seeing this badass woman going on this great adventure but still struggling with the guilt of motherhood. She wants to be home with her daughter, but the sea and adventure also call to her. She would do anything for her family, but her mother does not really approve of her lifestyle. The fantasy genre is so saturated with young people, at least the books I gravitate towards, so I loved seeing this strong main character who is in a different chapter of her life.
This story has some light magical and fantastical elements. I really enjoyed reading these moments because they felt laced with culture and history that I am not entirely familiar with. I really enjoyed learning more about a different country's history and lore. I also really enjoyed that the magic was not overly complicated and did not take me out of the story. I personally really enjoy fantasy novels that are still rooted in the realms of reality.
I feel ready to set sail and find treasure, and I cannot wait to pick up the sequel of this book when it comes out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content