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A review by tricapra
The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Much stronger than her debut novel, Alif the Unseen, G. Willow Wilson has traded the urban fantasy/cyber thriller in for a historical fiction novel (that of course features Djinn and magic) and I think that was a good choice.
Set during the last gasp of the emirate of Grenada, our heroine Fatima is a concubine in the royal court. Her only true friend is Hassan, a skilled mapmaker than can reshape the world with his maps. Being gay and possessing magical skill, Hassan is a threat to the Spanish Inquisition that looms over the court. Fatima sacrifices her comfort and the only home she's even known in order to save him, and they journey across Spain with the help of a mysterious jinn and a few companions we meet along the way.
I loved the setting, and Hassan and Fa were both interesting enough characters. The novel did have a bit too much YA flavor for my tastes, which was a bit surprising because I didn't see that mentioned in any of the descriptions or marketing for the novel. The pacing shifts about halfway through the novel and loses some of what made it so exciting in the first portion. I also feel like the villain, Luz, could've been handled with a bit more consistency? The last quarter or so of the book felt a tad rushed and underdeveloped, but overall I'd still say this is a worthy read.
3.5/5 stars
Much stronger than her debut novel, Alif the Unseen, G. Willow Wilson has traded the urban fantasy/cyber thriller in for a historical fiction novel (that of course features Djinn and magic) and I think that was a good choice.
Set during the last gasp of the emirate of Grenada, our heroine Fatima is a concubine in the royal court. Her only true friend is Hassan, a skilled mapmaker than can reshape the world with his maps. Being gay and possessing magical skill, Hassan is a threat to the Spanish Inquisition that looms over the court. Fatima sacrifices her comfort and the only home she's even known in order to save him, and they journey across Spain with the help of a mysterious jinn and a few companions we meet along the way.
I loved the setting, and Hassan and Fa were both interesting enough characters. The novel did have a bit too much YA flavor for my tastes, which was a bit surprising because I didn't see that mentioned in any of the descriptions or marketing for the novel. The pacing shifts about halfway through the novel and loses some of what made it so exciting in the first portion. I also feel like the villain, Luz, could've been handled with a bit more consistency? The last quarter or so of the book felt a tad rushed and underdeveloped, but overall I'd still say this is a worthy read.
3.5/5 stars