A review by frasersimons
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

adventurous lighthearted mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

I found this to be a really fun time, and reminded me of watching old Sinbad the Sailor movies with my dad, in some ways. The supernatural elements mixed with a mythology I know little about. An interesting character that subverts some expectations: “older” woman, but pulled back into the life she left behind trope, motivated by the push-pull of her wish for safety (both financial and physical) and adventure—all of it just really works for me. She is wildly endearing, as are the cast of characters. 

It does segue into something unexpected around halfway too, but I ended up enjoying the change-up just as much, even if the later third felt quite rushed and had less character interaction than I was previously enjoying. It becomes, well, adventurous and climatic, with plenty of action and wild things occurring. 

I will be picking up the next one. The setup for the next adventure(s) already intriguing. And it felt quite queer friendly to me too. Always nice.