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A review by nannahnannah
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
5.0
Wow, this is seriously an epic. It's easily one of the best books I've read, with its dynamic plot, momentum, beautiful character development, and discussion about very relevant issues.
Alif is a computer hacker who guards people (Islamic people, bloggers, activists from Palestine to Pakistan, etc.) from the State and its internet censors. Those caught by the State are thrown in prison. When his computer is breached by the Hand, the head of State security, Alif's life is wrenched into a plot of jinn and danger the sort which could rival any story in The Thousand and One Days.
I'm pretty much in awe of G. Willow Wilson at the moment. She's created such a beautiful world reflecting our own, in an "unnamed Middle-Eastern secretary state". There's class tension, racial tension, religious tension, etc. She handles them masterfully, blending them into the plot seamlessly without stopping to lecture or talk down to her readers (although there are 100+ memorable and inspiring quotes threaded in here).
I'm not well acquainted with this part of the world, or how these tensions really form, so I can't really say how accurate/well-done these things are. I only know that reading them felt real and poignant - and written by a Muslim woman, I'm sure its her personal insights that make the book feel this way (there are many books that feel like a cheap souvenir when it comes to world-building inspired by a specific country or part of the world).
Characters are colorful, three dimensional, and memorable (except for maybe the cackling villain, haha, but it wasn't enough to dim my reading experience). There are dangerous but charming jinn, strong and flawed women, cowardly hackers who find their inner hero, etc. There's an amazing amount of characters, but it never gets confusing. Everyone is introduced and realized at the right time.
Yeah, there's a thousand beautiful things to say about this book, and only a few to critique. I need to buy it. Soon.
Alif is a computer hacker who guards people (Islamic people, bloggers, activists from Palestine to Pakistan, etc.) from the State and its internet censors. Those caught by the State are thrown in prison. When his computer is breached by the Hand, the head of State security, Alif's life is wrenched into a plot of jinn and danger the sort which could rival any story in The Thousand and One Days.
I'm pretty much in awe of G. Willow Wilson at the moment. She's created such a beautiful world reflecting our own, in an "unnamed Middle-Eastern secretary state". There's class tension, racial tension, religious tension, etc. She handles them masterfully, blending them into the plot seamlessly without stopping to lecture or talk down to her readers (although there are 100+ memorable and inspiring quotes threaded in here).
I'm not well acquainted with this part of the world, or how these tensions really form, so I can't really say how accurate/well-done these things are. I only know that reading them felt real and poignant - and written by a Muslim woman, I'm sure its her personal insights that make the book feel this way (there are many books that feel like a cheap souvenir when it comes to world-building inspired by a specific country or part of the world).
Characters are colorful, three dimensional, and memorable (except for maybe the cackling villain, haha, but it wasn't enough to dim my reading experience). There are dangerous but charming jinn, strong and flawed women, cowardly hackers who find their inner hero, etc. There's an amazing amount of characters, but it never gets confusing. Everyone is introduced and realized at the right time.
Yeah, there's a thousand beautiful things to say about this book, and only a few to critique. I need to buy it. Soon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment
also: homophobic surs