A review by _shannoncarroll
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

adventurous emotional funny
  • 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

Pirates and poisoners and monsters — oh, my! 
 
Man alive am I obsessed with this book. It’s a wonderful combination of magic, myth, and history, all told in a daring and fresh fashion. Amina has settled down from her life at sea. Yes, she misses it, but she loves being a mom more. And she’s created a life for herself that will keep her daughter safe — as much as the ocean might call. The scuttlebutt about her says she’s “a giant. Dark, with her teeth filled into gold-capped fangs and a scar covering much of her right arm, scorched there by naft.” But as much fun as the old legends about her are, she’s retired. But when a rich woman offers Amina more money than she could possibly imagine for saving her granddaughter, Amina has to reclaim her spot at the helm of her ship and get her old motley crew on board. 
 
Shannon Chakraborty takes an interesting approach to our heroine. Amina isn’t in her prime. She’s not young, she’s not beautiful. She has a bum knee, and her eyesight is starting to fail her. The rest of her crew fares similarly. They’d be considered past their prime, but they believe (as I do) that their best is yet to come. And what a cast of characters this book has; on top of the pirates, we have poisoners and snarky scribes and demonic not-quite-ex-husbands. There are sea monsters and magically inclined super sailors. And, of course, an artifact that, if in the wrong hands, could bring about the end of the world. No big deal. 
 
The cast of characters already has strong bonds, and I know they’ll only continue to grow as this series progresses. But it really is Amina who shines. I love that she’s a middle-aged mother whose most outlandish exploits are behind her. She’s fierce and loyal and experienced. She’s not a naive, fresh-faced 19-year-old heroine thrust unassumingly into a fantasy world. She’s been around the block, and she’s survived. She’s a veteran. And she’s done and seen things she wishes she could forget. Amina’s religious conviction is wonderfully inserted into this book and feels intimate but never preachy. 
 
This story is playful and strong and matters. It’s witty and feminist. Chakraborty made me feel like I was along for the ride — the highs and lows and crazies — the whole time. I was on that ship, too, with the wind in my hair and my eyes on the horizon. She has given us a carefully researched tale that’s epic in proportion but is still personal and heartfelt. There’s swashbuckling galore, but there’s reflection and growth, too. 
 
And, of course, there are pirates. 
 
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.