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A review by carrerabooks
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I really liked this book a lot! It was incredibly adventurous, the pirate backdrop is incredibly exciting and a fun setting. I loved the protagonist. I feel like she was written very well. Strong and stubborn, but not in a way that feels overdone at all.
There are so many cute characters. I would definitely love if we got closer to the characters as I typically very easily and strongly bond with them, but I still really enjoyed the little family that was made from the core characters. They still grew and got to be vulnerable and show their love for each other throughout and it’s just lovely. The bits of eccentric personalities in many characters are very fun, and I hope to see them more. I love how diverse they are, culturally, personality-wise, etc.
I would say I overall enjoyed the pacing of this book. It definitely wasn’t slow, but it wasn’t running at the speed of light either. I think near the very end (like last 50 pages or so), I would have enjoyed it being slowed down slightly more, but that’s not to say it was a rushed ending by any means. Things were still wrapped up neatly and there’s room to expand the series if she chooses to! (Fingers crossed!)
Finally, I love the very subtle LGBTQ+ representation in this book. I think it’s so refreshing to see these treated not as a major plot point, conflict, or drama, but simply letting the reader know a little more about the characters and let it be normalized. Of course I love stories centered around queerness, but it feels great to just let it be included without special fanfare. For one character specifically (no spoilers) I absolutely loved the small reveal and just how perfectly it tied into the story without stealing any spotlight. Nothing is forced about it, nothing feels trope-y or stereotypical. It’s just people being people and I love that.
This book is great and I highly suggest reading it! I found it because I had read R.F. Kuang’s releases and saw she had reviewed this on the cover, and I’m so happy to have picked it up.
There are so many cute characters. I would definitely love if we got closer to the characters as I typically very easily and strongly bond with them, but I still really enjoyed the little family that was made from the core characters. They still grew and got to be vulnerable and show their love for each other throughout and it’s just lovely. The bits of eccentric personalities in many characters are very fun, and I hope to see them more. I love how diverse they are, culturally, personality-wise, etc.
I would say I overall enjoyed the pacing of this book. It definitely wasn’t slow, but it wasn’t running at the speed of light either. I think near the very end (like last 50 pages or so), I would have enjoyed it being slowed down slightly more, but that’s not to say it was a rushed ending by any means. Things were still wrapped up neatly and there’s room to expand the series if she chooses to! (Fingers crossed!)
Finally, I love the very subtle LGBTQ+ representation in this book. I think it’s so refreshing to see these treated not as a major plot point, conflict, or drama, but simply letting the reader know a little more about the characters and let it be normalized. Of course I love stories centered around queerness, but it feels great to just let it be included without special fanfare. For one character specifically (no spoilers) I absolutely loved the small reveal and just how perfectly it tied into the story without stealing any spotlight. Nothing is forced about it, nothing feels trope-y or stereotypical. It’s just people being people and I love that.
This book is great and I highly suggest reading it! I found it because I had read R.F. Kuang’s releases and saw she had reviewed this on the cover, and I’m so happy to have picked it up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Trafficking