A review by renettereads
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

This is a book that really pleasantly surprised me recently. This was a damaged copy that my friend gifted me when she received a replacement and so I didn’t go into it knowing much about the plot or with any expectations. 

We follow Imani in an Arabian-inspired setting where she, as a Shield of Qalia, uses her magic to protect her people against monsters. When she learns her brother, who she thought dead, might still be alive, she embarks on a journey with a rival Shield and a hidden (and forbidden) Djinn. 

I loved the magic system in this – I thought the tea magic was not only unique but fit beautifully in this setting. I also loved the journey element of this book and this seemingly endless quest to track down the ghost of her brother. But what I really loved was how this tackled colonialism and racism in a heartfelt and interesting way. 

Seen entirely through Imani’s POV, it was heartwarming to see her growth. Going from a very ‘us against them’ mindset where she thought only her people were worth protecting, to genuinely being moved by the plight of “the outsiders” was touching and I liked how she could admit that she was in the wrong. 

Though some of the internal dialogue became a little repetitive, there were plenty of things I loved about this.
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