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A review by allisonwonderlandreads
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"That is the truth, and as difficult as it may be, the truth must always prevail, regardless of the rules it defies and the false history it rewrites."
Imani's a Shield of Qalia. In this magical desert city, sorcerers like her rely on the magic of misra, which they brew and drink as tea. For Imani, this means she can manipulate the iron in her dagger, changing its form at will in battle. Her mastery, employed in protecting Qalia from the ever-encroaching monsters in the surrounding desert, has earned her the moniker "Djinni Slayer." Imani followed in her brother's footsteps to become a Shield, but a year ago, Atheer disappeared. He'd been talking about the importance of truth before duty leading up to his vanishing, and officials allege he stole misra, a sign of magical addiction. Imani's aunt on the ruling Council hushed up these unflattering stories, but Imani carries the weight of the shame. Her little sister, however, believes Atheer is still alive, working on something secret and important. Amari's been acting out at school, feeling alone in her grief, perceiving her older sister going about her normal life as if nothing happened. When Amari's friend comes tattling that she's off chasing their brother's horse in the desert, Imani sets off to retrieve her. But Atheer's horse leads the two sisters to unexpected clues about his secretive last days. It turns out Atheer was the Council's Scout, tasked with venturing beyond the sands to the world they pretend to the populace doesn't exist. And the surrounding nation of Alqibah is being overtaken by colonizers. Atheer couldn't stand by knowing Sahiran magic could save them from their fate.
This kicks off Imani's quest to return her brother home, restore her family, and close off Qalia from the outside world to ensure its safety. To that end, she makes a desperate and illegal binding to the djinni Qayn, a self-proclaimed friend of Atheer and the only one who can lead Imani to him across the desert. She'll also be forced to follow the lead of the Scout who took Atheer's place. Taha is not only Imani's rival Shield but also the son of the Council's leader, an upstart soldier lacking the same lineage bona fides as the other Council clans like Imani's family.
Imani has some work to do (on herself). She's a young woman of great fortitude, as brave as she is inflexible. She cannot let go of a happier past, even to find a potentially better future. All the upheaval of having her worldview challenged barely makes a chink in her armor at first. Stubborn and determined, Imani molds new information to suit her best, ignoring what doesn't fit and pushing down her fears and uncertainty about being so challenged. She's called out by all kinds of people for her narrow, privileged worldview-- even by her little sister. It's almost impressive how easily she lets such criticisms roll off her without hitting the mark. Surely there is no truth in them that would require any self-reflection. In other words, it sets up the character arc beautifully. This is a story about class privilege-- who answers to it and who's served by it, unwittingly and untroubled.
One of the book's standout accomplishments is its descriptive writing. Ibrahim includes a beautiful degree of detail, whether the author's eye is turned toward a setting or a character's backstory. When we enter a scene, Ibrahim paints a picture to include us in what everyone's doing and how they're arrayed before us. No detail of architecture, cuisine, or body language is ignored-- it's a full-body, multisensory experience. The same attention is applied to some epic chase and fight scenes that held my attention the whole way through (a feat), and I was particularly in awe of the Assassins Creed vibes in some scenes. Imani's quest takes her to a swathe of mesmerizing locales-- a city abandoned but for a dream of its former glory, a desert that eats up travelers who lose their way, and a struggling kingdom infected with their colonizers' presence. Ibrahim brings each to life with a dense cast of characters, all while keeping our attention firmly on Imani's personal growth and her relationships.
Because the relationship plots, nearly the most important aspect of any book, do not disappoint. In terms of romance, we're given two potential options-- one started vastly superior in my view, but my opinion shifted throughout. I was impressed with how the author kept her cards close to her chest, making Imani's turmoil more real and less a pit stop on the way to a clear destination. One option features vulnerable moments, including a "nurse back to health" moment and a terrible way to bond-- the loss of a beloved animal (I have an abysmal track record with bookish animal safety at the moment that makes me VERY suspicious of any fictional pets appearing on the page. I may have to go on strike for my poor tear ducts' sake.) I appreciate that neither love interest is perfect throughout their journey, necessitating some give-and-take, some growth and flexibility on everyone's part. And flexibility is not a trait that comes naturally to any of them. And the SISTERLY story-- be still my heart. Imani sets out with an entrenched view of her family that's slowly worn down. It feels devastating in the moment (to her) but leads to stronger relationships and a clearer mind.
I am so curious about where this series will go next. For all Imani's already impressive growth, there's still plenty of work to be done in terms of action and resolution. The threats are mounting, and though her worldview's been shattered, I think she's still deciding what to do with the information, and there's a lot that's out of her hands. This is an exceptional series starter, a magnificent debut. It's stories like these that keep me returning to ya fantasy to see characters rise and make the world a better place. Thanks to Delacorte for my copy to read and review!
Imani's a Shield of Qalia. In this magical desert city, sorcerers like her rely on the magic of misra, which they brew and drink as tea. For Imani, this means she can manipulate the iron in her dagger, changing its form at will in battle. Her mastery, employed in protecting Qalia from the ever-encroaching monsters in the surrounding desert, has earned her the moniker "Djinni Slayer." Imani followed in her brother's footsteps to become a Shield, but a year ago, Atheer disappeared. He'd been talking about the importance of truth before duty leading up to his vanishing, and officials allege he stole misra, a sign of magical addiction. Imani's aunt on the ruling Council hushed up these unflattering stories, but Imani carries the weight of the shame. Her little sister, however, believes Atheer is still alive, working on something secret and important. Amari's been acting out at school, feeling alone in her grief, perceiving her older sister going about her normal life as if nothing happened. When Amari's friend comes tattling that she's off chasing their brother's horse in the desert, Imani sets off to retrieve her. But Atheer's horse leads the two sisters to unexpected clues about his secretive last days. It turns out Atheer was the Council's Scout, tasked with venturing beyond the sands to the world they pretend to the populace doesn't exist. And the surrounding nation of Alqibah is being overtaken by colonizers. Atheer couldn't stand by knowing Sahiran magic could save them from their fate.
This kicks off Imani's quest to return her brother home, restore her family, and close off Qalia from the outside world to ensure its safety. To that end, she makes a desperate and illegal binding to the djinni Qayn, a self-proclaimed friend of Atheer and the only one who can lead Imani to him across the desert. She'll also be forced to follow the lead of the Scout who took Atheer's place. Taha is not only Imani's rival Shield but also the son of the Council's leader, an upstart soldier lacking the same lineage bona fides as the other Council clans like Imani's family.
Imani has some work to do (on herself). She's a young woman of great fortitude, as brave as she is inflexible. She cannot let go of a happier past, even to find a potentially better future. All the upheaval of having her worldview challenged barely makes a chink in her armor at first. Stubborn and determined, Imani molds new information to suit her best, ignoring what doesn't fit and pushing down her fears and uncertainty about being so challenged. She's called out by all kinds of people for her narrow, privileged worldview-- even by her little sister. It's almost impressive how easily she lets such criticisms roll off her without hitting the mark. Surely there is no truth in them that would require any self-reflection. In other words, it sets up the character arc beautifully. This is a story about class privilege-- who answers to it and who's served by it, unwittingly and untroubled.
One of the book's standout accomplishments is its descriptive writing. Ibrahim includes a beautiful degree of detail, whether the author's eye is turned toward a setting or a character's backstory. When we enter a scene, Ibrahim paints a picture to include us in what everyone's doing and how they're arrayed before us. No detail of architecture, cuisine, or body language is ignored-- it's a full-body, multisensory experience. The same attention is applied to some epic chase and fight scenes that held my attention the whole way through (a feat), and I was particularly in awe of the Assassins Creed vibes in some scenes. Imani's quest takes her to a swathe of mesmerizing locales-- a city abandoned but for a dream of its former glory, a desert that eats up travelers who lose their way, and a struggling kingdom infected with their colonizers' presence. Ibrahim brings each to life with a dense cast of characters, all while keeping our attention firmly on Imani's personal growth and her relationships.
Because the relationship plots, nearly the most important aspect of any book, do not disappoint. In terms of romance, we're given two potential options-- one started vastly superior in my view, but my opinion shifted throughout. I was impressed with how the author kept her cards close to her chest, making Imani's turmoil more real and less a pit stop on the way to a clear destination. One option features vulnerable moments, including a "nurse back to health" moment and a terrible way to bond-- the loss of a beloved animal (I have an abysmal track record with bookish animal safety at the moment that makes me VERY suspicious of any fictional pets appearing on the page. I may have to go on strike for my poor tear ducts' sake.) I appreciate that neither love interest is perfect throughout their journey, necessitating some give-and-take, some growth and flexibility on everyone's part. And flexibility is not a trait that comes naturally to any of them. And the SISTERLY story-- be still my heart. Imani sets out with an entrenched view of her family that's slowly worn down. It feels devastating in the moment (to her) but leads to stronger relationships and a clearer mind.
I am so curious about where this series will go next. For all Imani's already impressive growth, there's still plenty of work to be done in terms of action and resolution. The threats are mounting, and though her worldview's been shattered, I think she's still deciding what to do with the information, and there's a lot that's out of her hands. This is an exceptional series starter, a magnificent debut. It's stories like these that keep me returning to ya fantasy to see characters rise and make the world a better place. Thanks to Delacorte for my copy to read and review!