A review by ariellesbookreviews
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The Adventures of Amina Al Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty was a charming, high-seas adventure with mystical beings, complex characters, loving friendships, and motherhood. Chakraborty intended to write a story showing women's lives do not end once they start a family and that it can be the beginning of new adventures. 

The first half of the book felt relatively slow. The story is presented similarly to that of a reunion special of a popular TV show that has been off the air for 15 years. The only problem, you never watched the original show. The characters have a deep and complex history with each other that the reader must untangle as Amina gets the band back together. While the characters have established emotional ties to each other, it took time for this reader to develop those same connections. Once that connection was made and all the usual suspects had been reintroduced, the plot picked up, and I started to really enjoy the novel. 

I really like Raksh as a character. I thought he was funny and intriguing, and hope to see more of him in the next book. Overall, I rate the book 4 stars and am excited to see what Charkraborkty brings us next.