I’ve seen Shannon Chakraborty’s The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi on a lot of book lists as an entertaining fantasy novel not to miss, and it has been given good reviews here on CBR, too. I enjoyed it immensely and was excited to see that a sequel, The Tapestry of Fate, is coming out on May 12. Based on The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, I would imagine that several more novels will be forthcoming. If they are as imaginative and well written as this one, I will be all in for them.
The novel is set during the time of the Crusades, and while the action takes place in the Arabian Sea, some way away from Jerusalem and the invasions of European armies, the effects of those military and political incursions are felt far and wide. Amina is an unusual woman. She lives a quiet life in a remote seaside village as a fisherwoman, caring for her 10-year-old daughter, her mother, and her brother and his family. But it was not always this way. Amina Al-Sirafi is a retired pirate whose reputation for violence and adventure were known all throughout the Arabic world. Amina is larger than most women and skilled with weapons, having learned the life of a pirate from her grandfather aboard the family ship, the Marawati. But despite living a quiet life, her cover gets blown and next thing you know, a wealthy old woman has tracked her down to hire Amina to find her granddaughter Dunya. Dunya has been kidnapped by a Frank, a Crusader named Falco. While the money the old woman dangles in front of Amina is tempting, the real draw is the fact that Dunya is the daughter of one of Amina’s former pirating crew, a man whose death haunts Amina even 10 years later.
And so Amina decides to “get the band back together.” Her first stop is to find her old friend Dalila, a Christian woman who is part of a secret cult of ruthless poisoners. Next she and Dalila track down Tinbu, Amina’s crewman whom she named captain of the Marawati when she retired. Unfortunately, Tinbu and the Marawati have run into a bit of trouble, which leads to a daring and exciting prison breakout. Eventually the crew is made complete with Amina’s former navigator Majed and her estranged husband Raksh, who might be a demon. There is some really interesting information about Islam and Muslim beliefs in this novel, a real plus in my opinion.
As Amina and her crew search for Dunya and Falco they make some alarming discoveries. Dunya may not have been kidnapped, and Falco might be some kind of sorceror. Monsters, celestials and magic abound as Amina comes to realize that she has taken on more than she bargained for. While she initially worried about the lives of Dunya and her crew, it might just be that the fate of the world is at stake.
Amina is a true swashbuckling pirate, and it’s fun to read about a woman who has made a reputation for herself in a male dominated world. She’s smart, funny, and strong but also generous and steadfast when it comes to her loved ones. Chakraborty has several strong and interesting female characters who live life on their own terms and command respect. She also did a lot of work to make as much of the story historically true as she could. The Author’s Note at the end is fascinating. I can’t wait to read the next volume.
