Mackenzie
Written on Dec 8, 2019
The crown of Dihya had been stripped from me, my face changed, my body broken.
But I was not a slave and I was not a spare.
I was my mother's daughter, and I would survive and endure. I would find my way back home.****************
The instant Sunday Times bestseller!
'Prepare yourself for a story that's enriching, thrilling, and captivating' - BuzzFeed
'Somaiya Daud is a rare talent. A smart, romantic, exciting debut.' - Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent
'By turns thrilling and ruminative, sexy and heartbreaking' - Sabaa Tahir, author of an Ember in the Ashes
****************
In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation and receiving a sign that one day, she, too, will have adventures, and travel beyond her isolated moon.
But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects. She is kidnapped by the government and taken in secret to the royal palace. There, she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double to appear in public, ready to die in her place.
As Amani is forced into her new role, she can't help but enjoy the palace's beauty - and her time with the princess' fiance, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear, and she soon realises that one wrong move could lead to her death...
- Publish Date 28 August 2018 (first published 6 November 2017)
- Publish Status Unknown
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Flatiron Books
- Edition OwlCrate Exclusive Edition
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 320
- Language English
- Special Signed
Reviews
alisoninbookland
Written on Nov 18, 2019
Mirage was a great story. The world building was really interesting. The juxtaposition of sci-fi and a faux Middle Eastern world is a superb idea. It was a new idea for me. Hurray for diverse science fiction! I didn’t love that I struggled with what were real elements from Middle Eastern cultures (names of clothing for example) versus what fictional elements in this world. I would have really loved a glossary of terms for this.
The relationships are really what make this story. Amani and her brothers were wonderful. I love genuine sibling love. Amani and Maram worked really well together. They do butt heads but you can see the growth that comes from them learning from each other. Even Idris and Amani were lovely together. I don’t enjoy the cheating aspect though. [I know the engagement is one of convenience rather than love…I still consider it cheating.]
The court politics is where I enjoyed the story the most. Maram’s struggle to fit in when both sides of lineage don’t mesh well together. Rebellion brewing just beneath the surface. Really great.
The sci-fi elements on the other hand were lacking. Other than the story taking place on different planets, intergalactic travel, and droids, I really didn’t get strong sense of science fiction.
While the story wasn’t best suited for me, I still think it’s a great read for anyone looking for an Own Voices sci-fi story.
Kelly
Written on Nov 22, 2018
The blood never dies. The blood never forgets.
Maram is young woman of Indigenous and Alien heritage, forsaken and displaced by the Vathek and Andalaan communities. Maram is isolated from royal courtesans and betrothed for political alliance, her father is apathetic towards his young daughter and heir. As the rebellion opposing the Vathek colonisation intensifies, Maram remains sheltered within her palatial home, her inhumanity ensuing Amani remains compliant.
You do not kneel or bend, I told myself. To anyone. You continue.
Amani and Maram establish a tentative friendship, Maram remorseful of her treatment of Amani on arrival and confiding in the young woman she is holding captive. Posing as Maram, Amani deceives the royal consort and betrothed Idris. Idris is perceptive and determines Amani as an impostor as his attraction to Amani jeopardising both their lives. The romance is delicate and compassionate, allowing Amani to disengage the masquerade of captivity.
Mirage centralises on oppression, erasure and slavery. Although contrasting characters and circumstances, the imprisonment of a young woman who is tortured and a Princess within her gilded cage, both young woman are tormented by the burden of expectation. It scrutinises colonisation as the Vathek conquered the Mizaal Galaxy, poisoning the atmosphere of Vaxor and colonising Andala, enslaving the Indigenous population and depriving the Andalaans of their ethnology and spirituality. Rebellion arises as rebels strategise against their oppressors, Amani becoming embroiled in the uprising.
The narration infused with delicate female and Indigenous empowerment throughout the instability of dissent and cultural reclamation, comparable to the current political climate and resonating with Indigenous readers. Amani represents a quiet endurance and resilience against her environment, a reiteration of nevertheless, she persisted. Somaiya Daud has composed an exquisitely imagined narrative, enchanting and affluent. A remarkable debut.
Kat @ Novels & Waffles
Written on Nov 5, 2018
- I love the setting! The world-building is intricate, well-developed, and completely unlike anything else currently circulating in this genre.
-The fact that this is an #OWNVOICES NOVEL made the culture and world feel that much more real and beautiful.
- I adore that it is so diverse! WE 👏NEED 👏MORE 👏DIVERSE 👏FANTASY 👏 Usually fantasy novels are set in countries based off of medieval Western Europe, so seeing something like this book makes my heart sing like an American Idol contestant.
- The mix of Sci-Fi and Fantasy was so beautifully done.
-I ended up loving Maram. My main complaint is that I wish she had a POV all her own (which is funny because usually I am saying the opposite).
-THE PROLOGUE IS A BRILLIANT MASTERPIECE. I LOVE IT.
- The incorporation of poetry was beautiful! I look forward to reading some of Amani's poetry in future books.
-The themes of colonization, family, culture, and self-actualization were explored in marvelous ways.
-The romance was meh, but I feel that way about almost every romance I've read lately, so maybe I just have a frozen, unfeeling heart.
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Amber (The Literary Phoenix)
Written on Oct 27, 2018
I haven't seen or heard much of Mirage in the bookish world, only the FairyLoot and OwlCrate unboxing photos. I am here to tell you that this book is magnificent. It is sad, but it is also rich and passionate. The characters flow off the page and the flavors and aromas seem to surround you. I really, really liked it.
Mirage is several things - it is a love story, it is a political fantasy, and it is a story of friendship. These three things wind together flawlessly, on influencing the other, until the whole thing is wrapped in a tidy braid. Amani is a brave girl struggling in a dangerous situation. If she fails at her duties, the people she loves will die. If she exceeds, she could create more misery for the rest of her people. The more she gets to know about the people of the palace and the nature of the rebellion, the more muddled things get.
I liked Amani, because she struggled with every decision. She felt the weight of knowledge on her, knowing what she should do, what she wanted to do, and what she was expected to do. Every decision feels like a betrayal and you can feel her discomfort and determination wound together. I liked the real-ness of this. Nobody is so perfect that they fall into a situation and stick their chin out and do the Exact Right Thing every time and everything turns out sunshine and butterflies. Amani felt like any other eighteen-year-old - frightened and hopeful and determined and whinging it.
The love story felt inevitable, but I wasn't entirely impressed with Idris's character. I liked him at first, but I knew where his story arc was going and I felt he stumbled into it blindly. He was too changeable and while I think the relation in general was sweet, Idris himself could have used a bit more depth.
Then, there's Maram. I thought Maram shined. I would love to get inside her head. She is paranoid and cruel while also being vulnerable and determined at the same time. She is a strong character with potential to either be a last-minute hero or a formidable villain and I'd really like to see more of her.
There was a lot that felt original in Mirage that was very refreshing, but it never really felt like science fiction to me. It was more like a rich middle eastern-style fantasy and I thought it was stunning. I am 100% on board with Court of Lions next year.
Joséphine
Written on Sep 22, 2018
My full book review is now up on Word Revel.
_________
September 21, 2018
Initial thoughts: Thanks to a long haul flight, I had the time and zero distractions to read Mirage cover to cover. I'm glad I took this one along — it was entertaining, character-driven but not overly complex. In that regard, it was good for me because I can't concentrate too intensely with my motion sickness. The plot wasn't the most original but coupled with the growth and interactions on the characters, it worked well. I also liked that Mirage is a fantasy novel inspired by Moroccan culture and mythology. That made the world building all the more interesting to me because that's a setting I've definitely not come across before. I definitely look forward to the sequel!
Note: I received an advanced reading copy from a local distributor in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Laurie
Written on Sep 1, 2018
General impression
My general impression of this book was pretty good. The writing style was easy to read and therefore it was kind of a quick read. Kind of? Yes, kind of.
Slow sometimes
The story however, was sometimes a bit slow. A bit too slow. Amani was a little too innocent for my liking. I would have raged with fury if I were in her situation. I understand that she was not quite in the position to make mistakes or do stupid things. However, this gave a bit of slowness to the story.
Characters
The characters in Mirage were nice, except for Maram. I really disliked her arrogance and bitchiness. She had a nice turning point, but was she able to hold on to that? I know the answer, but I will not tell you.
Great first book
I am not too sure how to rate Mirage. I faced the same issues as I did with Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. Mirage was also more building up and little action packed, but in contradiction to Three Dark Crowns, we have one POV here. In my opinion, this is a great first book in a series and I have a feeling that we will find more action in the sequel(s).
Conclusion
Mirage is kind of a quick read, even though it being slow sometimes. I really disliked Maram, I got fed up with her arrogance and bitchiness. I think this is a great first book in a series and I have a feeling that we will see lots more action in the sequel(s).This review was originally posted on Laurie's Bookshelf
lauriesbookshelf
Written on Sep 1, 2018
General impression
My general impression of this book was pretty good. The writing style was easy to read and therefore it was kind of a quick read. Kind of? Yes, kind of.
Slow sometimes
The story however, was sometimes a bit slow. A bit too slow. Amani was a little too innocent for my liking. I would have raged with fury if I were in her situation. I understand that she was not quite in the position to make mistakes or do stupid things. However, this gave a bit of slowness to the story.
Characters
The characters in Mirage were nice, except for Maram. I really disliked her arrogance and bitchiness. She had a nice turning point, but was she able to hold on to that? I know the answer, but I will not tell you.
Great first book
I am not too sure how to rate Mirage. I faced the same issues as I did with Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. Mirage was also more building up and little action packed, but in contradiction to Three Dark Crowns, we have one POV here. In my opinion, this is a great first book in a series and I have a feeling that we will find more action in the sequel(s).
Conclusion
Mirage is kind of a quick read, even though it being slow sometimes. I really disliked Maram, I got fed up with her arrogance and bitchiness. I think this is a great first book in a series and I have a feeling that we will see lots more action in the sequel(s).This review was originally posted on Laurie's Bookshelf
cornerfolds
Written on Feb 5, 2018
Mirage caught my eye with its beautiful cover and, I'll be honest, the hype got me too. I was SO excited to have the chance to read this early and I dived in as soon as I could.
The heroine of this story is Amani, a young girl who is kidnapped from her home because she looks identical to the Princess of the empire. She learns that she is to become the princess's body double and will have to fill in for her in public, even around people as intimate as her fiance and grandmother. I really loved Amani! She was a fantastic MC who was equal parts vulnerable in a precarious situation, but also incredibly strong. For me, this can be a hard balance to strike. A huge pet peeve of mine is a lead who is so ridiculously over the top in her attempts to be strong woman that she repeatedly makes dumb choices. This character is written perfectly. All of her choices were relatable and I sympathized as she tried to find a way to survive and help her people at the same time.
Speaking of surviving, the villain, Princess Maram, is fantastic! She's the terrifying, cruel, complex character I want in a book. I was always on edge when she was around, never knowing what kind of mood she'd be in. Of course, I also really loved Idris, the princess's fiance, who Amani has to fool. He was such a great character and love interest. I'll admit it was a little inst-a-lovey, but I'm willing to forgive it because their relationship was so great! Really, all of the characters were just fantastic.
I also really loved the world building and the culture represented in this book. If you weren't aware, this is an own-voices Moroccan story and it is amazing! The way the world was created so creative and unique! It was really an interesting blend of real-world Moroccan culture, fantasy, and science fiction. The writing was also magical and lyrical, but not in a way that made it difficult to read.
So if I loved so much about it, why isn't this a five star read? Well, my real issue is with the plot. So much of the story is focused on the relationships between the characters and the descriptions of the world that not much time is left to set up the actual storyline. Simply put, there isn't much action here. Mirage is a lot of talking and walking and spending time together, which I didn't hate because I enjoyed the character and world so much! However, I desperately wanted something, anything to happen. Eventually it did, but for me it took way too long to get to the action.
Thankfully, the ending of this book didn't end on a huge cliffhanger, although there's certainly room for a second book. While Mirage had it's issues, I did find it enjoyable over all and will probably give the second one a try, especially since the characters and world are already set up. Hopefully another book in the series will be able to jump right into the action!
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
layawaydragon
Written on Sep 4, 2016
IMHO: Mirage
Content Warning: Torture, Physical Violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Colonization, Genocide, Cultural Cleansing, Biracial Hatred, Internalized Self-hatred,
Mirage is such an intense ride. Character driven loaded with character progression and twisting relationships. Day to day survival and self care teetering against the resistance and greater good. Even the down times have forbidden love and attraction.
It doesn't sugar coat colonization so fellow white people, be prepared to take several seats. The council meeting was particularly chilling.
I love the world building, the descriptions, and the details. Everything just *popped* off the page and was so vivid.
I get the romance, but as a demi I need more time and involvement before I personally feel it. The prince is smart and cute and funny. He's damaged so you just want to hug him and make him feel better. It doesn't steal focus from the bigger picture of the occupation and rebellion. But it is still important. Loving each other against the rules, sharing their culture to keep it alive is an act of rebellion in itself.
There's so much I didn't see coming. The only thing I really called was the romance with the prince. Everything else was a surprise.
I'm convinced there's more going with the Princess. I have a ~theory~ I hope is correct. Maram and Amani's relationship is EVERYTHING. So unique and fascinating with so many different aspects and full of empathy. I normally don't get anti villains but I think people are going to appreciate Maram like they do Killmonger.
Sidenote: The lack of any queerness is disappointing but that's a general complaint of mine. This did not affect my rating at all.
I cannot wait for the next installment of the Mirage series!!
Some Favorite Quotes:
"Save your pity for the young and the dead, girl," she said. "It won't help me."
"The ties they forges have broken and Fate has led our feet to freedom."
"It was a cruel person that judged a child by their parent's legacy."
"You are not responsible for the cruelty of your masters."
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Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour!This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon