Joséphine's Review of Mirage (Mirage, #1)

by Somaiya Daud

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.

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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

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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' fiancé, 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...

October 18, 2018

My full book review is now up on Word Revel.

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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.

Mirage (Mirage, #1)

by Somaiya Daud

Reviewed by Joséphine on Sep 22, 2018

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