Book: The Forbidden Wish
Author: Jessica Khoury
Published: 23rd February 2016
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 352
Rating: 5/5 stars
Rating: 5/5 stars
Wow, did I love this book. I had heard good things before I decided to pick it up, but, guys, I'm super impressed. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
The Forbidden Wish is a beautiful re-imagining of the story of Aladdin, full of magic, action and romance.
The writing is rich and imaginative; the magic of the Jinn was described with such ease, and it was so easy to get lost in the sprawling desert landscapes and wondrous palaces.
I loved the depth of the characters, my favourite being Zahra. Zahra is the jinni of the lamp, bound to serve the owner and grant them three wishes. She has served many a cruel and selfish master, and after around 4,000 years of such an existence, she has grown bitter and without hope. Basically, the girl needs some beauty sleep - but she can't sleep, the Jinn don't sleep (bummer).
However when Aladdin finds her, he reawakens the hope she has lost and rekindles the fire within her soul. Aladdin is charming, albeit a little foolish, and he reads very similarly to the Aladdin others might be familiar with. He is the perfect companion to bring out Zahra's loving and kind nature (although he is not the first to do so). I love that the story is told from Zahra's perspective as opposed to Aladdin's.
The princess, Caspida, is feisty and defiant and yearns to be a just ruler, and her hand-maidens are super bad-ass. Their sections of the story were among my favourite (sign me up for that girl gang, plz).
The romance in the story is lush and enchanting, and I very much enjoyed this element - which is saying something as I'm not normally one for a lot of romance (pass the bucket) - but this was really captivating and truly genuine.
I also enjoyed the little touches, like how Zahra occasionally addressed her thoughts to Roshana, the friend she had once lost, calling her Habiba (dear friend). It really added another dimension to the story, and I loved the sentiment.
The descriptions of the Jinn remind me of Rebel of the Sands (Alwyn Hamilton), which is probably another reason why I enjoyed this book, as I loved the Rebel of the Sands. I liked the darkness of the Jinn, they aren't 'watered down' or anything like that. They are wondrous in description, but they are truly cruel and deceptive.
The ending is satisfying and beautiful, and was an excellent conclusion the novel.
Overall, this is an enchanting read, and I would encourage everyone to give it a go, even if fantasy or re-tellings aren't really your thing. The writing is superb.
No comments:
Post a Comment