Daud, Somaiya. Mirage. New York: Flatiron Books, 2018.
ISBN-13: 978-1250126429 | $18.99 USD | 311 pages | YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Blurb
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; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.
But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where 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, someone to appear in public as Maram, 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. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.
Review
5 stars
Mirage has been on my radar for a while, but it was only getting approved for the forthcoming sequel on NetGalley that finally got me to pick it up. And, as per usual, I’m kicking myself for putting it off.
The world is stunning, inspired by Moroccan history and exploring the threat of imperial rule and loss of culture. While dealing with a dark topic like the wounds of colonialism, it does so in a way that both pays respect to the real events and allows for some escape into the fantastical, promoting empowerment in the face of adversity. While there are some familiar elements here, Daud gives them her own twist, which had me flying through this book in a single evening.
And the characters, especially Amani as the lead, are compelling. She has such strength of character and I rooted for her throughout the book. Maram as a villain feels very fleshed out, and like there’s depth to her.
This is a solid YA SFF debut, and I can’t wait to see where Daud takes the series in her next installment.
Author Bio
Somaiya lives, works, and writes from Seattle, Washington.
In 2018 her debut novel, Mirage, was released in the United States with Flatiron Books and the United Kingdom with Hodder & Stoughton. It was hailed as “poetically written”, “immersive and captivating” and “beautiful and necessary” by The School Library Journal, Booklist and Entertainment Weekly. Mirage has been shortlisted for the Children’s Africana Book Award and the Arab American Book Award. In 2020 Somaiya received her PhD in English Literature studies with a focus on world literature and nineteenth-century orientalism. She is available for speaking engagements.
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