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Tuesday, 28 August 2018
Mirage by Somaiya Daud ~ Tour Review
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Welcome to my tour stop for Mirage by Somaiya Daud. Please check out the other stops; tour schedule above. There's also a giveaway at the end of this post, so don't miss out!
About The Book
Mirage
by Somaiya Daud
Series: Mirage #1
Release Date: August 28th 2018
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genre: YA Fantasy
Buy It Now: TBD | B&N | Kobo
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 perfec-tion...because one wrong move could lead to her death.
~ Paperback Princess Blurb ~
A wonderful debut novel that will enthral readers from the very first page, with it's lush description, to it's poetic writing, this book is definitely a magical ride. If you enjoy The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh, you will love Mirage by Somaiya Daud. It has a similar writing style with the royal political intrigue. This was truly a wonderful journey, and I for one cannot wait till the sequel.
Mirage by Somaiya Daud is a masterpiece. It's complicated and multi-faceted characters and it's ever so unique world and traditions and so much more, is tied together in this beautifully written debut novel that will have you wanting more...YESTERDAY!
Our souls will return home, we will return...We will set our feet in the rose of the citadel.
I was hooked from the very first page, with the luscious descriptions. The world created is so beautiful, scary and unique. It resembles an ancient Moroccan inspired world, with the technological advancement that allows it to enter the sci-fi category, done so well, that it will not even make you question why the world is how it is.
On a small moon orbiting a large planet, in a small farmhouse in a small village, there was a box, and in this box was a feather.
Amani is becoming an adult. The Kushaila (her people) has a sacred ritual for the transitioning children, they receive the daan (a geometrical face tattoo, that tells the story of their heritage). When the Vathek droids crash in on the celebration, Amani is whisked away to the palace, unbeknown to Amani or her family, she shares the face of the hated, half-Vathek, Princess Maram.
She had a fire in her, an unquenchable flame that would devour all that stood in her path.
Mirage is the story of how Amani finds herself thrust into the midst of royal rivalry, political intrigue, family love/loyalty/drama, rebellion and so much more; as she is made to be Princess Maram's disposable double.
The blood never dies. The blood never forgets.
This book truly evokes so much emotions from the readers; from anger and fear to love and understanding, this book touches on so many subjects, and does so with a punch!
Even your happiness is rebellion
I love a complicated cast of characters, I think it takes an amazing writer to be able to write characters that are not always completely good or bad, and Somaiya does this beautifully.
You do not kneel or bend, I told myself. To anyone. You continue.
I was heavily invested in Amani's life and the love story was well done, no insta-love here. There was a lot of story/background building, without it reading tediously, because of this exemplary writing the reader understood why they would gravitate towards each other.
A cage is a cage even if gilded.
Princess Maram was hated for a reason; she was vicious, nasty, spoilt etc, but somehow Daud created her with so much depth, that by the end, I pitied, understood and even liked her.
I watched her go, wondering, all too aware the next time I saw her she would be that much closer to being queen.
Mirage's plot foundation and progress could easily have been a standalone novel, if I wanted to not read further, the ending left me satisfied, but in the same token, it left me also wanting more...is that confusing yet?
Hope. Hard won, soaked in blood, a hope that burned as much as it lit her way.
I had to take the rest of the night off from reading, as I just could not pick up another book so soon after Mirage, talk about a book hangover! I was left picking my jaw off the floor, and muttering to anyone that would listen, how fantastic this book was!
I am tired of being at the mercy of the world.
The writing was poetic, beautiful, magical and luscious. You are THERE, not merely reading a story. It reminds me somewhat of Renee Ahdieh's duo-logy; The Wrath & The Dawn in the plot and poetic and lyrical writing.
The surface seemed like a shifting tapestry of orange, yellows, and reds, pushed this way and that by the currents of the wind.
Mirage by Somaiya Daub is an outstanding debut novel, with intricately woven plot, multi-faceted characters, beautiful world creation finished off with poetic writing. Definitely a must read for 2018.
About the Author
Somaiya Daud
Somaiya Daud was born in a Midwestern city, and spent a large part of her childhood and adolescence moving around. Like most writers, she started when she was young and never really stopped. Her love of all things books propelled her to get a degree in English literature (specializing in the medieval and early modern), and while she worked on her Master’s de-gree she doubled as a bookseller at Politics and Prose in their children’s department. De-termined to remain in school for as long as possible, she packed her bags in 2014 and moved the west coast to pursue a doctoral degree in English literature. Now she’s preparing to write a dissertation on Victorians, rocks, race, and the environment. Mirage is her debut, and is due from Flatiron Books in 8/28/2018.
~ Giveaway ~
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Angelica