Description
Khadija loves the ancient tales of jinn and renegade princesses… but real life is closing in and her destiny as a ghadæan girl is marriage and boredom. When her father arranges a match, Khadija leaps at the chance of escape – a rogue hot air balloon fighting its ropes for the sky. Soon, Khadija is flying over the desert sands, away from everything she knows.Khadija finds an unlikely ally in a poor young glassmaker’s apprentice, Jacob.
But soon, a deadly revolution threatens their friendship and their world. The oppressed, pale-skinned hāri are restless – their infamous terrorist group, the Hāreef, have a new, fearsome leader. And the ruling ghadæans are brutal in their repression. As the Hāreef exploit forbidden magic – summoning jinn to aid their fight – Jacob and Khadija must choose what kind of a world they want to live in and how to make it a reality.
Tracy Walker @kreiger.emmanuel_706
January 31, 2023
4
Women lacking control of their lives, a fascination with hot air balloons, rebellion turned dark, violence with courage mixed in, and a bit of romance. All of these are blended well in this book. It also flips traditional racism on its head in ways that are very subtle, but make the reader think. I look forward to what comes next.