Chakraborty, S: Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

Amina al-Sirafi is a retired pirate and captain of a ship and its crew, with a few legendary tales to her name. After ten years on land, she is persuaded to do one last job. But her task is not as easy as she was led to believe, and even assembling the members of her old crew becomes an adventure in itself. The story is beautifully written, it is very captivating and descriptive. There is situational comedy at some points, but I wish there was more of it because Shannon Chakraborty does this so well. There is also some swearing and cursing, and let's face it, this is a pirate story, it would be strange to leave it out. Throughout the book I was amazed at the amount of detail and thought that went into the story, and apart from the fantasy elements it could easily have been an account of a real person's life. I also loved the folk lore in this book, and because Shannon Chakraborty did so much research for this book, I learned a lot in addition to what I already knew. The only thing that bothered me is that the first half of the book progresses so slowly and a bit too much is explained. 5 to 10% could have been left out to captivate readers more and without negatively affecting the story. But once you get past the 50% mark, the story picks up, and I read it through in one go. So, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in an extensive and well-thought-out fantasy world with an unapologetic, badass female pirate, complex characters, and has a bit of time on their hands. This might be not for you, if you prefer a fast-paced, quick and easy read.

Famous pirate Amina al-Sirafi has been retired from her life of adventure for ten years now, taking care of her daughter and family. But one day, a former crewmate's mother calls on her to find her kidnapped granddaughter – after all, Amina owes the family: the poor girl's dad died while working under her as a sailor. Only after she is promised a handsome reward (enough to secure her daughter's future), Amina agrees to find the girl. Little did she know that this venture would be far more dangerous – and supernatural – than she expected! "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" is a brilliant book, taking the reader along on a breathtaking voyage through the Arabian Sea. The friendship between Amina and her former crewmates can be felt strongly through the pages and is both heartwarming and hilarious. Their lives on the sea grant a fascinating insight into the experiences of both seafarers and landlubbers of the medieval Near East. Every now and then, I came across a word or custom I wasn't familiar with and through short research I learned a lot about these rich cultures and their people. Fans of the supernatural might at first be disappointed by the seemingly mundane story, but hints of a more fantastical past (and future) can already be found from the beginning. Starting at about the halfway point, things get decidedly more and more wild – and even more fun to read! I was reading the book during my breaks at work and was almost tempted not to return to work and keep reading instead ;) (In case my boss reads this: it was only almost, I promise!) All in all, I'm absolutely in love with the story, the diverse characters and both the narrator's and the chronicler's voices and personalities. This is an absolute must-read for all fans of pirates, demons, and nautical adventures! Luckily, there are hints that Amina's story is not quite over yet, so I'm looking forward to a sequel.