Mirage: A Novel (Mirage Series Book 1)

What a great story! Amani lives with her family and has a great love of poetry. Though her planet has been taken over by a brutal empire that oppresses all the cultures they conquer, Amani and her family have largely been unaffected by the Vathek rule and despite many aspects of her culture being made illegal, she hopes to someday write poetry of her own. However, her life takes a very unexpected turn when she is suddenly kidnapped by the Vathek regime because she is a near double of the half-Vathek princess. After going through weeks of training that could also be called torture, Amina begins taking the place of Princess Maram in public. This also has her spending time with Idris, the princess' fiance, and also has her crossing paths with the growing rebellion to the Vathek empire. The action in this book starts off almost immediately, and it rarely slows down at any point. There are certainly ups and downs in the level of tension with the action, but it seemed like something was always going on, and I really came to both like and admire Amina for the way she was still trying to be true to her heritage while playing the role of the princess. While it was not really surprising to see feelings develop between Amina and Idris, as they are spending a lot of time together and Amina's natural personality and friendliness does come through at times, but it was still nice to see it grow. I think the ending was amazing in this book, and I am absolutely looking forward to reading/listening to the next book. For this book, I listened to the audiobook, with Rasha Zamamiri as the narrator. She did an absolutely fabulous job and really pulled me into the story. If I can listen to her narrate the next book, I absolutely will, and if you listen to audiobooks, I definitely recommend listening to this one.

Somaiya Daud's Mirage, a YA novel, gives us the story of three vibrant characters in a Moroccan Space Opera that reads a bit more like fantasy than sci-fi. We have Amani, a classic heroine who is clever, goodhearted and brave, Maram, an antiheroine princess and heir apparent to a violent invading Vethek people who have invaded and subjugated, the peaceful world in which Amani and her Andalaan tribe live, and Idris, the hostage Andalaan prince bridegroom, who must marry Maram in order to forge a peace between the invaders and the subjugated. As the novel opens Amani is about to undergo a coming of age ceremony. Rather than being able to celebrate this embrace of her cultural history, Vathek droids invade the venue and Amani is forcibly removed. Shortly thereafter she finds herself in training to become the body double for Maram, providing security against assassination at public events. And why is Amani so similar in appearance? Maram's mother was Andalaan. Amani is rigidly trained to take Maram's place and while she initially finds Maram cruel and cold, as months pass the girls draw closer to each other, putting Amani in a difficult position. She grows to care for Maram as she begins to see how isolated and secretly vulnerable Maram is and yet protecting Maram could potentially mean turning against her own people. Attending events and going on visits to family that Maram might find arduous means that Amani also spends time with Idris. Amani and Idris, quite predictably, become attracted to one another. They share a culture and heritage that is being systematically wiped away by the Vatheks. It includes a love of games, stories and especially of poetry. The story of these three people is set against a backdrop of growing rebellion and political intrigue. There are a number of aspects of the novel that are quite refreshing, not least of which is the importance of language and poetry to Amani and Idris' story. I love this aspect of Arabic flavor to the novel. This is the first book in a trilogy and it manages to move beyond the usual "there's a princess and a girl that isn't the princess and the prince who is promised to the princess but loves the girl that isn't a princess" trope. (Which, don't get me wrong, I'm quite content to see this trope adapted to Moroccan/Arabic traditions!) Daud manages to give the reader the flavor of what colonialism, imperialism, and erosion of culture in the name of unity is like. Amani is shocked to find that Idris cannot even read what should have been his native language (Kushaila). He knows stories, games, but all have been reinterpreted through a Vathekaar filter. He is unable even to interpret his daan, a tribal tattoo with designs relating to a person's history- family, faith and ancestry. There is poignancy too in the fact that Maram resembles a member of a tribe and culture that she knows nothing about and has been told is inferior and dangerous. She knows little, really, of her mother's heritage, and her mother's people mourn her distance from her maternal family and culture. Amani bridges a cultural gap for both Maram and Idris, all while struggling to maintain her integrity. There was much to love in this book and I'm looking forward to the next entry in the trilogy! I received a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Somaya Daud's _Mirage_ is part sci-fi, part YA romance, but wholly entertaining. As with all good science fiction, Daud subtly draws parallels between western imperialism in the Islamic world with the experiences of her heroine. And as with all good fiction, the difference between "good" and "evil" is complicated. The protagonist in _Mirage_, Amani, unwillingly is pulled from her family and rural village in a remote part of a solar system into the palace intrigue of the brutal imperial powers that have conquered her home. Living in the halls of power, Amani befriends the young heir, the two young women both in places they would rather not be, both forced to keep their emotions and thoughts to themselves. As the plot progresses, matters for Amani become more complicated - the details of which I am reluctant to share, lest i spoil a well-crafted narrative. One of the issues I have with YA literature is its failure to pass the Bechtel test for female characters, and its general lack of diversity. Daud has not only written a book rich in cultural parallels to the Maghrib, but has also created complicated, compelling characters that happen to be female. For these factors, I add a star to a fun YA novel.

un bon livre mais pas très mémorable (pour moi). très bonne représentation et super personnages.

Ever since I heard about Mirage I knew I had to read it and that I would love it. And it’s safe to say it did not disappoint! I devoured this book in two evenings and I was up late into the night because I had to read just one more chapter. I am already dying in anticipation of book two. Mirage is a diverse sci-fi fantasy story which is inspired by Moroccan culture. I found this world so original and fresh and I loved the worldbuilding so much! It was so nice to the Moroccan heritage and culture incorporated into the story. The worldbuilding is so intricate and done so well. It was so nice to see a world which is original especially in a sci-fi setting, the cultures of both the Vathek (oppressors) and Kushaila (oppressed) and their power dynamics are so intriguing and well written. The characters are also so well written and fleshed out. They are complex and interesting to read about and have great character development. Amani is smart and sassy but she learns to be diplomatic and manage tense political alliances. She is brave but also shows vulnerability and admits she is afraid. I loved that we are shown that she is afraid but still persists in her goal. Maram is initially shown as cold, abrasive and arrogant but we soon learn that there is more than meets the eye. I loved how she develops and we get a deeper look at what she is truly like and we see that she has grown up in a difficult situation and she is more vulnerable than she allows to be seen. Idris is my new book boyfriend! I adore him even though we don’t get to see a lot of him what we do see is a young man who despite having to live among those who murdered his family is still kind and compassionate. He is very diplomatic and smart and knows how to play the long. He is also fun and charming and shows a different side to him when he learns who Amani is. I loved seeing the relationships develop between Amani and Idris and Amani and Maram. They were complex and realistic and I am looking forward to seeing more of them and how their relationships develop in the next book. The side characters who we see for short periods are also well written and are all interesting to read about. I also loved the Arabic poetry incorporated into the story and that it was not only an important part of Amani’s and Idris’ culture but also important to the story. It also gave us a glimpse of how the Kushaila culture was before the Vathek came and destroyed most of it in the war. One of the aspects of the story that I found really interesting was how prejudice against a group of people can lead to the oppression of them. But also that by actually learning about the culture and way of life can help to overcome the prejudice. This was something I saw as Amani’s and Maram’s relationship developed and they started to become friends. The story itself was well rounded and had a full arc as well as setting up a larger plot to continue in the next book. I really liked this as normally we are left on a cliffhanger just as the plot starts to develop in the first book. I highly recommend reading this book! It was wonderfully written and left me wanting more! It was also so wonderful to see diverse cultures and the Moroccan heritage, as it’s not something we usually see in books. I am really looking forward to continuing the story.

Depois de ter lido todos os outros livros da Editora Literalize e visto que todos eram ótimos, esperava que esse fosse no mesmo nível. Não li a edição deles, li a em inglês, mas eles tiveram uma curadoria perfeita, na minha opinião, até chegar nesse. Esse livro deixou a desejar em tantas questões, que tive que me organizar para explicar melhor. Antes de mais nada, queria dizer que o livro em si provavelmente só vale duas estrelas, mas tem alguns detalhes nele que são tão bons, que mereciam umas quatro. Foi por isso mesmo que cheguei à minha nota de três. A coisa que mais me incomodou no livro foi a tentativa da autora de misturar fantasia com ficção científica. Essa é uma mistura que funciona em muitas histórias, mas aqui parece demais que foi introduzida depois do livro estar pronto, como uma tentativa de diferenciá-lo de outros de fantasia YA. Nenhuma parte que fosse 'ficção científica' fez sentido. Nenhuma. Nem a colonização por um povo que parece ter só umas vinte pessoas, nem as viagens entre luas e planetas, nem mesmo a tecnologia presente nesse universo. Quando um livro se passa em um planeta diferente ou pelo menos em mais de um, como aconteceu aqui (três, dois deles eram luas), o mínimo esperado é que eles sejam diferentes em questões científicas também. Atmosfera, gravidade, tempo de duração do dia, duração do sol ou qualquer coisa assim. Mas nesse livro, era tudo igual e a única diferença eram climas. Ou seja, fiquei com a impressão de que tinha sido escrito sobre países diferentes em um mesmo mundo, mas mudaram para dizer que era ficção científica também. Realmente, a parte de viagens entre planetas e tudo mais é completamente dispensável. É capaz de tirarem e ninguém perceber que teve diferença. Mas o que mais me incomodou nessa questão científica foi sim a tecnologia, que só existia quando convinha. Não faz o menor sentido existir um método de transmissão de informações de um planeta a outro e isso não ser algo comum nem entre pessoas que moram na mesma cidade. Como é possível ter tanta tecnologia para viajar entre planetas, mas ainda não terem um telefone? Porque a Amani em nenhum momento pensou em ligar para os seus pais ou até para o Idris. Claro que existem tablets e hologramas, mas só quando precisam ameaçá-la ou filmá-la para toda a população ver. Em qualquer outra situação dos meses dessa história, é como se essa tecnologia não existisse. E como é possível existirem câmeras sendo que uma prisioneira que se passa pela princesa nunca é filmada nem mesmo pela própria inteligência da princesa? Como podem confiar nela com tanto poder e alcance como se não fosse nada? Nem guardas ela tinha! Além de que eles viajam de naves especiais para todo lugar, mas de repente eles usam carruagens entre lugares do mesmo país! Nem para inventarem algo menor, quem sabe poderiam ter chamado de carso, carto, carro? Parando um pouco aqui para respirar fundo, mas é que isso me incomodou demais mesmo. Eu nem odiei o livro, tem coisas nele que eu gostei demais, mas a história tem mais furos do qualquer outra coisa! Outra coisa que não foi tão legal, na minha opinião, foi a ambientação. Faltou descrição de coisas menores, de diferenças mesmo. Não tenho a menor ideia de como é a lua onde ela morava. Sei como é o castelo, ela adorava explicar esse tipo de coisa, mas algumas descrições logo no começo deixaram bastante a desejar. Eu relevei, mas logo comecei a ficar confusa com a criação desse universo e dos povos de lá. Acho que faltou um pequeno glossário bem organizado no começo que teria poupado os inúmeros infodumps desconfortáveis nos primeiros capítulos. De fato, a prosa da autora está bem travada no comecinho por causa dessas coisas e, admito, cheguei ao final do livro ainda bem incerta sobre os povos, suas culturas e costumes. Lembro de alguns, mas a maioria era informação demais, lição demais no meio de uma narrativa, então acabavam passando batido. Acho que o livro inteiro teria se beneficiado de trechos fictícios de canções, lendas e até literatura desses povos como epígrafes em cada capítulo. Acho que poderia aumentar a sensação de que existe de verdade. Não, ainda não terminei de comentar tudo que me desagradou. Juro que ainda vou falar de coisas boas, mas agora é melhor eu já dizer que o enredo é fraquíssimo! A ideia começa forte, a garota que é forçada por uma princesa cruel a se passar por ela, a arriscar sua vida por ela. Mas aí ela finalmente começa a se passar pela Maram e nenhum evento, nenhum momento é realmente um risco. Para que todo o treinamento se ela não ia mesmo se arriscar com nada? Foi só um capricho da princesa? Isso tirou bastante da força dessa premissa, infelizmente. Faltaram alguns atentados, suspeitas, tiros, desespero, tropeços, algo que movimentasse a história e que também justificasse sua existência. Confesso que eu continuei lendo só por duas coisas, as duas coisas que eu amei no livro, mas vou mencionar elas depois. Antes, quero deixar claro que a leitura é bem devagar, fácil de acabar, porque é um livro pequeno e os acontecimentos são vagos e corridos. Ou seja, o pouco que acontece é meio superficial e as ideias nem amadurecem antes de já mudarem ou acontecerem de cara. É uma história pouco imersiva, quando poderia ter sido sensorial e emocionante. O maior problema do enredo, na minha opinião, é que o único momento de grande emoção ou dúvida é um que você já sabe que vai vir pelo prólogo. Não há nenhuma reviravolta inesperada, nenhuma revelação incrível, nada desse tipo. E as conclusões que os próprios personagens tomam no final não fizeram nenhum sentido. Confesso que fiquei esperando um momento de lógica ou algo surpreendente, que me fizesse ficar curiosa com a continuação, mas nunca veio. Existe ainda uma pequena chance de eu ler o próximo livro, mas seria só pelas duas coisas que amei nesse. A primeira foi a relação da Amani com a princesa, Maram. Foi muito legal ver as duas "se enfrentando", ver como elas iam se conhecendo melhor e quebrando uma a outra. Me surpreendi com a complexidade de Maram, mas tenho que admitir que tinha muito mais potencial do que foi aproveitado. Se eu parar para pensar em quantas cenas elas tiveram, por exemplo, foram poucas, mas todas eram interessantes! Acho que o livro teria se beneficiado demais de mais aprofundamento nessas partes. Ele poderia ter sido um pouco maior também e menos corrido. Outra coisa que gostei bastante foi do crescimento da Amani. Ela amadurece tanto, que foi legal de ver! Mas não é algo que amei. Amei de verdade foi o romance! O Idris é maravilhoso e ver os dois se aproximando foi lindo! A autora, quando parece mais confortável com a narrativa e não se preocupa em ficar incluindo explicações sobre o universo no qual a história se passa, escreve muito bem! É um livro cheio de passagens bonitas e tocantes, de momentos especiais! Foi um romance devagar e delicado que me deixou vidrada às vezes enquanto lia. É verdade, se tiver um romance interessante, eu leio qualquer coisa. É uma pena que essas passagens maravilhosas não fossem intercaladas com acontecimentos relevantes. Não sei se posso dizer que recomendo o livro, mas não des-recomendo também. É uma história fraca com personagens interessantes. Quem sabe um dia eu não leia o segundo mesmo assim?

Especially if you don’t read a lot or if you are getting back into reading after a long absence, Mirage is an easy book to read which doesn’t demand too much of you as a reader. The premise and world building are amazing and it is easily one of my favourite books that I’ve read this year. However, it’s easiness is also why I don’t give it 5 stars. Mirage has the potential to be a very good political intrigue book, but our POV character simply knows too much about what is going on for that, meaning that you get spoon-fed information that it would have been more satisfying to have to work out for yourself. This makes the story hard to engage with on any deeper level than casual light reading, which is a shame because the premise holds so much potential for this book to be more than it ended up being. Either way, it’s still a good book.

sci fi that reads like fantasy, with the blood and bones of a culture i love, with women who are strong... genuinely strong, not male-gaze assassin sl*ts, you know? this is beautifully written, the characters are genuine and real like... i feel like i should text Maram spoilers so she can do stuff and aaaargh! i had to stop part way through because i loved it so much and was scared of it ending! De Bodard, Harte, Daud... the divine three deities of scifi... anyway, i'd say how much you need to buy and read this but i have a sequel to read so take the hyperbole and understand that it is nothing but fact... this book is amazing! it will make your life better!