I've only been getting into middle grade books recently, but this one is already one of my favourites! Of not wanting to fall into another trap of servitude which preys on children, their naivety, their hope, and their love. Khan has done a brilliant job in capturing both her boldness and the naivety she has about the world and I really valued the subtler message on the importance of education that is brought into the narrative as we follow her on her journey in this story too. Based in Pakistan today, using the traditional Muslim tales of jinn that are timeless, Khan creates a fantasy adventure that can also help today’s child appreciate the inequalities and the dangers of modern life for those less fortunate than themselves.

This book is a perfect remedy for anyone who is suffering from Studio Ghibli withdrawal and needs to be immersed in a spectacularly detail-rich world immediately.While written in first-person present, it flowed so naturally that it took several chapters for me to even realize that it wasn't in past tense like what I usually read. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. I’m so glad that I decided to pick this one up, it was an absolute joy to read this brilliant story! Nura is a fabulous heroine; a determined young girl who undergoes her own transformation as she realizes the true priorities in life are not what you have but who you have in your life. When Nura falls into the world of the jinn she’s transported to the Sijj Palace, a colourful place which is filled with trickster jinn of all kinds and she soon finds herself enjoying all the pleasures the palace has to offer including endless food, dancing, gambling and more.

Guiding us into a mysterious and glitzy world of jinn, serving us sweet bites of gulab jamun, all while shedding light on the chilling reality of child labor in our world, Khan's debut is one that will linger with me long after turning the last page. An epic adventure into the world of the jinn which is best enjoyed with a plate of jalebi or gulab jamun. T. Khan tells a bold tale that challenges greed and inequality as the tough and clever Nura fights the odds from the mica mines of rural Pakistan to a realm of jinn and magic.Across a pink sea and under a purple sky, she finds her way to a palace, where great riches and a whole new life are on offer.

We’re introduced to the world of the jinn and the hotel Nura and other kids are stuck in and the magical nature is brought to life by M. But mining is difficult work and soon Nura digs too far, causing the mine to collapse, trapping several children below the ground. Nura, despite her humble origin, rises up to take on all the illusions and deceits of the immortal mischief-makers, and through her trials Khan presents a powerful view of the world we live in, where injustice and subjugation of the poor and powerless is as cruel and destructive as anything a djinni could conjure up.

Nura is 12 years old and has worked all her life in the mica mines, hoping to someday find a legendary buried treasure: the Demon's Tongue. because of her actions, the mine collapsed, her friends buried under, going missing and landing up at the jinn hotel. Although Nura dismisses this offhand to begin with as the story progresses she quickly realises that actually education is important. What makes this book unique and different from the other books is that it treads on much darker themes carefully while also making it action-packed and a worthy read. The author does a remarkable job of handling the various tonal shifts balancing the lighthearted moments with the darker serious moments.