Stunning photo by @rebireads!
Hi Fairies!
Happy Monday and welcome to day 1 of our Adult readalong! We’ll be reading The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. I’m so excited to be reading this one with you, I hope you all love it!
Before we start, how are you all doing? I hope you had a wonderful weekend and got some reading and relaxing done.
Since today is day 1, we’ll be reading from the beginning to the end of Chapter 6. Get comfy and let’s get started!
When you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss the beginning of the book. Happy reading!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty from the beginning to Chapter 6. Please only read on if you have finished this section!
–!SPOILERS!-
I’m loving this intro! Really building up suspense, I need to meet Amina!
I absolutely love that Amina takes breaks from narrating to yell at Jamal. What a Queen!
Amina is out doing some innocent work, ferrying people on a small boat. Innocent until it becomes clear the people she’s ferrying have come out here to summon a daughter of the lord of hell… Unwise.
Amina makes it home to her daughter and some time passes before Marjana alerts Amina to strangers walking up the path. Amina answers the door and pretends to be a servant. Between her height, her scars and seemingly her demeanor, Salima knows she’s not the servant of the household. It becomes more clear when Marjana comes downstairs with juice and banana fritters. She’s so cute I can’t cope!
When Salima says Amina not having travelled much seems unlikely for a nakhuda, the jig is up.
Salima wants to hire the notorious Captain. Her granddaughter was kidnapped and she wants to get her back. Her granddaughter being only sixteen, it seems to hit home with Amina, having a young girl of her own to care for. Amina says she can’t get involved, she doesn’t need more enemies and she has a family to look after.
As another incentive to find Dunya, her father was one of Amina’s old crew, and he abandoned his family to go travelling. Amina proposes a counter offer, four months and a hundred thousand dinars even if she’s unsuccessful, ten thousand of which needs to be paid to her family before she leaves. It’s a deal.
Amina’s mother isn’t happy with the news of her departure. Next she has to explain her leaving to Marjana.
Ok, I love Dalila. She’s taken up pharmaceuticals, since she was a poison master, and thinks it’s similar. She’s a fave already.
I am very intrigued about how Amina talks of Marjana’s birth… Dalila was there to do what Amina couldn’t if her fears came true? What’s up with that?
Also intrigued to find out what actually happened to Asif. A lot of secrets to uncover here and I think Amina will teach us along the way!
The good news amongst these secrets, is that Dalila is on board!
They head to Aden to find the Marawati… and Tinbu. I love this. It has superb “getting the gang back together” vibes!
Tinbu is in prison, though that won’t stop him. It’s time for a heist! Of sorts anyway.
I initially thought Yusuf was a guard, but it seems he has a soft spot for Tinbu. Maybe they have another hand to help them break him out?
They come up with a rather dramatic charade that ends with them all in the prison. Well, that’s one way to get in I suppose.
Ok, I like Tinbu too. I love that his idea of legitimacy is illegal salvage.
And so, Amina has a crew.
Well, the title promised adventures, and it looks like we’re getting it!
What are your initial thoughts on the book?
Do you think Amina was right to accept the job?
Who is your favourite so far, Amina, Dalila or Tinbu?
So excited to hear your thoughts so far!
Love,
Shannon
I already got the book in my table, but won’t be able to start reading until later this evening. I am looking forward to the book. And I could resist reading anything you had to say about the book so far.
Okay, wow! Where to start.
First, I already love Amina. She’s a tough woman, who stands before an even tougher decision. As a mom myself, I know how hard it is, to leave your kid behind to do something that will benefit their lives. No, don’t worry, I always come home every day.
And can we talk about who, or should I say what Marjana father was, if he wasn’t human?
Gosh, there are so many great characters already and I can’t wait to dive deeper into the story. I am also very curious of Amina’s past and all her adventures and possible failures.
Dalila and Tinbu seem to play along with the whole plot very well so far.
I’m for sure loving dalilas vibes !
So many secrets to uncover looking forward to the rest, I feel like it’s just starting to get good by this point ?
Love love love that this book is being told from a biographer writing about Amina. I can already see these cute moments between Jamal and Amina being a highlight of the book.
I am super interested to see what kind of magic will be in this series. Marjana’s father is..something for sure after talk of her ‘feeling’ as well as Dalila’s comments. Lots of mysteries to uncover.
I feel like Amina should totally have accepted the job. Its a crazy amount of money to not even complete the job in full. This adventure can only lead to problems but what kind of story would it be if it didn’t.
I am loving Dalila so so much! The fact that she stripped the guards completely down! Goodness, wonderful thorough lady. Tinbu seems like he will be fun in these upcoming chapters. I’m excited to see where this book goes.
Wow, i loved this intro and I’m so excited to see where this will go. I’m a little scared and anxious for her daughter’s sake, and not sure if I feel like it was the right thing to take the job. At the same time, I do think i understand why. And I wonder if we will know what happened to Salimas son. It’s so many secrets now. And I just want to know more! See you tomorrow
I am loving amina she got some grit to her. I think the posioner makes for an interesting addition to the crew. What an adventure we will have.
What are your initial thoughts on the book?
I really like it so far! I like how the past is peppered in and I have just enough questions that I want answers, but am still able to pay attention.
Do you think Amina was right to accept the job?
I do think that she was right to take it. Her family needs the money and she needed the adventure.
Who is your favourite so far, Amina, Dalila or Tinbu?
I think Dalila is my favourite. I feel like she is going to make me laugh often.
What are your initial thoughts on the book?
I really like Amina. I am curious about her back story and I think we may get pieces of it in this book but I feel like a lot will be left to be discovered.
Do you think Amina was right to accept the job?
I do. I think to deal with the past of Dunya’s father she will have to rescue Dunya to learn more about the life he left behind.
Who is your favourite so far, Amina, Dalila or Tinbu?
Amina all the way.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well! I enjoyed the extra day off for the Easter weekend and had a very relaxing few days full of reading and eggs haha.
1. I am intrigued and curious to see where the story will take us. I also hadn’t expected Amina to be a mom, but I really like the idea that it isn’t a younger adult in her twenties who goes on these adventures.
2. I do believe she was right to take the job, especially because of what it can bring for her family when she gets the reward. I also believe she took it not only because of the money, but because she loves the see and her ship. I do wonder if she should be more cautious. If someone is willing to pay that much and so little is known, I feel like it’s not the whole truth. I feel like there is more to the child being kidnapped and who’s behind it.
3. I don’t really have a favourite, although I really like Dalila! Tinbu, I feel like I should get to know a bit more.
I am loving this book so far, Amina seems like such a girl boss <3 I think she was right to take the job, I'm looking forward to finding out more about Dunya's father. Dalila is my favourite so far :))
What are your initial thoughts on the book?
It’s starting off strong! I find that I really enjoy Amina’s religious observance, I think it makes the book a little more immersive right off the bat. I’ve been in a real book hangover ever since finishing A Day of Fallen Night and I think this is going to be the book that frees me!
Do you think Amina was right to accept the job?
I think we need some more details on what happened between Amina and Asif. I’m getting the feeling she killed him, but I’m not sure if it was a mercy killing or retribution for something he did. Ultimately, I think Amina would never regret saving the life of a young girl so I think she made the right choice.
Who is your favourite so far, Amina, Dalila or Tinbu?
Love love love Dalila. As an introverted chemist, she is everything I aspire to be (maybe with a little less killing). I love her innovative mind, her quiet faith, and how she’s obviously the kind of friend where you can pick up right where you left off no matter how long it’s been.
I’m a little late and I won’t be able to read the book in 5 days (it took me so long to read 100 pages in English) but I must say that I’m really enjoying it so far. I love that we have an older MC and I can’t wait to see where her next adventure take us 😀
This book is definitely delivering on adventure, and we haven’t even set sail yet! I think Amina chose what was best for her to do, for her. Not that it’s right or wrong, it’s a grey area and she seems aware of the risks with her fecisiy. My favorite character is Dalila, the wonderful mistress of poisons!
I’m loving Amina as a main character! It’s very refreshing to see an older female protagonist with a child who still goes on adventures. I also really like Dalila and her thoroughness ? I’m suspecting Marjana’s father is a djinn? Since I thought this book was set in the same universe as Daevabad? Looking forward to the start of their quest!
I’m really enjoying the story so far. Amina iis a a character who are brave and cared for her friends more than herself. I cannot wait to see more of her adventures and how this will end.
This is an interesting way of writing. It’s funny when Amina gets interrupted in her story to reply to the Jamal & has to get back into again. (Having 4 kids under 10 & also having 3 siblings myself, interrupted storytelling is relatable. ?) So, her daughter’s father was something more than human, so she might be a well? Interesting. I’m dying at everything unfolding & Amina’s recruits.
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) What are your initial thoughts on the book?
2.) Do you think Amina was right to accept the job?
3.) Who is your favourite so far, Amina, Dalila or Tinbu?
A:
1.) I’m liking it. It’s an ever-growing slow train wreck with mythical figures & badass women.
2.) It’s a tough call, but I can’t fault her for accepting. She even set up parameters & escape clauses to make it back to her daughter & family.
3.) Probably Dalila. She’s spunky.
I know I’m late to the conversation so I hope to catch up really soon!
First off, I’m already loving how characters are introduced!
I also already love Amina, strong and a protagonist I feel I can connect with having children of my own, I can see how hard it is to leave them to benefit them in the long run. So I think she was right to take the job.
I can’t wait to devour the rest of this book!
Instagram handle is @miza.reads
https://instagram.com/miza.reads?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
i was busy this week unfortunately, but i’m excited to join now!
my thoughts while reading:
– i was not expecting our hero to be a mom! neat!
my answers to the questions:
– i think it’s really cool that this follows not only a pirate, but a pirate MOM! and i love when the mc is “retired” but then gets back to the old grind lol
– honestly i would’ve had trouble turning down the job, so i can’t blame her.
– i think amina is my fav so far 🙂
I’m behind with my reading this month so I’ve only just finished this section!
1. I’m really liking the story so far! Love the fact that the MC is so different from the books I normally read, i.e. she’s older, retired and a mother, I’m finding it really refreshing! Also love the banter between Jamal and Amina in the biography, and like that it doesn’t feel too “non-fictional” because the story just sucks you in! My mind is already whirring with questions about Marjana and her father, and Asif, as well.
2. She definitely made the right decision! It’s a life changing amount of money and, as a mother herself, there’s no way she’d not help to find a teenage girl! I also think she needed the adventure after a decade of being stuck on land and secluded.
3. Amina is my favourite character so far, but I can see Dalila taking over that spot the more she’s in the story!