Nura and the Immortal Palace - M.T. Khan

-

Author: M.T. Khan

Genre: Children's Fantasy.
Rating: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: A children’s fantasy from the Indian subcontinent – what a welcome change and a novel experience!

Story Synopsis:
Twelve year old Nura works in a mica mine for long hours. She is determined to find a legendary treasure known as ‘The Demon’s Tongue’, and thus provide respite to her widowed mother and four younger siblings from the drudgery of poverty and struggle. However, one day, she gets too carried away while digging and ends up triggering a collapse in the mines, resulting in some of the child labourers, including her best friend Faisal, being declared dead. Nura is determined to save her friend, but in attempting this rescue, she lands up through a portal in the world of the jinn. Is Faisal here? Is the ‘Demon’s Tongue’ here? Can Nura save herself and her friend from the evil jinn?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Nura.

Most of the children’s books I have read in my childhood had some or all of the following: Magical adventures; Best friends and squabbling but sweet siblings; Excitement for Christmas; biblical values; cakes and pies; pretty dresses for parties; elves/gnomes. The first two elements remain the same in this book but the rest transform into an experience closer to home: excitement for Eid; Islamic values; gulab jamuns, lehengas and jinn! I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to read a children's book with the protagonist drooling for gulab jamuns. The fact that this was set in a rural village in Pakistan made its freshness even more appealing.

Nura and Faisal’s characters are created very well. Nura’s aggressive nature balances Faisal’s demure spirit. This was again a nice change, seeing the girl protagonist in charge while the boy follows her lead.

The descriptions of the jinn realm were astounding. The Sijj hotel had vibes of Las Vegas, but its realms were complicated. The author doesn’t take her little readers for granted nor does she spoonfeed them – that’s for sure. The writing is intricate and incorporates many atmospheric flourishes, making you feel one with Nura and Faisal in wanting to escape from the jinn realm.

There are so many memories the book triggered in my head – Spirited Away (for the portal realm), Journey to the Centre of the Earth (the underground world), Hotel Magnifique (a legendary magical hotel with VIP guests and enslaved labourers). The book does justice to almost all the expectations it creates through these parallels.

Though a middle grade fiction, the book doesn’t go all light and fluffy. There are several dark themes and important topics such as the value of education and the prevalence of child labour. The author’s note at the end casts further light on these topics and is a must-read.

All in all, a fabulous magical adventure with ‘desi’ vibes and an important message as well. Definitely a yes. I’d love to read more books by this young Pakistani author. You’ve earned yourself a fan in India. 💕

My thanks to Walker Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Nura and the Immortal Palace”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Takeout Sushi - Christopher Green - ★★★★

-
Image
  AUTHOR: Christopher Green GENRE: Contemporary Short Story Collection, Japanese Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE:  May 2, 2024 RATING: 3.9  stars. In a Nutshell: An interesting collection of stories, with most of them set in Japan. Loved the writing style and enjoyed the diverse emotions. Much recommended! This story collection has, as the title suggests, a strong Japanese flavour. So let me begin by confessing that I am not a fan of Japanese literature. Most Japanese fiction that I tried hasn’t suited my reading tastes, so I generally keep away from this genre. The reason I picked this collection up is... No, no, the sushi had no role to play in my decision; I can’t stand even the thought of sushi! The reason I wanted to read this is that the author is NOT a Japanese! 😁 I know this sounds quite silly to declare, but had the author been Japanese, I would have resisted opting for this. But by virtue of his being an “outsider”, I thought it was a great opportunity to get a look at Japan witho
Read More»

Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales - Catherine Cawthorne - ★★★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Catherine Cawthorne ILLUSTRATOR: Sara Ogilvie GENRE: Children's Nonfiction PUBLICATION DATE: April 25, 2024 RATING: 5 sparkly, scientifically accurate stars. In a Nutshell: This book and I were a match made in book heaven! Loved the approach that combines humour and logic to debunk the sillier elements of some fairy tales. Strongly recommended! I enjoy fairy tales. I love scientific thinking. I adore logic. I relish humour. Seeing all four of these together in a single work was almost a “bookgasmic” moment for me! 😆 Had the book not delivered on any of these factors, I might still have been happy reading it. But the content not only reaches but also surpasses the promise made by the title and cover. All of us know that there are several logically impossible elements in fairy tales. In childhood, we might have oohed and awwwed at the stories without overthinking the practicalities. In adulthood, we might have cringed at the gender bias, wealth bias, and the lack of conse
Read More»

The Great Divide - Cristina Henríquez - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Cristina Henríquez GENRE: Historical Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: March 5, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary fiction focussed on Panama during the time of the construction of the Panama Canal. Note that this isn’t a book directly about the canal or its construction, but about the people connected to the canal in some way or the other during that period. A great book if you go in with the right expectations and enjoy character-oriented fiction. Plot Preview: 1907, Panama. Francisco, a Panamanian fisherman, hates the commercialisation of his country under the foreigners, and hence resents his son Omar’s joining the canal construction crew. Omar, however, wants to learn and earn more than his little village can offer him. Sixteen-year-old Ada has heard about Panama having many jobs. She has stowed away to Panama, hoping to get some work and earn enough for her ailing sister’s surgery back in Barbados. Her mother Lucille, a tailor, doesn’t yet know of her ru
Read More»

Red Runs the Witch's Thread - Victoria Williamson - ★★★★

-
Image
  AUTHOR: Victoria Williamson GENRE: Historical Fiction, Horror. RATING:  4 stars. In a Nutshell: A psychological horror inspired by the last witch burning in Scotland in 1697. A disturbing yet compelling read. I wanted more closure at the end for my own peace of mind, but other than that, this was a satisfying book. Recommended! Plot Preview: 1722. Paisley, Scotland. Thirty-seven-year-old widow Christian Shaw is obsessed with perfecting her thread bleaching process. She wants to make the thread the purest white, so it can sell better and restore their family fortunes. In the absence of any male family members, it is up to her as the eldest daughter to ensure the security of their house, her mother and two younger sisters, and her late father’s social position as the laird (landowner.)  However, Christian’s mind is troubled. With the 25th anniversary of the witch burnings of 1697 approaching, Christian’s thoughts go frequently to the past, and to the role she played in the burning of s
Read More»

Making Up the Gods - Marion Agnew - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Marion Agnew GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2023 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An indie drama with some quirky characters and a great setting in Lake Superior, Canada. Mellow in tone, genuine in content, thought-provoking in themes. I enjoyed this unusual novel. Plot Preview: Simone, almost 70, is a retired widow who lives an isolated life in her cottage on the banks of Lake Superior and still misses her husband, though he’s been dead for five years. While she is now active in her local church and finds solace in baking for those grieving, she is fiercely protective of her privacy. But when the local reverend asks her to take care of nine-year-old Chen while his widowed mother goes on a much-needed trip, Simone finds it tough to refuse a fellow-mourning widow. Just before Chen arrives, a stranger named Martin knocks at Simone’s door, claiming to be her cousin. Simone is suddenly handling two strangers at once, and she worries that they will dis
Read More»