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The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories
A fascinating collection of new and classic tales of the fearsome Djinn, from bestselling, award-winning and breakthrough international writers.
Imagine a world filled with fierce, fiery beings, hiding in our shadows, in our dreams, under our skins. Eavesdropping and exploring; savaging our bodies, saving our souls. They are monsters, saviours, victims, childhood friends.
Some have called them genies: these are the Djinn. And they are everywhere. On street corners, behind the wheel of a taxi, in the chorus, between the pages of books. Every language has a word for them. Every culture knows their traditions. Every religion, every history has them hiding in their dark places. There is no part of the world that does not know them.
They are the Djinn. They are among us.
With stories from: Nnedi Okorafor, Neil Gaiman, Amal El-Mohtar, Catherine King, Claire North, E.J. Swift, Hermes (trans. Robin Moger), Jamal Mahjoub, James Smythe, J.Y. Yang, Kamila Shamsie, Kirsty Logan, K.J. Parker, Kuzhali Manickavel, Maria Dahvana Headley, Monica Byrne, Saad Hossein, Sami Shah, Sophia Al-Maria and Usman Malik.
Imagine a world filled with fierce, fiery beings, hiding in our shadows, in our dreams, under our skins. Eavesdropping and exploring; savaging our bodies, saving our souls. They are monsters, saviours, victims, childhood friends.
Some have called them genies: these are the Djinn. And they are everywhere. On street corners, behind the wheel of a taxi, in the chorus, between the pages of books. Every language has a word for them. Every culture knows their traditions. Every religion, every history has them hiding in their dark places. There is no part of the world that does not know them.
They are the Djinn. They are among us.
With stories from: Nnedi Okorafor, Neil Gaiman, Amal El-Mohtar, Catherine King, Claire North, E.J. Swift, Hermes (trans. Robin Moger), Jamal Mahjoub, James Smythe, J.Y. Yang, Kamila Shamsie, Kirsty Logan, K.J. Parker, Kuzhali Manickavel, Maria Dahvana Headley, Monica Byrne, Saad Hossein, Sami Shah, Sophia Al-Maria and Usman Malik.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2017
386 people are currently reading
5040 people want to read
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April 29, 2017
“Indeed We created man from dried clay of black smooth mud. And We created the Jinn before that from the smokeless flame of fire.” (Quran 15:26-27)
As a Muslim, lore for me has been rather different than the lore you might have grown up with. Of course there are no such things as vampires, werewolves, tooth-fairies, or poltergeists, but Jinn? Jinn are real. Some in Pakistan say they dwell at the tops of trees, some use them as a means to caution children to not play outside past sunset. Don’t pick up random things on the street – they might belong to the Jinn, and they’ll get mad if you steal from them, and they’ll never leave you alone. I can’t speak for much, but I can speak for Pakistan – there, Jinn are often the stuff of nightmares. They change their face, they latch onto you and make you do unthinkable things. Not unlike demons in exorcism movies, actually.
But then there are those that say that Jinn are just like men; they can be categorized plainly as good or bad. There are Jinn who are good Muslims, just like there are men who are good Muslims. They pray five times a day, they spend their lives in loyalty and devotion to Allah, and they live side-by-side to men. Hell, there might be one sitting right next to you while you read this, but he’s a good Jinn. He won’t bother you.
Sometimes I forget how diverse of a religion Islam is. From the 22 million Muslims living in China to the millions upon millions living in South Asia, from the Middle East to Africa to Europe and North America. Islam is followed by nearly 25% of the world’s population, scattered all over the globe. Religion, much like everything else, is saturated by culture – hence, much of the lore is saturated by the culture of the person reading it, the setting, the practices, the history. Like I said, Jinn in Pakistan are usually seen as nightmarish beings, but in other places, they’re seen as magical superior beings who have powers that men do not, while in other places, they’re seen as common entities that you just don’t happen to see – like the air around you.
The Djinn Falls in Love was a reminder of the diversity of Islam, and the Muslims that practice it. And, in some cases, the people who don’t practice Islam at all, yet they encounter Jinn anyway. This is the epitome of a diverse book; each and every story teaches you something different about the part of the world it is set in, something different about a culture that you might not have been familiar with. From futuristic dystopian Bangladesh to the outskirts of rural Pakistan to the rainy streets of New York City and even something set in outer space. From Jinn who are separated half-brothers, to business partners, to taxi drivers, to lovers, to best friends, to horrors who will possess your soul. The collection presents the Jinn in a vast, creative manner that will leave you itching to find out more about an entity that has the ability to manifest itself in any way that it chooses.
There’s a story in this collection for everyone. If you enjoy angsty paranormal romances, “Majnun” by Helene Wecker might appeal to you – the story of a young man, now an exorcist, who had a female Jinn for a lover. If you enjoy spiritual tales about brotherhood, “The Congregation” by Shamila Shamsie may make you weep. Fancy some fantasy with traditional Middle Eastern royalty and magic rings and portals? Check out “Hurrem and the Djinn” by Claire North. Space stories tinged with a shade of horror? “Duende 2077” by Jamal Mahjoub. There is something in this collection that will appeal to you, regardless of your genre preference or technical literature preferences.
But despite hosting stories from heavy-weights in the industry like Kamila Shamsie (who is perhaps the most prominent contemporary Pakistani writer of our time), Nnedi Okorafor (author of Binti), Helene Wecker (the critically acclaimed writer who penned The Golem and the Jinni), and Neil Gaiman (who is the master of fantasy and lore), the stories that really stand out are others’.
Perhaps my favorite short story of all-time (note, I said all-time, not just in this collection) was “Reap” by Sami Shah, involving a team at a base flying US drones near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They’re preparing to bomb the region, waiting on orders, but spend their time surveilling the four or five houses in that region. And one night, they see something terrifying – a little girl, resident of one of these houses, is doing unimaginable things, inhuman things. I read this story a while ago, and I’m still reeling from its impact. It’s spine-chillingly horrifying, the stuff of nightmares, given the vivid imagery and the dense writing – a Jinn story in true Pakistani fashion. But more than that, it offers some of the most subtly wonderful political commentary I have ever read in any book, let alone a short story. About the senselessness of performing warfare, dropping bombs on rural areas while sitting behind a console, drinking coffee and joking around with your friends. How it might feel if a predator came after you just as you send a different sort of predator to someone else- a predator you don’t understand, can’t see, and can’t reach. It’s an incredible, incredible story that I would suggest everyone read, even if they read nothing else from the book at all.
Another favorite was “Bring Your Own Spoon” by Saad Z. Hossain, which is a futuristic dystopian story set in Bangladesh, where the city of Dhaka is divided into zones. Hanu lives in one of these zones, where food is scarce and poverty is rampant. One day, Hanu and a Jinn named Imbidor arrive at an agreement; they’ll establish their own restaurant for the people living in what they call The Fringe. Despite being a short story, “Bring Your Own Spoon” is nothing short of a masterpiece, with beautifully crafted characters, an incredibly developed dystopian world and a plot that you’ll keep up with as if you’re watching an especially enticing movie. It’s imaginative, it’s different, and it’s captivating.
But despite having some standouts, many of the stories fell flat for me – some that I felt were trying to do too much with too little, some where the lore didn’t seem as established as in others, and some that just didn’t appeal to me with their thematic elements. All-in-all, despite some cold stories, it’s a worthy addition to your bookshelf, and a book that anybody who advocates for diversity in literature needs to pick up. It is truly diverse, in the very sense of the word.
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As a Muslim, lore for me has been rather different than the lore you might have grown up with. Of course there are no such things as vampires, werewolves, tooth-fairies, or poltergeists, but Jinn? Jinn are real. Some in Pakistan say they dwell at the tops of trees, some use them as a means to caution children to not play outside past sunset. Don’t pick up random things on the street – they might belong to the Jinn, and they’ll get mad if you steal from them, and they’ll never leave you alone. I can’t speak for much, but I can speak for Pakistan – there, Jinn are often the stuff of nightmares. They change their face, they latch onto you and make you do unthinkable things. Not unlike demons in exorcism movies, actually.
But then there are those that say that Jinn are just like men; they can be categorized plainly as good or bad. There are Jinn who are good Muslims, just like there are men who are good Muslims. They pray five times a day, they spend their lives in loyalty and devotion to Allah, and they live side-by-side to men. Hell, there might be one sitting right next to you while you read this, but he’s a good Jinn. He won’t bother you.
Sometimes I forget how diverse of a religion Islam is. From the 22 million Muslims living in China to the millions upon millions living in South Asia, from the Middle East to Africa to Europe and North America. Islam is followed by nearly 25% of the world’s population, scattered all over the globe. Religion, much like everything else, is saturated by culture – hence, much of the lore is saturated by the culture of the person reading it, the setting, the practices, the history. Like I said, Jinn in Pakistan are usually seen as nightmarish beings, but in other places, they’re seen as magical superior beings who have powers that men do not, while in other places, they’re seen as common entities that you just don’t happen to see – like the air around you.
The Djinn Falls in Love was a reminder of the diversity of Islam, and the Muslims that practice it. And, in some cases, the people who don’t practice Islam at all, yet they encounter Jinn anyway. This is the epitome of a diverse book; each and every story teaches you something different about the part of the world it is set in, something different about a culture that you might not have been familiar with. From futuristic dystopian Bangladesh to the outskirts of rural Pakistan to the rainy streets of New York City and even something set in outer space. From Jinn who are separated half-brothers, to business partners, to taxi drivers, to lovers, to best friends, to horrors who will possess your soul. The collection presents the Jinn in a vast, creative manner that will leave you itching to find out more about an entity that has the ability to manifest itself in any way that it chooses.
There’s a story in this collection for everyone. If you enjoy angsty paranormal romances, “Majnun” by Helene Wecker might appeal to you – the story of a young man, now an exorcist, who had a female Jinn for a lover. If you enjoy spiritual tales about brotherhood, “The Congregation” by Shamila Shamsie may make you weep. Fancy some fantasy with traditional Middle Eastern royalty and magic rings and portals? Check out “Hurrem and the Djinn” by Claire North. Space stories tinged with a shade of horror? “Duende 2077” by Jamal Mahjoub. There is something in this collection that will appeal to you, regardless of your genre preference or technical literature preferences.
But despite hosting stories from heavy-weights in the industry like Kamila Shamsie (who is perhaps the most prominent contemporary Pakistani writer of our time), Nnedi Okorafor (author of Binti), Helene Wecker (the critically acclaimed writer who penned The Golem and the Jinni), and Neil Gaiman (who is the master of fantasy and lore), the stories that really stand out are others’.
Perhaps my favorite short story of all-time (note, I said all-time, not just in this collection) was “Reap” by Sami Shah, involving a team at a base flying US drones near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They’re preparing to bomb the region, waiting on orders, but spend their time surveilling the four or five houses in that region. And one night, they see something terrifying – a little girl, resident of one of these houses, is doing unimaginable things, inhuman things. I read this story a while ago, and I’m still reeling from its impact. It’s spine-chillingly horrifying, the stuff of nightmares, given the vivid imagery and the dense writing – a Jinn story in true Pakistani fashion. But more than that, it offers some of the most subtly wonderful political commentary I have ever read in any book, let alone a short story. About the senselessness of performing warfare, dropping bombs on rural areas while sitting behind a console, drinking coffee and joking around with your friends. How it might feel if a predator came after you just as you send a different sort of predator to someone else- a predator you don’t understand, can’t see, and can’t reach. It’s an incredible, incredible story that I would suggest everyone read, even if they read nothing else from the book at all.
Another favorite was “Bring Your Own Spoon” by Saad Z. Hossain, which is a futuristic dystopian story set in Bangladesh, where the city of Dhaka is divided into zones. Hanu lives in one of these zones, where food is scarce and poverty is rampant. One day, Hanu and a Jinn named Imbidor arrive at an agreement; they’ll establish their own restaurant for the people living in what they call The Fringe. Despite being a short story, “Bring Your Own Spoon” is nothing short of a masterpiece, with beautifully crafted characters, an incredibly developed dystopian world and a plot that you’ll keep up with as if you’re watching an especially enticing movie. It’s imaginative, it’s different, and it’s captivating.
But despite having some standouts, many of the stories fell flat for me – some that I felt were trying to do too much with too little, some where the lore didn’t seem as established as in others, and some that just didn’t appeal to me with their thematic elements. All-in-all, despite some cold stories, it’s a worthy addition to your bookshelf, and a book that anybody who advocates for diversity in literature needs to pick up. It is truly diverse, in the very sense of the word.
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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March 14, 2017
Wonderfully immersive and original stories.
This collection was unlike most books I have read in recent years. Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin collected wonderful stories from all over the world showcasting the different types of Djinns (or Jinns, or Genies or whatever you would like to call them); this diversity of authors made for a really ecclectic and amazing collection. The stories told are unique and still relatable; every author brings something different to the table and every story is a surprise. While I enjoyed some stories more than others, every single one of the stories was a great addition to the overall collection.
I especially loved reading about the different myths relating to djinns and how that influenced how they were portrayed. To be perfectly honest, when I hear the word "djinn" I automatically think of Aladdin - the djinns in these stories were very different to that. Some djinns were nasty, some were misunderstood, some were really lovely, and some were maybe no djinns at all.
What I loved most were the stories set in the future - the worlds these authors created were without fail totally different from what I usually encounter in dystopian or sci-fi stories and I really appreciated that. It made me think about what we take for granted in literature and how that can be challenged and be made original again. I am so used to seeing Western authors use the genre to criticize their societies, that I never stopped to think about the fact that authors from all over the world can use dystopian literature to tell their stories and their critiques and that these stories will vastly differ from my usual fair.
Overall, I can whole-heartedly recommend this collection! It made me think, it made me feel, and it showed me lots of authors I never heard about but want to read more from.
___
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Rebellion in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
This collection was unlike most books I have read in recent years. Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin collected wonderful stories from all over the world showcasting the different types of Djinns (or Jinns, or Genies or whatever you would like to call them); this diversity of authors made for a really ecclectic and amazing collection. The stories told are unique and still relatable; every author brings something different to the table and every story is a surprise. While I enjoyed some stories more than others, every single one of the stories was a great addition to the overall collection.
I especially loved reading about the different myths relating to djinns and how that influenced how they were portrayed. To be perfectly honest, when I hear the word "djinn" I automatically think of Aladdin - the djinns in these stories were very different to that. Some djinns were nasty, some were misunderstood, some were really lovely, and some were maybe no djinns at all.
What I loved most were the stories set in the future - the worlds these authors created were without fail totally different from what I usually encounter in dystopian or sci-fi stories and I really appreciated that. It made me think about what we take for granted in literature and how that can be challenged and be made original again. I am so used to seeing Western authors use the genre to criticize their societies, that I never stopped to think about the fact that authors from all over the world can use dystopian literature to tell their stories and their critiques and that these stories will vastly differ from my usual fair.
Overall, I can whole-heartedly recommend this collection! It made me think, it made me feel, and it showed me lots of authors I never heard about but want to read more from.
___
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Rebellion in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
April 19, 2017
***Note: I received a copy curtesy of Netgalley and Solaris / Rebellion Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
A wide variety of short tales featuring very different types of djinns/jinns/genies, some anchored in reality, some in mysticism, others SF-ish. Some authors I already knew and read before, some I didn't even hear about, but I would check some more works from most of them.
Below, each of the stories rated with its own stars and a few words of each.
The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes (trans. Robin Moger) - 3/5★
The poem begins lovely, but its continuation eluded me..
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie - 4.5/5★
A very interesting mix between mythology, fantasy and Islamic culture, featuring a boy searching for his other half. The imagery and the allegories are superbe!
A mysterious story with Indian flavour, about cruelty, mistakes and regret.
Turkish delights written by a dear to me author, in her intimate and revealing style. Did I mention how much I love her beginnings and the the way she interacts with the reader, how the reading experience is transformed into a confidence or a dialogue?
Would have been interesting if further developed. In its current form, it lacks in plot..
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 2/5★
Something with sex and porn movies, I didn’t get this one..
Majnun by Helene Wecker- 4/5★
An islamic story about a (former?) jinn who, due to a religious crisis, now exorcises jinni out of people.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 4/5★
Longest and most complex so far, alternating present/past events, different storylines and jogling with a mix between gold rush, Wild West, genies and Tales of 1001 Arabian Nights. It reminded me a lot of Catherynne M. Valente’s style in Six-Gun Snow White.
Even if at first I was reluctant, it caught my attention along the way, although I’m not sure I really understood it..
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar - 3/5★
Wizard-nation hunts sparrow, reincarnated into crow, reincarnated into cormorant, reincarnated into hummingbird… Poetic, but I didn't really get why it was included in this collection.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe - 4.5/5★
This one was really good! And it got even better on a second read. It’s about a guy who finds THE magic lamp and tries to outsmart the trickster genie inside. I loved the different scenarios, the moral issues it raises, the whole living for the next life thing.
A strange mix of reality and ghost-revenge horror movie script: during a long distance drone surveillance of a potential terrorist group in Pakistan, a US military unit witnesses some surreal and disturbing events. Very good writing!
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King- 4.5/5★
Kind of cryptic, just hints of what might be, about a twelve year old girl who has memories that are not really her own.
The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E.J. Swift- 4/5★
A spaceship set for Mars/Ganymede is highjacked by djinns, and a jinn hunter's apprentice comes to investigate and solve the matter - very interesting concept.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker- 4.5/5★
Set in the Middle Ages, a scholar is chosen to decide the future of humanity during an epidemic: another long-dead scholar left a tome and a bottle labeled "For the plague", but was he well intended or evil-minded? is there a cure in the bottle or an even worse strain of the plague, that could end everything? How can he make a decision when both options seem equally viable?
Almost forgot how much I like K.J. Parker’s writing, I clearly must read some more of his works soon!
Seeming at first just another dystopian future, this short story leaves you thinking at segregation and the few rich oppressing the many poor and the importance of community. A new side of the jinn is featured, more human than even some humans.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 4.5/5★
Very good written, excellent characterization, clearly I must read American Gods, see if I also like it.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Majoub - 4/5★
In a dystopian future, where the capitalism failed and died, all the world(?) is now is an Islamic Caliphate - interesting concept, good execution, a little too cryptic.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 3/5★
This was rather shocking, set in an islamic(?) family, where a newlywed man with several issues believes his wife is possessed because she knows a little too much (in his opinion) about sex.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan - 3/5★
Is the ability to fulfil wishes a gift or a curse? You can be sure of the answer when the one wishing is an evil person, looking for revenge.
I expected something better here, the writing is good, the idea interesting, but I feel I missed something..
History by Nnedi Okorafor - 3.5/5★
The story of History, the most famous singer-dancer in the world, who manages to enthrall both humans and magical creatures with her art, coming from her own exquisite talent, enhanced even more by a bush baby’s magic. It is interesting enough, though quite mystical and with a little too many magical cretures for my tastes.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection very much and I would recommend it to fantasy and magic literature lovers. A total rating of 3.8, rounded up to 4 stars.
P.S.1. I was under the impression, from TOR’s site, that there was one more story included ( Time is a Teacher by Nada Adel Sobhi), but I didn’t find it in my collection.
P.S.2. Just as a mention: although in some collections there are also works you can read online, I didn't find any of the stories here on the internet, as far as I can tell, all of them are written especially for this anthology.
A wide variety of short tales featuring very different types of djinns/jinns/genies, some anchored in reality, some in mysticism, others SF-ish. Some authors I already knew and read before, some I didn't even hear about, but I would check some more works from most of them.
Below, each of the stories rated with its own stars and a few words of each.
The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes (trans. Robin Moger) - 3/5★
The poem begins lovely, but its continuation eluded me..
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie - 4.5/5★
A very interesting mix between mythology, fantasy and Islamic culture, featuring a boy searching for his other half. The imagery and the allegories are superbe!
When they were rewarded with the child they’d previously been unable to have, they brought the clothes their infants wore in the first weeks of their lives and hung them on the branches of the tree in thanks. All this Qasim knew, though it was too dark to see anything but the outlines of branches – little torsos impaled on them, arms hanging limply. There was still no breeze.How We Remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel - 4/5★
The jinns could enter the realms of angels and hear them discussing the future, and bring back news to the fortune teller of what was yet to happen. […] Of course the angels didn’t like it when the jinn did this, and if they saw a jinn eavesdropping on them they would hurl a thunderbolt at the jinn – to human eyes, it looked like stars streaking across the skies.
A mysterious story with Indian flavour, about cruelty, mistakes and regret.
We remember your magic. Maybe that is the obvious thing to remember about you. We never tell anyone about it, though, not even each other, because it is hard to talk about now that we are older. […] But mostly, whenever I remember you, I am sorry. I am sorry for what happened. I’m sorry for not opening the door. […]And I remember everything.Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North - 4.5/5★
Turkish delights written by a dear to me author, in her intimate and revealing style. Did I mention how much I love her beginnings and the the way she interacts with the reader, how the reading experience is transformed into a confidence or a dialogue?
It’s not my place to gossip... Oh, go on, then, you forced it out of me!Glass Lights by JY Yang - 3/5★
Do you know the tapestry in the style of the Chinese dragon that hangs near the armoury of the second courtyard... yes, there, behind that, did you know there was a door? Ah – few do, but I heard it from... ... anyway, open that door of great, black wood, that makes not a sound as it slides across smooth stone, and descend down, down, down.
[...] these are mothers of Sultans yet to come – but of all their children, only one will be king. What mother would not protect her child? And so they play a game, these beautiful, graceful would-be-queens, with the savagery of the lioness protecting her cubs, and moonlight smiles.
All most people wish for is more, wishing forever until tongues are parched and hearts are tired of beating. Love is a kind of wish.
Would have been interesting if further developed. In its current form, it lacks in plot..
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 2/5★
Something with sex and porn movies, I didn’t get this one..
Majnun by Helene Wecker- 4/5★
An islamic story about a (former?) jinn who, due to a religious crisis, now exorcises jinni out of people.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 4/5★
Longest and most complex so far, alternating present/past events, different storylines and jogling with a mix between gold rush, Wild West, genies and Tales of 1001 Arabian Nights. It reminded me a lot of Catherynne M. Valente’s style in Six-Gun Snow White.
Even if at first I was reluctant, it caught my attention along the way, although I’m not sure I really understood it..
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar - 3/5★
Wizard-nation hunts sparrow, reincarnated into crow, reincarnated into cormorant, reincarnated into hummingbird… Poetic, but I didn't really get why it was included in this collection.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe - 4.5/5★
This one was really good! And it got even better on a second read. It’s about a guy who finds THE magic lamp and tries to outsmart the trickster genie inside. I loved the different scenarios, the moral issues it raises, the whole living for the next life thing.
A creature! To think of it as such. A creature, if indeed that is what inhabits the box. Of smoke, or flesh? A demon, so many of the texts say. I am learning to read so many languages through the work of my translators, as the myth of this thing exists in cultures as far branching as the Orient, as the Arabics, as the Eskimo. Variations on a theme, maybe, but still; and all are agreed that these things are tricksters. Devils, manipulators. Far from human, and yet to read about them in the more famous tales, one would think them jovial. They are imprisoned. They are vengeful. I must play their game as well as they will play mine. I must – must – choose my words carefully.Reap by Sami Shah - 4.5/5★
A strange mix of reality and ghost-revenge horror movie script: during a long distance drone surveillance of a potential terrorist group in Pakistan, a US military unit witnesses some surreal and disturbing events. Very good writing!
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King- 4.5/5★
Kind of cryptic, just hints of what might be, about a twelve year old girl who has memories that are not really her own.
The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E.J. Swift- 4/5★
A spaceship set for Mars/Ganymede is highjacked by djinns, and a jinn hunter's apprentice comes to investigate and solve the matter - very interesting concept.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker- 4.5/5★
Set in the Middle Ages, a scholar is chosen to decide the future of humanity during an epidemic: another long-dead scholar left a tome and a bottle labeled "For the plague", but was he well intended or evil-minded? is there a cure in the bottle or an even worse strain of the plague, that could end everything? How can he make a decision when both options seem equally viable?
Almost forgot how much I like K.J. Parker’s writing, I clearly must read some more of his works soon!
Opinions are divided on this man. Some say he was the most evil man who ever lived. Others maintain that he was a saint, a visionary and the father of modern science. There’s an abundance of sound evidence and convincing arguments on both sides.Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Hossein - 4.5/5★
They say he kept a demon in a bottle, who told him everything he wanted to know, but that’s just ignorance and superstition. Would it were that easy.
Seeming at first just another dystopian future, this short story leaves you thinking at segregation and the few rich oppressing the many poor and the importance of community. A new side of the jinn is featured, more human than even some humans.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 4.5/5★
Very good written, excellent characterization, clearly I must read American Gods, see if I also like it.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Majoub - 4/5★
In a dystopian future, where the capitalism failed and died, all the world(?) is now is an Islamic Caliphate - interesting concept, good execution, a little too cryptic.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 3/5★
This was rather shocking, set in an islamic(?) family, where a newlywed man with several issues believes his wife is possessed because she knows a little too much (in his opinion) about sex.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan - 3/5★
Is the ability to fulfil wishes a gift or a curse? You can be sure of the answer when the one wishing is an evil person, looking for revenge.
"Spite houses are buildings constructed or modified to antagonize neighbours or landowners, usually by blocking access or light."Emperors of Jinn by Usman Malik- 3/5★
I expected something better here, the writing is good, the idea interesting, but I feel I missed something..
History by Nnedi Okorafor - 3.5/5★
The story of History, the most famous singer-dancer in the world, who manages to enthrall both humans and magical creatures with her art, coming from her own exquisite talent, enhanced even more by a bush baby’s magic. It is interesting enough, though quite mystical and with a little too many magical cretures for my tastes.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection very much and I would recommend it to fantasy and magic literature lovers. A total rating of 3.8, rounded up to 4 stars.
P.S.1. I was under the impression, from TOR’s site, that there was one more story included ( Time is a Teacher by Nada Adel Sobhi), but I didn’t find it in my collection.
P.S.2. Just as a mention: although in some collections there are also works you can read online, I didn't find any of the stories here on the internet, as far as I can tell, all of them are written especially for this anthology.
Read
July 25, 2017I think the best way I can review this to collection is to say that when I finished it, I clicked straight back to the table of contents, went down the list of authors, and added a stack of books to my TBR.
It really is excellent. It ranges from Arabian Nights pastiche to modern day djinn from Pakistan to America, to future dystopias, to pure sci fi. There's huge diversity--women, POC, queer MCs--and a massive range of type of story, from lyrical-mystical to violent to romantic to horror. Absolute cracker of an anthology.
Neil Gaiman, KJ Parker, Claire North and Nnedi Okorafor are the huge names here. The North and Parker are both very good but not the standouts by any means--those for me were the post-apocalyse Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z Hossain, Reap by Sami Shah (American drone operators spying on a Pakistani compound see more than they bargained for), and Black Powder by Kirsty Logan about a djinn-haunted rifle and a lifelong love. The Gaiman is actually just the standalone ifrit section of American Gods, but that was far and away the best bit of that book (and if you read this and not American Gods you can be spared the unbelievably dreadful vagina dentata sequence and the really stupid name reveal. Just saying.).
A hugely enjoyable antho in its own right and a fantastic shopping list for potential new authors. A very big recommend indeed.
It really is excellent. It ranges from Arabian Nights pastiche to modern day djinn from Pakistan to America, to future dystopias, to pure sci fi. There's huge diversity--women, POC, queer MCs--and a massive range of type of story, from lyrical-mystical to violent to romantic to horror. Absolute cracker of an anthology.
Neil Gaiman, KJ Parker, Claire North and Nnedi Okorafor are the huge names here. The North and Parker are both very good but not the standouts by any means--those for me were the post-apocalyse Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z Hossain, Reap by Sami Shah (American drone operators spying on a Pakistani compound see more than they bargained for), and Black Powder by Kirsty Logan about a djinn-haunted rifle and a lifelong love. The Gaiman is actually just the standalone ifrit section of American Gods, but that was far and away the best bit of that book (and if you read this and not American Gods you can be spared the unbelievably dreadful vagina dentata sequence and the really stupid name reveal. Just saying.).
A hugely enjoyable antho in its own right and a fantastic shopping list for potential new authors. A very big recommend indeed.
April 2, 2018
Review Part 1 – Congregation by Kamila Shamsie
Kamila Shamsie is undeniably one of Pakistan’s biggest names when it comes to author popularity. Along with her counterpart Mohammad Hanif, she is the author I knew about before I knew much about Pakistani fiction. So it made sense to me that in an anthology about djinn which included stories by three Pakistani authors, her story would be the one near the beginning.
That being said, this isn’t one of Shamsie’s better projects. Maybe she works better with longer word lengths or maybe it was just me, but for some reason the magic usually present in her work, in books like Burnt Shadows or Kartography, seemed to me to be very distinctly missing from this short story about a boy who discovers that he might actually be related to jinn (or djinn, or genie; take your pick).
It certainly has a very strong beginning. Qasim, our young protagonist, upon waking up and rushing to the nearby mosque for prayer, accidentally ends up joining a contingent of praying jinn. The carpet is different, the hair on each head is bright red, and most alarming are the feet.
There was a moment when everyone was kneeling and he alone stood tall. Then he saw it. The feet of every man in the congregation were turned backwards at the ankles.
My initial reaction to the feet being turned backwards was scoffing disdain, because that is the most cliché description of jinn I’ve ever read one. However, further reading of the anthology brought about a dawning realization that it might be a very desi version of what we think jinn look like, and isn’t that the whole purpose of a collection of stories, to show you how different people view the same thing?
Thankfully, the rest of the story is both original and at the same time a stark representation of our own society, which is fascinating since it’s a story featuring supernatural creatures. Even though Shamsie’s story is about Qasim and his relationship with jinn, the most interesting parts of this story are composed of moments when other people are relating events in the past to Qasim. His stepmother’s account of the time of Qasim’s birth or the fortune tellers contortion of Greek mythology into a jinn-related tale both take into account the world we live in while at the same time adding a fantastical element to them.
“Castor and Pollux were twin brothers, but one was human and one was jinn. A jinn named Zeus had lain with their human mother in the guise of a firebird. Pollux, the jinn, was immortal, but his brother was not.”
Giving away the reason for Qasim’s close association with the jinn would ruin the essence of the story, and there’s only so much one can discuss in terms of plot points in a short story without giving the whole thing away. Suffice is to say that amongst the three Pakistani stories in this anthology, Sami Shah’s Reap is probably the strongest in terms of storytelling, but Shamsie’s is a close second, if only because she has the experience required to write a compelling story, and it shows.
Review Part 2 – Reap by Sami Shah
Reap might rate as one of my top five favourite stories in this anthology, which makes me super excited to read Sami Shah’s Djinn-Son Duology, one of Pakistan’s rare urban fantasy products. While I was already excited about the fact that Shah had tackled a genre previously untouched in Pakistan’s English literature, after reading this short story by him I’m going to go into Fire Boy (the first part of the duology) expecting brilliant writing as well.
Reap is story number eleven in a twenty-one part compilation, and being placed right in the middle was excellent for this anthology since the stories right before Reap were either too boring, pointlessly long or completely incomprehensible. Reap brings the anthology back on track, with the entries following afterwards being equally as fascinating both in terms of plot as well as writing.
Grant, our protagonist in the story, is part of a small team using a MQ-9 Reaper Drone for surveillance of a village in a north-western region of Pakistan. His job: to analyze the footage visible to the team through the six cameras of Reap. And while the duty itself involves keeping track of the inhabitants of a cluster of houses, Grant and his team mates find themselves getting involved in the lives of the residents.
They knew that eleven children lived in House 4, each a year apart. They’d given them all names as well, and could tell them apart just by how they moved.
Our story takes a turn into the supernatural when, amongst 11 siblings, one young girl named Mariam doesn’t return home from school one day. The local loner living in house number three reaches his place a bit later looking suspicious and scared. Grant watches as the young girl’s father and brothers set out to look for her, coming back at night desperate but defeated.
As the Reap team waits, debating whether it’s worth using Reap for further canvassing, a light emerges in the distance – from the same place where the school is, where the local man came back in a hurry, where Mariam’s relatives went looking for her. Soon the light transpires into Mariam’s body, hurtling across the ground at unnatural speeds, headed towards her village.
It was definitely Miriam; they could all recognize her despite the distorted mouth. Her lips were pulled back in a grin so wide it should have split her cheeks. The long teeth glowed with the same interior light. Her eyes, however, were dark holes in her face.
Appalled and transfixed, our protagonist watches as Mariam’s body reaches the local man’s place, but before she goes in and promptly disembowels him, dragging his body up to hang from the village tree, she looks up straight at the Reap cameras, as if aware of the presence watching her. And then all the cameras shut down.
From there, the story plummets into a chaos of blood-thirsty revenge coupled with rising bouts of hysteria in our protagonist as the village reacts to the dead body. By the end of the story, both the ones involved in the village action as well as those watching from a distance find their stories coming together in a final, horrifying conclusion. At ten pages, this is one of the longer stories in the anthology, but it’s one of the definitely recommended ones.
Review Part 3 – Emperors of Jinn by Usman T Malik
I think Usman T Malik’s charm might be wearing off on me. His fantastical, allegorical, slightly off-kilter stories were interesting at first, purely because they were new and different, but by the third makes-no-sense plot line, I’m ready to throw the towel in and admit that maybe he and I are just not meant to be, story-wise.
What’s weird and inexplicable is that I would still read the next story that he writes. Even better if he wrote a full-length novel, because there is something enjoyable about his writing style, something very genuine in his descriptions of things. It’s just that a lot of those descriptions sometimes pass right over my head, which makes me realize that I’m one of those readers who’s just not that into vague, ambiguous endings and only-slightly-implied plot twists.
In Emperors of Jinn, the penultimate story of this anthology, Malik uses two teenagers spending an end-of-summer weekend at the family farmhouse on the outskirts of Lahore to explore their fascination with jinn, and their own family history of possession. Zak, at thirteen, and Saman, at fourteen, become the catalyst when Saman becomes interested in a gruesome-looking ritual found in Zak’s grandmother’s book about jinn.
There’s also lots of other stuff happening in the story. There are twins who are quite obviously not corporeal (this isn’t a spoiler, this is fairly obvious pretty early on); there’s a possessed sister and a young peacock thief who may or may not have been sexually abused (I could have done without the vague hints of sexual assault that made me feel uncomfortable and contaminated); there’s a very confusing, mysterious protagonist; there’s a jinn summoning. Lots of stuff going on with minimal clarity, at which point I had given up and was reading the text just for the sake of reading it.
Mystery is power, the bearer of mysteries most powerful of all. That which precedes is Secret. That which proceeds is Empire.
Of all the stories I’ve reviewed so far, this one is the hardest to properly comment upon, primarily because I didn’t manage to understand much of what was happening. I was inclined to be generous and blame the fact that by the second last story in the anthology, maybe I had had too much of this particular subject matter, but since the confusion is pretty common upon reading any of T. Malik’s work, I feel like I should have seen that coming. I guess ten points to this story for the very desi reference to the character Zakoota from the popular 1993 Pakistani children’s TV series Ainak Wala Jin, but overall? You can give this a miss.
Review Part 4 - the whole anthology
First of all, can I just say what a brilliant cover? It might not be the most bright and colourful, but it so perfectly represents the subject matter that any other cover would have been a disservice to these stories. With its dark shades and wisps of smoke, it’s just perfect for the supernatural creatures found within the pages of this anthology.
The stories contained within this compilation, which could easily have been a mess waiting to happen, manage to impress pretty much most of the time. Mahwish Murad, whom I knew of beforehand because of her weekly Tor.com interview podcast Midnight in Karachi, has co-edited this ‘jinnthology’ with Pornokitsch editor Jared Shurin, and while a few of their choices verge on the disappointing, most are brilliantly picked. This is particularly because across the spectrum of the twenty stories and singular poem included in this collection, almost all manage to tackle these particular supernatural creatures in twenty completely different ways.
Djinn, jinn or genie, every culture has their own interpretation.
Going into this book, all I had in my head were the local stories I have grown up with, the witches with their feet turned backwards and women in white who stand on the sides of lonely roads on dark nights, mixed in with some confusing jumble of information imported from abroad about genies who reside in lamps and grant three wishes. Besides a few supernatural books featuring jinn (The Amulet of Samarkand and Alif the Unseen being literally the only ones I remember), I haven’t read much about them, so it was fascinating going into this anthology being open to new ideas.
Perhaps this is the lingering impact of Richard Burton and Disney’s Aladdin and other Orientialist interpretations, but the djinn have always been firmly portrayed as the other.
Even though the first eponymous poem by Hermes and translated by Robin Hermes left me disappointed, that quickly changed with Kamila Shamsie’s Congregation, a story about a boy who finds out he might have more than a passing relation with the jinn he accidentally sees in a mosque. While Shamsie’s work features both good and bad jinn, in the next story How We Remember You Kuzhali Manickavel flips the tables by making the protagonist one of the humans who ruthlessly torture a jinn. This story, with its flashbacks, evokes a sense of timelessness and nostalgia that was great to read.
We remember your magic. Maybe that is the obvious thing to remember about you. We never tell anyone about it, though, not even each other, because it is hard to talk about now that we are older. The words don’t make sense in our mouths, and once they are said, they just hang there, and they are ridiculous. It’s not something you can put words to.
A few of the stories I disliked outright: some for their weirdness (The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe), some for their incomprehensibility (History by Nnedi Okora, Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik), and some because they tried too hard to do something creative and failed (Authenticity by Monica Byrne). Some stories I just wasn’t in the mood for (A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar) while some were too filled with purple prose and obscure descriptions for my liking (Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley). A few had a passing resemblance to a good idea (Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King) while others were excerpts from previously published works (Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman, an excerpt from his famous novel American Gods).
There were a few which I could tell held potential but got lost in what they were trying to say. Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North focuses on three men convinced that the Sultan’s favourite mistress in his harem must be in control of jinn, for how else can she wield the power she seems to have over their ruler. Certain that Hurrem must have some powerful supernatural entity under her control, the three men attempt to call on their own jinn, with somewhat unexpected results. While the premise of this story is interesting, the execution left something to be desired. In fact, North’s story, like the story by Sophia Al-Maria, is ripe for an in-depth discussion, if it had been more fleshed out. In Al-Maria’s story The Righteous Guide of Arabsat, a young, newly-married girl is thought to be a jinni by her husband, who is worried about her voracious sexual appetite. This was one of the few stories which discussed how promiscuity is disguised as supernatural possession, along with Helene Wecker’s Majnun, whose execution of the story - of a young boy possessed by a promiscuous jinni who is trying to seduce her old jinn lover – isn’t as effective as the idea. I had also really wanted to know whether stories would tackle the idea that in rural areas and even in some urban ones, possession by djinns is a common explanation for what are considered deviances from the sexual norm i.e. anyone expressing even the slightest propensity towards any sexuality that doesn’t conform to the male-female relationships strictly adhered to in some societies. Al-Maria discusses this only fleetingly, in a storyline entirely disconnected from our main plot.
Another equally promising story was by Jamal Mahjoub. Duende 2077 is a murder mystery in a sci-fi setting, with supernatural elements creeping into the narrative, but the strength in world building was let down by the weak characters. Characters which let down the story were also in Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang, whose brilliant idea and great writing was bogged down by its insipid protagonist. In Yang’s story the main character Mena, who finds out that her grandmother was a jinni, spends her time in wish-granting and self-pity, making the lives of the people around her better while resenting them their happiness. While on the surface, this story of a bitter, conflicted jinni with a soft spot for happy endings sounds pretty awesome, the final result didn’t hold my attention much.
Mena wondered if her vanished grandmother, the djinn, had ever thought of reshaping the world so it was more amenable to her. A world of hot wind and bursting stars, where women walked strong and brown and proud over land that sang to their bones, where the fires that burned in their veins were lights in the firmament, and not threats to be smothered into nothingness at all costs.
A few of the stories, however, really were just so damn good I would be willing to read a whole book based on the premise within these particular stories. The Spite House by Kirsty Logan features jinn who, having become corporeal, are forced to find any shelter they can, and one of them ends up living in spite houses – houses built not for comfort or residents, but in order to grab land or needlessly take up space. The plot is as interesting as Logan’s characters, and as intensely readable as another equally fascinating tale: Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain, in which a young boy and a jinn decide to set up a restaurant in the slums. Set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian reality, Hossain’s world is richly imaginative and a breeding ground for a million other tangential plot lines. Along with Bring your own spoon, which is the strongest in terms of world building, is K. J. Parker’s Message in a Bottle, a story about a man whose decision about opening a particular bottle literally becomes a matter of life and death for his whole civilization. Parker, whose story is set in the same world as his fantasy series The Fencer Trilogy (or is it an extract from the series?) is another name for British author Tom Holt, a seriously funny, criminally underappreciated author whose books I have loved for ages, and when I realized Parker and Holt were the same person, I understood quite clearly why I loved Message in the Bottle so much.
The contender for the title of my favourite story in the anthology was a close content between Reap by Sami Shah and The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E. J. Swift. Shah’s Reap features a jinn possessing a girl who comes back to take revenge from her assailant, while Swift’s Apprentice has a ship possessed by jinn, and a young apprentice who promises to remove them all entirely. Both these stories are strong in their own rights: While Reap moves fast and builds momentum, Apprentice won more points for its fascinating mixture of science fiction and fantasy. Reap appealed to me because of its desi setting, while Apprentice places its characters in a sci fi setting, and uses this setting to incorporate all the elements of horror and fantasy within one ship.
It was widely acknowledged that Mars was infested with jinn. Allah might have made the red planet specifically for them; they loved its dust, its volcanic landscape and boundless plains.
Out of all the stories, these two I would definitely be willing to read more of, and with these short stories, both Sami Shah and E. J. Swift are now names I’ll be keeping an eye out for. And if that isn’t the whole point of an anthology – to introduce you to amazing writers you hadn’t known of before – than I don’t know what is.
Recommendation:
We have wish-granters and shape-changers, immortals and spirits, hoarders and hermits.
This collection, featuring authors from countries like Pakistan to Singapore, London, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, and more, provides a wide variety of tastes for all its readers. There are a few points of dissatisfaction for me, primary among them being the lack of exploration of mental illness being misdiagnosed as supernatural possession. But overall, I really liked almost everything in here, and I definitely recommend it.
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I review Pakistani Fiction and would love to talk to people who like to talk about fiction (Pakistani and otherwise). To read more reviews or just talk about books, check out my Blog or find me on Twitter!
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ORIGINAL UPDATE: Woah. So glad I read this. Review to come!
Kamila Shamsie is undeniably one of Pakistan’s biggest names when it comes to author popularity. Along with her counterpart Mohammad Hanif, she is the author I knew about before I knew much about Pakistani fiction. So it made sense to me that in an anthology about djinn which included stories by three Pakistani authors, her story would be the one near the beginning.
That being said, this isn’t one of Shamsie’s better projects. Maybe she works better with longer word lengths or maybe it was just me, but for some reason the magic usually present in her work, in books like Burnt Shadows or Kartography, seemed to me to be very distinctly missing from this short story about a boy who discovers that he might actually be related to jinn (or djinn, or genie; take your pick).
It certainly has a very strong beginning. Qasim, our young protagonist, upon waking up and rushing to the nearby mosque for prayer, accidentally ends up joining a contingent of praying jinn. The carpet is different, the hair on each head is bright red, and most alarming are the feet.
There was a moment when everyone was kneeling and he alone stood tall. Then he saw it. The feet of every man in the congregation were turned backwards at the ankles.
My initial reaction to the feet being turned backwards was scoffing disdain, because that is the most cliché description of jinn I’ve ever read one. However, further reading of the anthology brought about a dawning realization that it might be a very desi version of what we think jinn look like, and isn’t that the whole purpose of a collection of stories, to show you how different people view the same thing?
Thankfully, the rest of the story is both original and at the same time a stark representation of our own society, which is fascinating since it’s a story featuring supernatural creatures. Even though Shamsie’s story is about Qasim and his relationship with jinn, the most interesting parts of this story are composed of moments when other people are relating events in the past to Qasim. His stepmother’s account of the time of Qasim’s birth or the fortune tellers contortion of Greek mythology into a jinn-related tale both take into account the world we live in while at the same time adding a fantastical element to them.
“Castor and Pollux were twin brothers, but one was human and one was jinn. A jinn named Zeus had lain with their human mother in the guise of a firebird. Pollux, the jinn, was immortal, but his brother was not.”
Giving away the reason for Qasim’s close association with the jinn would ruin the essence of the story, and there’s only so much one can discuss in terms of plot points in a short story without giving the whole thing away. Suffice is to say that amongst the three Pakistani stories in this anthology, Sami Shah’s Reap is probably the strongest in terms of storytelling, but Shamsie’s is a close second, if only because she has the experience required to write a compelling story, and it shows.
Review Part 2 – Reap by Sami Shah
Reap might rate as one of my top five favourite stories in this anthology, which makes me super excited to read Sami Shah’s Djinn-Son Duology, one of Pakistan’s rare urban fantasy products. While I was already excited about the fact that Shah had tackled a genre previously untouched in Pakistan’s English literature, after reading this short story by him I’m going to go into Fire Boy (the first part of the duology) expecting brilliant writing as well.
Reap is story number eleven in a twenty-one part compilation, and being placed right in the middle was excellent for this anthology since the stories right before Reap were either too boring, pointlessly long or completely incomprehensible. Reap brings the anthology back on track, with the entries following afterwards being equally as fascinating both in terms of plot as well as writing.
Grant, our protagonist in the story, is part of a small team using a MQ-9 Reaper Drone for surveillance of a village in a north-western region of Pakistan. His job: to analyze the footage visible to the team through the six cameras of Reap. And while the duty itself involves keeping track of the inhabitants of a cluster of houses, Grant and his team mates find themselves getting involved in the lives of the residents.
They knew that eleven children lived in House 4, each a year apart. They’d given them all names as well, and could tell them apart just by how they moved.
Our story takes a turn into the supernatural when, amongst 11 siblings, one young girl named Mariam doesn’t return home from school one day. The local loner living in house number three reaches his place a bit later looking suspicious and scared. Grant watches as the young girl’s father and brothers set out to look for her, coming back at night desperate but defeated.
As the Reap team waits, debating whether it’s worth using Reap for further canvassing, a light emerges in the distance – from the same place where the school is, where the local man came back in a hurry, where Mariam’s relatives went looking for her. Soon the light transpires into Mariam’s body, hurtling across the ground at unnatural speeds, headed towards her village.
It was definitely Miriam; they could all recognize her despite the distorted mouth. Her lips were pulled back in a grin so wide it should have split her cheeks. The long teeth glowed with the same interior light. Her eyes, however, were dark holes in her face.
Appalled and transfixed, our protagonist watches as Mariam’s body reaches the local man’s place, but before she goes in and promptly disembowels him, dragging his body up to hang from the village tree, she looks up straight at the Reap cameras, as if aware of the presence watching her. And then all the cameras shut down.
From there, the story plummets into a chaos of blood-thirsty revenge coupled with rising bouts of hysteria in our protagonist as the village reacts to the dead body. By the end of the story, both the ones involved in the village action as well as those watching from a distance find their stories coming together in a final, horrifying conclusion. At ten pages, this is one of the longer stories in the anthology, but it’s one of the definitely recommended ones.
Review Part 3 – Emperors of Jinn by Usman T Malik
I think Usman T Malik’s charm might be wearing off on me. His fantastical, allegorical, slightly off-kilter stories were interesting at first, purely because they were new and different, but by the third makes-no-sense plot line, I’m ready to throw the towel in and admit that maybe he and I are just not meant to be, story-wise.
What’s weird and inexplicable is that I would still read the next story that he writes. Even better if he wrote a full-length novel, because there is something enjoyable about his writing style, something very genuine in his descriptions of things. It’s just that a lot of those descriptions sometimes pass right over my head, which makes me realize that I’m one of those readers who’s just not that into vague, ambiguous endings and only-slightly-implied plot twists.
In Emperors of Jinn, the penultimate story of this anthology, Malik uses two teenagers spending an end-of-summer weekend at the family farmhouse on the outskirts of Lahore to explore their fascination with jinn, and their own family history of possession. Zak, at thirteen, and Saman, at fourteen, become the catalyst when Saman becomes interested in a gruesome-looking ritual found in Zak’s grandmother’s book about jinn.
There’s also lots of other stuff happening in the story. There are twins who are quite obviously not corporeal (this isn’t a spoiler, this is fairly obvious pretty early on); there’s a possessed sister and a young peacock thief who may or may not have been sexually abused (I could have done without the vague hints of sexual assault that made me feel uncomfortable and contaminated); there’s a very confusing, mysterious protagonist; there’s a jinn summoning. Lots of stuff going on with minimal clarity, at which point I had given up and was reading the text just for the sake of reading it.
Mystery is power, the bearer of mysteries most powerful of all. That which precedes is Secret. That which proceeds is Empire.
Of all the stories I’ve reviewed so far, this one is the hardest to properly comment upon, primarily because I didn’t manage to understand much of what was happening. I was inclined to be generous and blame the fact that by the second last story in the anthology, maybe I had had too much of this particular subject matter, but since the confusion is pretty common upon reading any of T. Malik’s work, I feel like I should have seen that coming. I guess ten points to this story for the very desi reference to the character Zakoota from the popular 1993 Pakistani children’s TV series Ainak Wala Jin, but overall? You can give this a miss.
Review Part 4 - the whole anthology
First of all, can I just say what a brilliant cover? It might not be the most bright and colourful, but it so perfectly represents the subject matter that any other cover would have been a disservice to these stories. With its dark shades and wisps of smoke, it’s just perfect for the supernatural creatures found within the pages of this anthology.
The stories contained within this compilation, which could easily have been a mess waiting to happen, manage to impress pretty much most of the time. Mahwish Murad, whom I knew of beforehand because of her weekly Tor.com interview podcast Midnight in Karachi, has co-edited this ‘jinnthology’ with Pornokitsch editor Jared Shurin, and while a few of their choices verge on the disappointing, most are brilliantly picked. This is particularly because across the spectrum of the twenty stories and singular poem included in this collection, almost all manage to tackle these particular supernatural creatures in twenty completely different ways.
Djinn, jinn or genie, every culture has their own interpretation.
Going into this book, all I had in my head were the local stories I have grown up with, the witches with their feet turned backwards and women in white who stand on the sides of lonely roads on dark nights, mixed in with some confusing jumble of information imported from abroad about genies who reside in lamps and grant three wishes. Besides a few supernatural books featuring jinn (The Amulet of Samarkand and Alif the Unseen being literally the only ones I remember), I haven’t read much about them, so it was fascinating going into this anthology being open to new ideas.
Perhaps this is the lingering impact of Richard Burton and Disney’s Aladdin and other Orientialist interpretations, but the djinn have always been firmly portrayed as the other.
Even though the first eponymous poem by Hermes and translated by Robin Hermes left me disappointed, that quickly changed with Kamila Shamsie’s Congregation, a story about a boy who finds out he might have more than a passing relation with the jinn he accidentally sees in a mosque. While Shamsie’s work features both good and bad jinn, in the next story How We Remember You Kuzhali Manickavel flips the tables by making the protagonist one of the humans who ruthlessly torture a jinn. This story, with its flashbacks, evokes a sense of timelessness and nostalgia that was great to read.
We remember your magic. Maybe that is the obvious thing to remember about you. We never tell anyone about it, though, not even each other, because it is hard to talk about now that we are older. The words don’t make sense in our mouths, and once they are said, they just hang there, and they are ridiculous. It’s not something you can put words to.
A few of the stories I disliked outright: some for their weirdness (The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe), some for their incomprehensibility (History by Nnedi Okora, Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik), and some because they tried too hard to do something creative and failed (Authenticity by Monica Byrne). Some stories I just wasn’t in the mood for (A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar) while some were too filled with purple prose and obscure descriptions for my liking (Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley). A few had a passing resemblance to a good idea (Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King) while others were excerpts from previously published works (Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman, an excerpt from his famous novel American Gods).
There were a few which I could tell held potential but got lost in what they were trying to say. Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North focuses on three men convinced that the Sultan’s favourite mistress in his harem must be in control of jinn, for how else can she wield the power she seems to have over their ruler. Certain that Hurrem must have some powerful supernatural entity under her control, the three men attempt to call on their own jinn, with somewhat unexpected results. While the premise of this story is interesting, the execution left something to be desired. In fact, North’s story, like the story by Sophia Al-Maria, is ripe for an in-depth discussion, if it had been more fleshed out. In Al-Maria’s story The Righteous Guide of Arabsat, a young, newly-married girl is thought to be a jinni by her husband, who is worried about her voracious sexual appetite. This was one of the few stories which discussed how promiscuity is disguised as supernatural possession, along with Helene Wecker’s Majnun, whose execution of the story - of a young boy possessed by a promiscuous jinni who is trying to seduce her old jinn lover – isn’t as effective as the idea. I had also really wanted to know whether stories would tackle the idea that in rural areas and even in some urban ones, possession by djinns is a common explanation for what are considered deviances from the sexual norm i.e. anyone expressing even the slightest propensity towards any sexuality that doesn’t conform to the male-female relationships strictly adhered to in some societies. Al-Maria discusses this only fleetingly, in a storyline entirely disconnected from our main plot.
Another equally promising story was by Jamal Mahjoub. Duende 2077 is a murder mystery in a sci-fi setting, with supernatural elements creeping into the narrative, but the strength in world building was let down by the weak characters. Characters which let down the story were also in Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang, whose brilliant idea and great writing was bogged down by its insipid protagonist. In Yang’s story the main character Mena, who finds out that her grandmother was a jinni, spends her time in wish-granting and self-pity, making the lives of the people around her better while resenting them their happiness. While on the surface, this story of a bitter, conflicted jinni with a soft spot for happy endings sounds pretty awesome, the final result didn’t hold my attention much.
Mena wondered if her vanished grandmother, the djinn, had ever thought of reshaping the world so it was more amenable to her. A world of hot wind and bursting stars, where women walked strong and brown and proud over land that sang to their bones, where the fires that burned in their veins were lights in the firmament, and not threats to be smothered into nothingness at all costs.
A few of the stories, however, really were just so damn good I would be willing to read a whole book based on the premise within these particular stories. The Spite House by Kirsty Logan features jinn who, having become corporeal, are forced to find any shelter they can, and one of them ends up living in spite houses – houses built not for comfort or residents, but in order to grab land or needlessly take up space. The plot is as interesting as Logan’s characters, and as intensely readable as another equally fascinating tale: Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain, in which a young boy and a jinn decide to set up a restaurant in the slums. Set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian reality, Hossain’s world is richly imaginative and a breeding ground for a million other tangential plot lines. Along with Bring your own spoon, which is the strongest in terms of world building, is K. J. Parker’s Message in a Bottle, a story about a man whose decision about opening a particular bottle literally becomes a matter of life and death for his whole civilization. Parker, whose story is set in the same world as his fantasy series The Fencer Trilogy (or is it an extract from the series?) is another name for British author Tom Holt, a seriously funny, criminally underappreciated author whose books I have loved for ages, and when I realized Parker and Holt were the same person, I understood quite clearly why I loved Message in the Bottle so much.
The contender for the title of my favourite story in the anthology was a close content between Reap by Sami Shah and The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E. J. Swift. Shah’s Reap features a jinn possessing a girl who comes back to take revenge from her assailant, while Swift’s Apprentice has a ship possessed by jinn, and a young apprentice who promises to remove them all entirely. Both these stories are strong in their own rights: While Reap moves fast and builds momentum, Apprentice won more points for its fascinating mixture of science fiction and fantasy. Reap appealed to me because of its desi setting, while Apprentice places its characters in a sci fi setting, and uses this setting to incorporate all the elements of horror and fantasy within one ship.
It was widely acknowledged that Mars was infested with jinn. Allah might have made the red planet specifically for them; they loved its dust, its volcanic landscape and boundless plains.
Out of all the stories, these two I would definitely be willing to read more of, and with these short stories, both Sami Shah and E. J. Swift are now names I’ll be keeping an eye out for. And if that isn’t the whole point of an anthology – to introduce you to amazing writers you hadn’t known of before – than I don’t know what is.
Recommendation:
We have wish-granters and shape-changers, immortals and spirits, hoarders and hermits.
This collection, featuring authors from countries like Pakistan to Singapore, London, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, and more, provides a wide variety of tastes for all its readers. There are a few points of dissatisfaction for me, primary among them being the lack of exploration of mental illness being misdiagnosed as supernatural possession. But overall, I really liked almost everything in here, and I definitely recommend it.
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I review Pakistani Fiction and would love to talk to people who like to talk about fiction (Pakistani and otherwise). To read more reviews or just talk about books, check out my Blog or find me on Twitter!
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ORIGINAL UPDATE: Woah. So glad I read this. Review to come!
April 8, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley and Rebellion Publishing for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
"When Allah created man out of clay, Allah also created the djinn out of fire."--Mahvesh Murad, from the Introduction.
This is a really wonderful collection. I had no idea there were so many variations of djinn--good or evil, mischievous or kind, religious or deviant, and everywhere in between. The sheer variation of interpretation is what makes this a superior collection, as well, of course, as the superior writing. There's not a single poorly written piece in this collection. They're all nuanced, well-thought, character driven stories. It's also a great mix of authors I know and ones I'm unfamiliar with, and I will be checking out some of the authors that were new to me to see what else they've written.
My two absolute favorites were the opening poem by Hermes, and "Reap" by Sami Shah--about a group of soldiers spying on the homes of possible terrorists with the use of a drone, and seeing some unexpected. It was my first time reading Shah, so I will be seeing what else his written! Wait...I just looked him up, and he's a comedian??? There is nothing funny about that story! Maybe a different Shah???
A close runner up is the first short story--"The Congregation" by Kamila Shamsie, another author I'm unfamiliar with. This one is steeped in Islamic culture.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves short stories, particularly if you're looking to read a diverse collection, and like a bit of magic in your fiction.
Here are my reviews of each story:
Hermes (trans. Robin Moger) — The Djinn Falls in Love: Ooo, lovely poem. 5/5
Kamila Shamsie — The Congregation: A young man visits his family's mosque late one night, to find jinn worshiping there instead. One jinn in particular enraptures him. Loved the immersion of this one. 4/5
Kuzhali Manickavel — How We Remember You: A man remembers how as a teen he and a group of friends did something they'll regret the rest of their lives, to another friend who had begun growing wings on his back. 4/5
Claire North — Hurrem and the Djinn: Davuud is asked to discover what foul djinn Hurrem--the sultan's favorite wife--consorts with. Things get out of hand. Men can be stupid. :) This novelette is predictable, but well written. I love all these different takes on djinn. They're so different from tale to tale--in appearance, temperament, powers, etc. 3.5/5
J.Y. Yang — Glass Lights: A woman whose grandmother was a djinn struggles in the contemporary world with loneliness. Good writing and character, but lacking in plot. 3/5
Monica Byrne — Authenticity: A young woman searches for authentic experiences, and sex is one way to find those experiences. She gets with a young man who is filming a porn movie later. But are either of them what they seem? 3/5
Helene Wecker — Majnun: A jinn, once the lover of a beautiful jinn ruler, has a religious crises and becomes an exorist. Very interesting story. 4/5
Maria Dahvana Headley — Black Powder: A hunter, a kid, a pawnshop owner, and a priest become entwined in a story about a jinn that lives in a rifle. Not sure I exactly understood the end, it felt like a retelling of a story I'm completely unfamiliar with, but the writing and relationships are well done. 4/5
Amal El-Mohtar — A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds: Magicians hunt reincarnations of birds. Not a big fan of this, though I usually like El-Mohtar's fiction. 2/5
James Smythe — The Sand in the Glass is Right: A man tries again and again to get his wish right, but what does he lose in the process? I liked the theme of consequences. This is one that would probably be best on a second read. 4/5
Sami Shah — REAP: A military unit watches a group of houses in Afghanistan with the use of a drone, and see some pretty disturbing stuff. This story is excellent. It will stay with me for a while. 5/5
Catherine King — Queen of Sheba: A twelve-year-old girl celebrates her first Christmas with the adults, but as she's ironing a tablecloth, she sees visions. Good story, though without a plot. I'm still buzzing from the last story, so that may have affected my read of this one. 3.5/5
E.J. Swift — The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice: A spaceship set for Ganymede has an unexpected hiccup when it becomes infested with djinn. I would think sci-fi and djinn wouldn't mix well, but this is a solid story. 4/5
K.J. Parker — Message in a Bottle: During the Middle Ages, a scholar tries to determine if a previous now dead scholar's bottle labeled "For the plague" is a cure, or a new strain that will wipe out humanity. Well written, but couldn't he test it on people in confinement? 3/5
Saad Hossein — Bring Your Own Spoon: In a post apocalypse where food is scarce, a man decides to start a restaurant with the help of a djinn. 3.5/5
Neil Gaiman — Somewhere in America: This is an excerpt from American Gods, and one of the few chapters I remember completely. It works really well on its own. A man is sent to America to sell his brother-in-laws cheap nic nacs, and finds an unexpected friend in a cab driver. 4.5/5
Jamal Mahjoub — Duende 2077: There's a murder, and the detective trying to solve the case runs into some complications that herald to his past. Never understood exactly who the murderer was. 3/5
Sophia Al-Maria — The Righteous Guide of Arabsat: In the contemporary Middle East, a sexually repressed guy marries what his mother claims to be a 'good girl.' But after discovering his new wife knows more about sex than he, he decides she must be possessed by a djinn. Reminds me of Victorian era attitudes toward sex. A disturbing story. 4/5
Kirsty Logan — The Spite House: A half djinn/half human woman takes the leftover junk people leave in their yards, but when a woman confronts her about this and makes a wish, she feels a power overtake her. But is she the one with the power? I liked the switch in dynamics here. 4/5
Usman Malik — Emperors of Jinn: A group of rich children become obsessed with a spellbook that calls djinn. These are some truly evil brats. 3.5/5
Nnedi Okorafor — History: A superstar singer prepares for a televised concert, and reflects on a childhood spent in Africa, and the magic she learned there, and the bush baby she caught that lives in her mirror. I really liked this story, but it felt like it was referring to something else--maybe a novel Okorafor has written? 3.5/5
I have an extended review on blog: http://www.margaretkingsbury.com/book...
"When Allah created man out of clay, Allah also created the djinn out of fire."--Mahvesh Murad, from the Introduction.
This is a really wonderful collection. I had no idea there were so many variations of djinn--good or evil, mischievous or kind, religious or deviant, and everywhere in between. The sheer variation of interpretation is what makes this a superior collection, as well, of course, as the superior writing. There's not a single poorly written piece in this collection. They're all nuanced, well-thought, character driven stories. It's also a great mix of authors I know and ones I'm unfamiliar with, and I will be checking out some of the authors that were new to me to see what else they've written.
My two absolute favorites were the opening poem by Hermes, and "Reap" by Sami Shah--about a group of soldiers spying on the homes of possible terrorists with the use of a drone, and seeing some unexpected. It was my first time reading Shah, so I will be seeing what else his written! Wait...I just looked him up, and he's a comedian??? There is nothing funny about that story! Maybe a different Shah???
A close runner up is the first short story--"The Congregation" by Kamila Shamsie, another author I'm unfamiliar with. This one is steeped in Islamic culture.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves short stories, particularly if you're looking to read a diverse collection, and like a bit of magic in your fiction.
Here are my reviews of each story:
Hermes (trans. Robin Moger) — The Djinn Falls in Love: Ooo, lovely poem. 5/5
Kamila Shamsie — The Congregation: A young man visits his family's mosque late one night, to find jinn worshiping there instead. One jinn in particular enraptures him. Loved the immersion of this one. 4/5
Kuzhali Manickavel — How We Remember You: A man remembers how as a teen he and a group of friends did something they'll regret the rest of their lives, to another friend who had begun growing wings on his back. 4/5
Claire North — Hurrem and the Djinn: Davuud is asked to discover what foul djinn Hurrem--the sultan's favorite wife--consorts with. Things get out of hand. Men can be stupid. :) This novelette is predictable, but well written. I love all these different takes on djinn. They're so different from tale to tale--in appearance, temperament, powers, etc. 3.5/5
J.Y. Yang — Glass Lights: A woman whose grandmother was a djinn struggles in the contemporary world with loneliness. Good writing and character, but lacking in plot. 3/5
Monica Byrne — Authenticity: A young woman searches for authentic experiences, and sex is one way to find those experiences. She gets with a young man who is filming a porn movie later. But are either of them what they seem? 3/5
Helene Wecker — Majnun: A jinn, once the lover of a beautiful jinn ruler, has a religious crises and becomes an exorist. Very interesting story. 4/5
Maria Dahvana Headley — Black Powder: A hunter, a kid, a pawnshop owner, and a priest become entwined in a story about a jinn that lives in a rifle. Not sure I exactly understood the end, it felt like a retelling of a story I'm completely unfamiliar with, but the writing and relationships are well done. 4/5
Amal El-Mohtar — A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds: Magicians hunt reincarnations of birds. Not a big fan of this, though I usually like El-Mohtar's fiction. 2/5
James Smythe — The Sand in the Glass is Right: A man tries again and again to get his wish right, but what does he lose in the process? I liked the theme of consequences. This is one that would probably be best on a second read. 4/5
Sami Shah — REAP: A military unit watches a group of houses in Afghanistan with the use of a drone, and see some pretty disturbing stuff. This story is excellent. It will stay with me for a while. 5/5
Catherine King — Queen of Sheba: A twelve-year-old girl celebrates her first Christmas with the adults, but as she's ironing a tablecloth, she sees visions. Good story, though without a plot. I'm still buzzing from the last story, so that may have affected my read of this one. 3.5/5
E.J. Swift — The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice: A spaceship set for Ganymede has an unexpected hiccup when it becomes infested with djinn. I would think sci-fi and djinn wouldn't mix well, but this is a solid story. 4/5
K.J. Parker — Message in a Bottle: During the Middle Ages, a scholar tries to determine if a previous now dead scholar's bottle labeled "For the plague" is a cure, or a new strain that will wipe out humanity. Well written, but couldn't he test it on people in confinement? 3/5
Saad Hossein — Bring Your Own Spoon: In a post apocalypse where food is scarce, a man decides to start a restaurant with the help of a djinn. 3.5/5
Neil Gaiman — Somewhere in America: This is an excerpt from American Gods, and one of the few chapters I remember completely. It works really well on its own. A man is sent to America to sell his brother-in-laws cheap nic nacs, and finds an unexpected friend in a cab driver. 4.5/5
Jamal Mahjoub — Duende 2077: There's a murder, and the detective trying to solve the case runs into some complications that herald to his past. Never understood exactly who the murderer was. 3/5
Sophia Al-Maria — The Righteous Guide of Arabsat: In the contemporary Middle East, a sexually repressed guy marries what his mother claims to be a 'good girl.' But after discovering his new wife knows more about sex than he, he decides she must be possessed by a djinn. Reminds me of Victorian era attitudes toward sex. A disturbing story. 4/5
Kirsty Logan — The Spite House: A half djinn/half human woman takes the leftover junk people leave in their yards, but when a woman confronts her about this and makes a wish, she feels a power overtake her. But is she the one with the power? I liked the switch in dynamics here. 4/5
Usman Malik — Emperors of Jinn: A group of rich children become obsessed with a spellbook that calls djinn. These are some truly evil brats. 3.5/5
Nnedi Okorafor — History: A superstar singer prepares for a televised concert, and reflects on a childhood spent in Africa, and the magic she learned there, and the bush baby she caught that lives in her mirror. I really liked this story, but it felt like it was referring to something else--maybe a novel Okorafor has written? 3.5/5
I have an extended review on blog: http://www.margaretkingsbury.com/book...
May 25, 2018
It's been a while since I read an anthology. I had high hopes for this one as I'm more than keen on supernatural folklore. This collection contains twenty-one stories and poems on the theme of djinn - the spirit of fire.
The anthology may shock readers raised on Disney cartoons. If the first thing you imagine when you hear about Djinn is a supernatural being living in an old lamp and granting wishes, you're lucky. A lot of discoveries and reveals wait for you on the pages of this anthology.
The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories, collected and edited by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin compiles a varied collection of genie stories written by well-established authors including Neil Gaiman, Nnedi Okorafor or K.J. Parker.
As always with anthologies, some stories were great, others not so much. I love short stories but I expect them to be self-contained and immersive. Ratings you'll find below reflect my personal enjoyment. I'm sure many of you will love the stories that didn't speak to me and it's perfectly normal.
Here we go.
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie - 4/5
The first story in the collection is strong. Qasim discovers that he has a Djinni brother. The few seconds spent in his presence defined Qasim's life. Qasim dedicates his life to the service in the mosque. On the one hand, the story can be perceived as picturing man's obsession with finding his brother. It's true. We don't learn much about other characters or the world. On the other hand, the sense of loss and longing is palpable and overwhelming. Writing this way requires some serious skills. I really liked this one.
How we remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel - 2/5
This one didn't work for me on any level. It's sort of confession of teenagers who commited a crime (let's call it this way not to spoil things).
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North - 3/5
An enjoyable historical fantasy. High officials suspect that the sultan's favourite has used djinns to bewitch the sultan. They want to break the spell and demask her. But are they right? Well written, good length, quite enjoyable. Not the best story I've read, but definitely more than decent.
Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang - 2/5
This story paints a very realistic picture of the alienation (caused by culture, language, and religion). While I'm sure it'll speak to many readers, I didn't enjoy it.
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 1/5
Good language, great craftsmanship, a tongue-in-cheek approach to a a tourist’s quest for a genuine experience in a foreign country. Basically, a story about filming porn. While I appreciate the brevity of the experience, I didn't like it.
Majnun by Helene Wecker - 3/5
A djinn has become an exorcist, even as his ex-lover pleads with him to come back to her. Well written, engaging story that I liked.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 3/5
The Kid feels unloved. He doesn't get attention from him classmates. He steals a rifle hoping it will change things. The rifle, though, is much more than it appears.
Good ideas, nice execution, a bit flat ending.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar - 4/5
Very short, very poetic, beautifully written.
The Sand in The Glass is Right by James Smythe- 3.5/5
Smart story about a guy who tries to force a Jinn to grant his wishes. Jinn does so but twists the reality in unexpected and undesired ways.
Reap by Sami Shah - 5/5
Brilliant and terrifying. A group of soldiers spy on a Taliban's house using a drone. One day, they start to witness something completely creepy and unexpected.
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King - 2/5
Short, nicely written but boring. Maybe it's just me - it just didn't click with me.
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice by E.J. Swift - 3/5
An imaginative scifi story that takes place on a busy spaceport on Mars. Djinni invaded a spaceship and a djinni-hunter is needed. I liked it, but I didn't love it. It's not the story I'll remember in a year.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker - 5/5
Utterly fantastic. I'm impressed by KJ Parker dark sense of irony.
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain - 3.5/5
The world is ruined. Something went wrong. Food is difficult to get. And yet a human and djinn living on the outskirts of society decide to start a restaurant for other destitute citizens. It's good.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 3/5
It's Gaiman. It's good. I don't like the fact it's just cut from his American Gods novel. Still, it's worth reading.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub - 3/5
The story pictures a futuristic Caliphate after the fall of Christian/Western hegemony. Dhaka investigates a murder. Very good story that ends too early, just when it started to be most interesting.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 4/5
Good story, although with little speculative elements. It's set in the contemporary Middle East. The story protagonits is a sexually inexperienced fellow, who decides his wife must be possessed by a djinn because she knows more about sex than him. It's quite terrifying, actually.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan - 4/5
Very good dstory that twists the power dynamics between human wishing for things and djinni granting wishes.
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik - 2/5
Meh. In Emperors of Jinn, a group of rich teenagers spending explore their fascination with jinn, and their own family history of possession.
There's a lot of things going on (gruesome ritual, possible story of sexual abuse), but it's all confusing and unclear. It seems Usman T. Malik writing isn't for me. I disliked this one.
History by Nnedi Okorafor - 3/5
Interesting but a bit meandering.
Summary
Overall, it's good anthology with multiple and diverse representations od djinni. Let's look at stats:
Loved: 2
Enjoyed: 4
Consider average: 9
Didn’t really like: 4
Disliked: 1
I’m pretty sure everyone will find here stories and protagonists that will speak to him. Not necessarily the ones I’ve indicated as most interesting.
My two fav stories are:
Roam by Sami Shah
Message in a Bottle by KJ Parker
The anthology may shock readers raised on Disney cartoons. If the first thing you imagine when you hear about Djinn is a supernatural being living in an old lamp and granting wishes, you're lucky. A lot of discoveries and reveals wait for you on the pages of this anthology.
The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories, collected and edited by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin compiles a varied collection of genie stories written by well-established authors including Neil Gaiman, Nnedi Okorafor or K.J. Parker.
As always with anthologies, some stories were great, others not so much. I love short stories but I expect them to be self-contained and immersive. Ratings you'll find below reflect my personal enjoyment. I'm sure many of you will love the stories that didn't speak to me and it's perfectly normal.
Here we go.
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie - 4/5
The first story in the collection is strong. Qasim discovers that he has a Djinni brother. The few seconds spent in his presence defined Qasim's life. Qasim dedicates his life to the service in the mosque. On the one hand, the story can be perceived as picturing man's obsession with finding his brother. It's true. We don't learn much about other characters or the world. On the other hand, the sense of loss and longing is palpable and overwhelming. Writing this way requires some serious skills. I really liked this one.
How we remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel - 2/5
This one didn't work for me on any level. It's sort of confession of teenagers who commited a crime (let's call it this way not to spoil things).
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North - 3/5
An enjoyable historical fantasy. High officials suspect that the sultan's favourite has used djinns to bewitch the sultan. They want to break the spell and demask her. But are they right? Well written, good length, quite enjoyable. Not the best story I've read, but definitely more than decent.
Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang - 2/5
This story paints a very realistic picture of the alienation (caused by culture, language, and religion). While I'm sure it'll speak to many readers, I didn't enjoy it.
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 1/5
Good language, great craftsmanship, a tongue-in-cheek approach to a a tourist’s quest for a genuine experience in a foreign country. Basically, a story about filming porn. While I appreciate the brevity of the experience, I didn't like it.
Majnun by Helene Wecker - 3/5
A djinn has become an exorcist, even as his ex-lover pleads with him to come back to her. Well written, engaging story that I liked.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 3/5
The Kid feels unloved. He doesn't get attention from him classmates. He steals a rifle hoping it will change things. The rifle, though, is much more than it appears.
Good ideas, nice execution, a bit flat ending.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar - 4/5
Very short, very poetic, beautifully written.
The Sand in The Glass is Right by James Smythe- 3.5/5
Smart story about a guy who tries to force a Jinn to grant his wishes. Jinn does so but twists the reality in unexpected and undesired ways.
Reap by Sami Shah - 5/5
Brilliant and terrifying. A group of soldiers spy on a Taliban's house using a drone. One day, they start to witness something completely creepy and unexpected.
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King - 2/5
Short, nicely written but boring. Maybe it's just me - it just didn't click with me.
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice by E.J. Swift - 3/5
An imaginative scifi story that takes place on a busy spaceport on Mars. Djinni invaded a spaceship and a djinni-hunter is needed. I liked it, but I didn't love it. It's not the story I'll remember in a year.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker - 5/5
Utterly fantastic. I'm impressed by KJ Parker dark sense of irony.
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain - 3.5/5
The world is ruined. Something went wrong. Food is difficult to get. And yet a human and djinn living on the outskirts of society decide to start a restaurant for other destitute citizens. It's good.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 3/5
It's Gaiman. It's good. I don't like the fact it's just cut from his American Gods novel. Still, it's worth reading.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub - 3/5
The story pictures a futuristic Caliphate after the fall of Christian/Western hegemony. Dhaka investigates a murder. Very good story that ends too early, just when it started to be most interesting.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 4/5
Good story, although with little speculative elements. It's set in the contemporary Middle East. The story protagonits is a sexually inexperienced fellow, who decides his wife must be possessed by a djinn because she knows more about sex than him. It's quite terrifying, actually.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan - 4/5
Very good dstory that twists the power dynamics between human wishing for things and djinni granting wishes.
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik - 2/5
Meh. In Emperors of Jinn, a group of rich teenagers spending explore their fascination with jinn, and their own family history of possession.
There's a lot of things going on (gruesome ritual, possible story of sexual abuse), but it's all confusing and unclear. It seems Usman T. Malik writing isn't for me. I disliked this one.
History by Nnedi Okorafor - 3/5
Interesting but a bit meandering.
Summary
Overall, it's good anthology with multiple and diverse representations od djinni. Let's look at stats:
Loved: 2
Enjoyed: 4
Consider average: 9
Didn’t really like: 4
Disliked: 1
I’m pretty sure everyone will find here stories and protagonists that will speak to him. Not necessarily the ones I’ve indicated as most interesting.
My two fav stories are:
Roam by Sami Shah
Message in a Bottle by KJ Parker
March 20, 2017
I'll admit I was a bit wary when I picked up Djinn Falls In Love: tempted by authors such as K.J. Parker and Claire North, I worried that the collection itself might suffer from repetition. I needn't have worried. The collection demonstrates a truly staggering variety of perspectives on the concept of djinn, as well as mixing prose and poetry, vignettes and plot twists. As is mentioned in the foreword, the unifying theme of the collection is the humanization of the Other. The collection begins with the poem that gave it its title by an author who goes by "Hermes," then quickly delves into the very traditional, very folkloresque-feeling story, "The Congregation," by Kamila Shamsie, which also contained one of my favourite quotes in the whole collection:
My down-and-out favourite, and enough to make the collection a five-star all on its own, was "A Tale of Ash and Seven Birds" by Amal El-Mohtar. It is a rich, gorgeous allegory of immigration, where djinn refugees to the land of the wizard-nation repeatedly change themselves in their efforts to survive. An excerpt:
Other stories use the djinn as the ultimate outside observers. "Bring Your Own Spoon" by Saad Z. Hossain, which was perhaps my second favourite story, takes place in a dystopian future in a ruined world made habitable only by the constant efforts of nanobots. A destitute human and djinn living on the outskirts of society decide to act upon their crazy idea of starting a restaurant for other forgotten members of society. The story is gorgeous and poignant and thoughtful. One of my favourite quotes:
Some of the stories stretched the idea of the djinn to represent sentient magic, supernatural beings, or even just as a metaphor for untapped and dangerous potential. I find K.J. Parker's short stories to be, without fail, utterly fantastic, and "Message in a Bottle was no exception. A scholar, pursuing forbidden research in the effort to save his country, is faced with the choice of whether or not to open a bottle that could either cure the deadly plague or cause an even worse one. As always, the story is fabulously fun and funny with a darkly ironic edge. Jamal Mahjoub's "Duende 2077" takes place in a future where capitalism has imploded and "The Caliphate flooded into the power void.". The main character is a jaded detective who begins investigating an apparently political crime and finds himself tracing the strands of a rebel plot. Vivid and gritty, it also takes the time to try to explore the motives of martyrs for a cause. "History" by Nnedi Okarafor is an interesting story about a singer who harnesses magic--including a djinn-- to improve her song, and also about the odd quirks of history and the ways in which our actions have unforeseen effects on others. "Queen of Sheba" by Catherine Faris King expands the djinn to other cultures in the context of a very sweet childhood story about growing up. "The Sand in the Glass is Right" by James Smythe uses the djinn as a mechanism to redoing a life over and over. I saw "Reap" by Sami Shah as a classic ghost-revenge story transcribed onto a slightly different space: that of members of the military spying on potential terrorists. It felt to me like a very traditional child-based horror movie, and I found the violence sick and pointless. "Black Powder" by Maria Dahvana Headley is a wild, gruesome, exceedingly American story about a magical gun whose bullets have the potential to grant wishes. Full of archetypal characters and twisted darkness, it reminded me strongly of Catherynne Valente. The writing is gorgeously vivid; for example:
I also appreciated the more traditional takes on the djinn seen in stories such as "Manjun" by Helen Wecker, where a djinn, once the favourite of Lady Aisha Qandisha, becomes a Muslim and exorcises his kind from the humans they torment. It's a bittersweet story about the sense of loss and isolation from loved ones that the newly converted sometimes experience. "How We Remember You" by Kuzhali Manickavel is an odd and creepy story told to a djinn companion lost in childhood. "The Righteous Guide of Arabsat" by Sophia Al-Maria is a cynical and disturbing take on an inexperienced and gullible "mama's boy" who begins to believe his new wife is possessed by a djinn--after all, how else could she be sexually experienced? It's a telling exploration of morality, norms, and the dangers of combining dogmatic ignorance with credulous believers. Claire North's "Hurrem and the Djinn" is an enjoyable alternate history of Sultana Hurrem. Although it starts as a traditional fairy tale, I thoroughly appreciated the ironic relish and flair of North's dialogue, as well as the final sting about a proper woman's place.
The Djinn Falls in Love gets a high rating from me not just because of the wide variety of stories but also because of a few memorable tales mixed in. As with all anthologies, not every story will appeal to every person, but I believe there are enough spectacular tales in here that the collection is well worth a look.
~~I received this book through Netgalley from the publisher, Rebellion Solaris, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes were taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final phrasing, I believe they speak to the spirit of the stories.~~
Cross-posted on BookLikes.
"There is no evil here, only love. God save us from a world that can't tell the difference."The rest of the collection varied widely in the mood, setting, and in the vision of the djinn themselves.
My down-and-out favourite, and enough to make the collection a five-star all on its own, was "A Tale of Ash and Seven Birds" by Amal El-Mohtar. It is a rich, gorgeous allegory of immigration, where djinn refugees to the land of the wizard-nation repeatedly change themselves in their efforts to survive. An excerpt:
"Great Horned OwlThis was not the only story to explore the theme of djinn as immigrant. "Somewhere in America" by Neil Gaiman is actually excerpted from American Gods, which I admit I wasn't thrilled about, but certainly fits the theme. Comically bitter and rather gruesome, it tells the tale of a disillusioned visitor who runs into a particularly peculiar taxi driver. "The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice" by E.J. Swift is an imaginative scifi story that takes place on a busy spaceport on Mars. A bunch of angry djinn, tired of having their once-peaceful world invaded, have invaded a ship and the captain calls in a djinn-hunter. In "The Spite House" by Kirsty Logan, djinns were made corporeal, badgered and threatened out of their homes by violent protesters bearing signs such as "NO SNAKES IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD", and forced to live on scraps in the outskirts of society.
You are an apex predator. Nothing can hurt you now.
You have embraced silence. [...]
Sparrows though. Crows. Cormorants. All these will fill your belly now, and it's their own fault. All their own fault for not choosing a shape the wizard-nation cannot hurt, their own fault for being small or loud or trying to build communities of which the wizard-nation disapproved. You have learned the wizard-nation's way, and you will be able to stay, now, forever."
Other stories use the djinn as the ultimate outside observers. "Bring Your Own Spoon" by Saad Z. Hossain, which was perhaps my second favourite story, takes place in a dystopian future in a ruined world made habitable only by the constant efforts of nanobots. A destitute human and djinn living on the outskirts of society decide to act upon their crazy idea of starting a restaurant for other forgotten members of society. The story is gorgeous and poignant and thoughtful. One of my favourite quotes:
"People always assume that poor people are dangerous. They wouldn't be here, if they were.""Emperors of Jinn" by Usman T. Malik is a brutal tale about a group of children and a magic book that mixes casual cruelty with human possession. "Authenticity" by Monica Byrne uses a film student's desire to get a romantic encounter between djinn and human on film to very directly plays with the theme of observers and voyeurism--not for me, and I'm not entirely sure I understood the story's goal. "The Glass Lights" by J.Y. Yang is a wistful vignette about a girl who sees herself as a passive observer, constantly pulled by the needs and desires of others and her own compulsion to reshape the world as her djinn ancestors once did. She feels out of place in the world, not because she is secretly part djinn but because she is Muslim:
"You don't giggle with a girl in a headscarf, who can't watch any of the Channel 8 K-dramas you follow because she doesn't speak Mandarin."
Some of the stories stretched the idea of the djinn to represent sentient magic, supernatural beings, or even just as a metaphor for untapped and dangerous potential. I find K.J. Parker's short stories to be, without fail, utterly fantastic, and "Message in a Bottle was no exception. A scholar, pursuing forbidden research in the effort to save his country, is faced with the choice of whether or not to open a bottle that could either cure the deadly plague or cause an even worse one. As always, the story is fabulously fun and funny with a darkly ironic edge. Jamal Mahjoub's "Duende 2077" takes place in a future where capitalism has imploded and "The Caliphate flooded into the power void.". The main character is a jaded detective who begins investigating an apparently political crime and finds himself tracing the strands of a rebel plot. Vivid and gritty, it also takes the time to try to explore the motives of martyrs for a cause. "History" by Nnedi Okarafor is an interesting story about a singer who harnesses magic--including a djinn-- to improve her song, and also about the odd quirks of history and the ways in which our actions have unforeseen effects on others. "Queen of Sheba" by Catherine Faris King expands the djinn to other cultures in the context of a very sweet childhood story about growing up. "The Sand in the Glass is Right" by James Smythe uses the djinn as a mechanism to redoing a life over and over. I saw "Reap" by Sami Shah as a classic ghost-revenge story transcribed onto a slightly different space: that of members of the military spying on potential terrorists. It felt to me like a very traditional child-based horror movie, and I found the violence sick and pointless. "Black Powder" by Maria Dahvana Headley is a wild, gruesome, exceedingly American story about a magical gun whose bullets have the potential to grant wishes. Full of archetypal characters and twisted darkness, it reminded me strongly of Catherynne Valente. The writing is gorgeously vivid; for example:
"Each person is a projectile filled with sharp voice and broken volume, blasts of maybe.
The hands outstretch, the hearts explode. The chamber is the world and all the bodies on earth press close around each bullet, holding it steady until, with a rotating spin, it flies."
I also appreciated the more traditional takes on the djinn seen in stories such as "Manjun" by Helen Wecker, where a djinn, once the favourite of Lady Aisha Qandisha, becomes a Muslim and exorcises his kind from the humans they torment. It's a bittersweet story about the sense of loss and isolation from loved ones that the newly converted sometimes experience. "How We Remember You" by Kuzhali Manickavel is an odd and creepy story told to a djinn companion lost in childhood. "The Righteous Guide of Arabsat" by Sophia Al-Maria is a cynical and disturbing take on an inexperienced and gullible "mama's boy" who begins to believe his new wife is possessed by a djinn--after all, how else could she be sexually experienced? It's a telling exploration of morality, norms, and the dangers of combining dogmatic ignorance with credulous believers. Claire North's "Hurrem and the Djinn" is an enjoyable alternate history of Sultana Hurrem. Although it starts as a traditional fairy tale, I thoroughly appreciated the ironic relish and flair of North's dialogue, as well as the final sting about a proper woman's place.
The Djinn Falls in Love gets a high rating from me not just because of the wide variety of stories but also because of a few memorable tales mixed in. As with all anthologies, not every story will appeal to every person, but I believe there are enough spectacular tales in here that the collection is well worth a look.
~~I received this book through Netgalley from the publisher, Rebellion Solaris, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes were taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final phrasing, I believe they speak to the spirit of the stories.~~
Cross-posted on BookLikes.
February 28, 2017
An excellent collection!
There's a huge variety of stories in so many ways: a wide variety of genres, a wide variety of authors, a wide variety of ways in which the djinn are portrayed. That diversity makes for a really interesting collection that doesn't get repetitive even after twenty stories staring the same magical being.
A couple of the standouts:
"Congregation" by Kamila Shamsie was the first story, just after the opening poem. It was a great start to the collection since it uses the Qur'anic concept of djinn instead of the "genie in the bottle" trope that is more commonly known to an English speaking audience.
"Righteous Guide of the Arabsat" by Sophia Al-Maria was a rather disturbing story set in the modern Middle East. A man assumes his new bride must be possessed by a djinn since she's less sexually repressed than him. I think the lack of any overt magic or proof of possession is what makes this so disturbing.
An honorable mention goes to "Reap" by Sami Shah. I can't say it was my favorite because of how incredibly disturbing it is (US military drone operators are spying on a city in preparation for a bombing). I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I actually LIKED this creepy story - but I can say it's going to linger with me for a long, long time.
Overall, though, a solid collection. Only one story really felt like "filler" to me - and that's pretty unusual with a collection of this length.
See my status updates for this book if you would like to see a review of the individual stories.
Thank you, Netgalley and Solaris, for the Advance Review Copy!
There's a huge variety of stories in so many ways: a wide variety of genres, a wide variety of authors, a wide variety of ways in which the djinn are portrayed. That diversity makes for a really interesting collection that doesn't get repetitive even after twenty stories staring the same magical being.
A couple of the standouts:
"Congregation" by Kamila Shamsie was the first story, just after the opening poem. It was a great start to the collection since it uses the Qur'anic concept of djinn instead of the "genie in the bottle" trope that is more commonly known to an English speaking audience.
"Righteous Guide of the Arabsat" by Sophia Al-Maria was a rather disturbing story set in the modern Middle East. A man assumes his new bride must be possessed by a djinn since she's less sexually repressed than him. I think the lack of any overt magic or proof of possession is what makes this so disturbing.
An honorable mention goes to "Reap" by Sami Shah. I can't say it was my favorite because of how incredibly disturbing it is (US military drone operators are spying on a city in preparation for a bombing). I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I actually LIKED this creepy story - but I can say it's going to linger with me for a long, long time.
Overall, though, a solid collection. Only one story really felt like "filler" to me - and that's pretty unusual with a collection of this length.
See my status updates for this book if you would like to see a review of the individual stories.
Thank you, Netgalley and Solaris, for the Advance Review Copy!
June 5, 2022
Look. I don't like anthologies and I don't like short stories but r/Fantasy Bingo is r/Fantasy Bingo and I figured I'd give hard mode a try. I suppose it's well composed, with a good spectrum of authors, but as with all anthologies, there some stories that draw you in and some that don't, and as a whole I unfortunately ended up with no clear favourites and more I disliked than what I liked, more stories that made me go "huh, is that really it?" or "what did I just read" than enjoyable/memorable ones. In short, I remain unpersuaded about the format 😂
Enjoyment: 2/5
Execution: 4/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Enjoyment: 2/5
Execution: 4/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Read
January 13, 2021Hermes (trans. Robin Moger) — The Djinn Falls in Love
A poem.
*** Kamila Shamsie — The Congregation
A young man wakes up early to go to mosque one morning - and ends up in a bizarre alternate dimension where the djinn worship. He meets a supernatural being that he feels an odd affinity for - and it changes the course of his life.
*** Kuzhali Manickavel — How We Remember You
This might've been aiming for a Joyce Carol Oates kind of vibe. As an adult, a woman reminisces about a boy her circle of friends knew, when they were all children - a boy who may have been odder than the usual half-outcast victim of young bullies. It's nearly immediately clear that there is a dark secret that has never been brought to light - and an enduring mystery.
*** Claire North — Hurrem and the Djinn
A tale in the style of a fairytale, with a feminist message. An advisor insists that the Sultan's favorite is a witch who consorts with demons - and enlists the court sorcerers to unmask her dastardly deeds.
* J.Y. Yang — Glass Lights
The 'djinn' thing seems really shoehorned in here - it's totally irrelevant to this inconclusive and unconvincing piece about a hijabi girl who feels alienated by the modern society around her.
** Monica Byrne — Authenticity
I really loved Byrne's 'The Girl in The Road,' but this didn't work as well for me.
After a vacation tryst with an exotic foreign man, a film student goes to scope out the "adult film shoot" that he's told her he's working on. But what she finds is a bit stranger than your run-of-the-mill porno. The story hinges on the ambiguity of where, exactly, the true strangeness lies, and the real purposes behind each character's motivations - but I could've dealt with a little less confusion and a few more answers.
*** Helene Wecker — Majnun
What would lead a powerful djinn to convert to Islam and spend his time exorcising his own people from mere humans? That's what this djinn's former lover wants to know.
Maria Dahvana Headley — Black Powder
Amal El-Mohtar — A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds
James Smythe — The Sand in the Glass is Right
Sami Shah — REAP
Catherine King — Queen of Sheba
E.J. Swift — The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice
K.J. Parker — Message in a Bottle
Neil Gaiman — Somewhere in America
Jamal Mahjoub — Duende 2077
Sophia Al-Maria — The Righteous Guide of Arabsat
Kirsty Logan — The Spite House
Usman Malik — Emperors of Jinn
_____
Nada Adel Sobhi — Time is a Teacher
Nnedi Okorafor — History
Saad Hossein — Bring Your Own Spoon
A poem.
*** Kamila Shamsie — The Congregation
A young man wakes up early to go to mosque one morning - and ends up in a bizarre alternate dimension where the djinn worship. He meets a supernatural being that he feels an odd affinity for - and it changes the course of his life.
*** Kuzhali Manickavel — How We Remember You
This might've been aiming for a Joyce Carol Oates kind of vibe. As an adult, a woman reminisces about a boy her circle of friends knew, when they were all children - a boy who may have been odder than the usual half-outcast victim of young bullies. It's nearly immediately clear that there is a dark secret that has never been brought to light - and an enduring mystery.
*** Claire North — Hurrem and the Djinn
A tale in the style of a fairytale, with a feminist message. An advisor insists that the Sultan's favorite is a witch who consorts with demons - and enlists the court sorcerers to unmask her dastardly deeds.
* J.Y. Yang — Glass Lights
The 'djinn' thing seems really shoehorned in here - it's totally irrelevant to this inconclusive and unconvincing piece about a hijabi girl who feels alienated by the modern society around her.
** Monica Byrne — Authenticity
I really loved Byrne's 'The Girl in The Road,' but this didn't work as well for me.
After a vacation tryst with an exotic foreign man, a film student goes to scope out the "adult film shoot" that he's told her he's working on. But what she finds is a bit stranger than your run-of-the-mill porno. The story hinges on the ambiguity of where, exactly, the true strangeness lies, and the real purposes behind each character's motivations - but I could've dealt with a little less confusion and a few more answers.
*** Helene Wecker — Majnun
What would lead a powerful djinn to convert to Islam and spend his time exorcising his own people from mere humans? That's what this djinn's former lover wants to know.
Maria Dahvana Headley — Black Powder
Amal El-Mohtar — A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds
James Smythe — The Sand in the Glass is Right
Sami Shah — REAP
Catherine King — Queen of Sheba
E.J. Swift — The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice
K.J. Parker — Message in a Bottle
Neil Gaiman — Somewhere in America
Jamal Mahjoub — Duende 2077
Sophia Al-Maria — The Righteous Guide of Arabsat
Kirsty Logan — The Spite House
Usman Malik — Emperors of Jinn
_____
Nada Adel Sobhi — Time is a Teacher
Nnedi Okorafor — History
Saad Hossein — Bring Your Own Spoon
March 8, 2017
In brief - Some very good stories - 3.5/5 probably.
In full
This book has 21 stories on the subject of Djinns. With one or two exceptions these appear to be new stories. The djinns are mainly an Islamic concept and the spelling varies almost as much as the characteristics. They can be quite "devilish", they can grant wishes, they live for exceptionally long periods, they are magical and these terms really only scratch the surface of these beings that are created by godly fire. It's a subject that has always intrigued me so I was looking forward to reading this anthology.
These stories vary widely in era, approach and general setting. There are ones that have a far older feel and ones that are either modern or even sci fi based. Some of the content is violent (djinns can be seen as devils or devilish at least). Some content is sexual. Some are short and some are longer. If you have an interest in the subject there should be something for you here.
I guess the majority of these tales I did enjoy at least to some degree. The nature of such an anthology is that not all the stories will appeal to every reader. For me there were probably four standout stories. Neil Gaiman's story I enjoyed but, as it is from American Gods, I had read it before. It simply reminds me of what an excellent author he is.
I did enjoy the dark mischief of The Spite House by Kirsty Logan about djinns who are no longer that and do not grant wishes… or do they? It was well written and enjoyable.
There were two others which stood out for me. I found Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley extremely atmospheric and very well written. This really was one of those stories that effortlessly creates pictures with words. With a real feel of the Wild West and trappers this was also faintly contemporary and mysterious as well as edgy. Great story.
The other stand out tale also created a vivid picture with words for me. Reap by Sami Shah was a clever story. It is set in the USA with a section operating drones. However the real story occurs in Afghanistan as observed by the drone operators. I found it very atmospheric and crisply written. This is one that will stay with me, along with Black Powder, for some time to come.
I think there will always be highs and less attractive stories in such an anthology. Equally what those highs are will vary from reader to reader. However I thoroughly enjoyed reading most of the stories and even the less appealing ones were largely ok for me. This would be a good read for lovers of fantasy and certainly for anyone with an interest in tales about djinns.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fantasy/djinn-f...
In full
This book has 21 stories on the subject of Djinns. With one or two exceptions these appear to be new stories. The djinns are mainly an Islamic concept and the spelling varies almost as much as the characteristics. They can be quite "devilish", they can grant wishes, they live for exceptionally long periods, they are magical and these terms really only scratch the surface of these beings that are created by godly fire. It's a subject that has always intrigued me so I was looking forward to reading this anthology.
These stories vary widely in era, approach and general setting. There are ones that have a far older feel and ones that are either modern or even sci fi based. Some of the content is violent (djinns can be seen as devils or devilish at least). Some content is sexual. Some are short and some are longer. If you have an interest in the subject there should be something for you here.
I guess the majority of these tales I did enjoy at least to some degree. The nature of such an anthology is that not all the stories will appeal to every reader. For me there were probably four standout stories. Neil Gaiman's story I enjoyed but, as it is from American Gods, I had read it before. It simply reminds me of what an excellent author he is.
I did enjoy the dark mischief of The Spite House by Kirsty Logan about djinns who are no longer that and do not grant wishes… or do they? It was well written and enjoyable.
There were two others which stood out for me. I found Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley extremely atmospheric and very well written. This really was one of those stories that effortlessly creates pictures with words. With a real feel of the Wild West and trappers this was also faintly contemporary and mysterious as well as edgy. Great story.
The other stand out tale also created a vivid picture with words for me. Reap by Sami Shah was a clever story. It is set in the USA with a section operating drones. However the real story occurs in Afghanistan as observed by the drone operators. I found it very atmospheric and crisply written. This is one that will stay with me, along with Black Powder, for some time to come.
I think there will always be highs and less attractive stories in such an anthology. Equally what those highs are will vary from reader to reader. However I thoroughly enjoyed reading most of the stories and even the less appealing ones were largely ok for me. This would be a good read for lovers of fantasy and certainly for anyone with an interest in tales about djinns.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fantasy/djinn-f...
May 9, 2025
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a collection of stories about djinn (jinn/genie/etc), a concept that can be found in a variety of cultures. The stories run the gamut in terms of genre and culture, with each author being allowed to write (and spell) djinn as they prefer (thank you editors for not homogenizing the spelling, it was appreciated!). While Neil Gaiman is probably the most popular author in the collection, I actually skipped that story (it's an excerpt from American Gods, which I have already read and didn't particularly care for). This left me with a bunch of other stories, a few authors I had heard of, but most whom were completely unknown to me - and this is the kind of short story collection I like, something that introduces me to different authors that are amazing and multicultural and leads me down a rabbit hole of finding their other works to read.
So, I ended up being completely blown away by this collection. The stories were great, and while there were a few I didn't quite like as much as others (there are always some in a short story collection), there were so so many that I loved.
I was going to list a few of my favorite stories in this collection, but I ended up listing almost all of the stories, so instead I will just list my absolute favorite - "Reap" by Sami Shah. This story is amazing, and I've been coming back to it days later.
Overall, I can't recommend this book enough.
This is a collection of stories about djinn (jinn/genie/etc), a concept that can be found in a variety of cultures. The stories run the gamut in terms of genre and culture, with each author being allowed to write (and spell) djinn as they prefer (thank you editors for not homogenizing the spelling, it was appreciated!). While Neil Gaiman is probably the most popular author in the collection, I actually skipped that story (it's an excerpt from American Gods, which I have already read and didn't particularly care for). This left me with a bunch of other stories, a few authors I had heard of, but most whom were completely unknown to me - and this is the kind of short story collection I like, something that introduces me to different authors that are amazing and multicultural and leads me down a rabbit hole of finding their other works to read.
So, I ended up being completely blown away by this collection. The stories were great, and while there were a few I didn't quite like as much as others (there are always some in a short story collection), there were so so many that I loved.
I was going to list a few of my favorite stories in this collection, but I ended up listing almost all of the stories, so instead I will just list my absolute favorite - "Reap" by Sami Shah. This story is amazing, and I've been coming back to it days later.
Overall, I can't recommend this book enough.
April 20, 2017
I finally finished this book, after 10 days of reading one or two (or more) stories almost everyday. I have some closing thoughts that I'll share at the end of this review, after the individual reviews of the various short stories. . .
The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes, Read April 7, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was a one-page poem, on page 10 (page 11 gave us the poem in its original language ... Arabic?). If I understood it, it's the perspective of a djinn who is chained by love instead of by the more usual things that chain a djinn. "My fetters may be broke..." Only, it doesn't seem to me that this djinn is in a healthy relationship. "... Here it is with a mattock, shattering everything inside me." Though maybe that's what being in love is really like. ???
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie, Read April 8, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was an interesting story, about a boy who, it turned out, was half-human, half-jinn. He meets a boy jinn, and feels an instant connection. Years pass, I kind of felt lost after this. I understood it, but I didn't understand how it worked, with
The ending left me feeling befuddled. I don't understand this. :-(
How We Remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel, Read April 8, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was, I think, a story about the disappearance of a teen, as told by those of his "friends" left behind after he disappeared. It seemed to me that the one who disappeared was a djinn, and his "friends" were remorseful for how they treated him in the days leading up to his. . .ascension?
This was a rather depressing tale.
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North, Read April 10, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This is the first story in this book that I can say that I really enjoyed. Even if I didn't entirely understand it. It was rather fun to see men get their comeuppance for doubting a woman. And the three djinn in this story - one a forest djinn, another an ocean djinn, and the third a storm djinn - were great fun, too. :-)
Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang, Read April 10, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was good, but I didn't quite understand it. Mena learned that her grandmother was a djinn. . . Then we're with Mena on her way to work, and see her granting people's deepest desires. And the story ends with her flicking off the light after thinking over her life.
So on the one hand, it did make sense. But on the other, was that it? ??? Slightly unsatisfying. :-(
Authenticity by Monica Byrne, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was. . .weird. I did not understand it at all. About a film student who gets involved with an adult film, it made sense, but I don't understand the point to it. Was the unnamed narrator a djinn? Was Abbas? And what was up with the scenes featuring the friend and fellow student?
I'm noticing a disturbing trend to the stories in this book. Many/most of them seem to be going over my head. :-(
Majnun by Helene Wecker, Read April 11, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This was the story of Zahid, a jinn, who underwent a spiritual crisis before the story and is living with his choice to change in the story. We see him explaining his choice to his former consort, who then forces him to exorcise her from the boy she possessed. From how the story ended, I don't think the boy was very pleased to be free. And Zahid doesn't seem too happy with his exorcism. I'm not sure he'll be able to stick with his new way of life.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was rather interesting, but also sort of confusing. Though the text made it clear on when it was jumping around in time, it jumped around in time. And I don't understand why Yoth Begail shot Weran Root. Didn't he see who he was aiming at before he pulled the trigger? If it was dark, why didn't he recognize the Priest's voice?
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was a story about changing to fit your environment, I think. We went from Sparrow to Crow to Cormorant to Swallow to Hummingbird to Great Horned Owl to Phoenix. I haven't the foggiest idea how djinn fit into this story. I feel like I should give it fewer stars, especially as I'm only guessing at what the point of this story was, but it was well-written and rather interesting, so 3.5-good-stars suits it.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was good but confusing. I think the grandfather was behind the flashbacks in the different font, and that the rest of the story was told from Sam's ongoing POV. But I could be wrong. I am feeling very sleepy, which isn't helping with my concentration.
Reap by Sami Shah, Read April 12, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This story was rather creepy. It was pretty great! About a group of drone operators operating a drone in Pakistan from New Mexico, I enjoyed it right up until the final sentence, when it lost me.
What happened was, the drone operators
I suspect the neighbor had something to do with But this is just what I think.
Still though, even with the confusing final sentence, this was a really enjoyable story.
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King, Read April 14, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This was a good story, and I actually understood it! It was about a 12-year-old girl who learns that her "Auntie" is actually a djinni. She also learned that she has The Sight.
In the end, she retreated from her new knowledge, diving back into the book she was enjoying. She's only 12, after all. There's time enough to deal with the new stuff. . .later.
At least, I think that that's what happened. -)
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice by E.J. Swift, Read April 15, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was an interesting and fun story, until the end, when it lost me and left me with a lot of questions. (I laid out most my questions in my Status Update for this story, if you want to read them.) So it goes on the "just 3.5-stars-good" pile. :-(
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker, Read April 16, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was interesting, but I don't understand why the narrator held the cure without sharing it with his Plague-ridden world. We had a ghost/spirit in this story, and the narrator practiced necromancy to raise him. So that was kind of neat. But I got lost in the end when the narrator talked about the strain for the incurable version versus the cure. Were they the same? Or, curing the Red Death (the mostly-livable version) would spike the White Death (the "kill everyone!" version)? I just don't know.
And also, is the narrator now immune? Basically, once The Bottle broke the story lost me. :-(
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain, Read April 16, 2017.
4.5 stars - great!
This story was really quite good, and best of all? I completely understood it! The story's world was interesting, and presented so well that I never felt lost. I also never felt that I entered an already-in-progress tale in the middle. :-)
And you know what? I am upping my rating from 4 - very good; really enjoyed - stars to 4.5 - great! - stars. I think I'm just so very relieved to have finally read a story that made sense from beginning to end. But it works for me. :-)
Anyway, this was the story of Hanu Khillick and his djinn friend Imbidor; they opened a restaurant together! Somehow, Imbi made the air safe. But this drew the attention of the government, who did not approve.
But in the end, Hanu and Imbi took their customers and were crossing the river to find a better place in the wilderness to open their restaurant. So, an interesting story - most excellent world-building - with a hope-filled ending, that was completely understandable? If that's not "great" and worthy of the most stars I've yet given for a story in this book, I don't know what is. :-)
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman, Read April 16, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This "short" was preceded by a line that says "Reprinted, with permission, from American Gods." So it is unfortunately no surprise that I'm pretty sure I've read this "story" before, since I have read American Gods. And while this excerpt works as a stand-alone story, I wish this book had had an original, intended to be a short, story from Neil Gaiman in it. :-(
(And that is pretty much word-for-word what I wrote in my Status Update for this story, but I don't know what else to say.)
Although, this was the story of Salim, an immigrant from Oman to New York (so why this story is called "Somewhere in America," when it's set in New York City, I don't know), and an unnamed jinn taxi driver. In the end, the two seem to switch places and Salim is leaving his hotel to become a taxi driver. It's a rather happy, hope-filled ending. :-)
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub, Read April 16, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story started out great - it opened with a murder mystery - but then the ending didn't tell us how that murder mattered. So. . . Disappointing. :-(
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria, Read April 17, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was a good - as in completely understandable - story, but I didn't particularly enjoy it. Khalid believed his wife was possessed by a djinn. So he tried an exorcism. He's feeling pretty happily righteous - to borrow a word from the story's title - but in the end, :-(
So, I'm not a fan. I was hoping to see Aneeza come through the ordeal and set Khalid straight. Instead, I guess she dies. :-(
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan, Read April 17, 2017.
3.5 stars - good 4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This was a good story, understandable, but a little disturbing. In it, a djinn - Esha - was taken advantage of by a human - Lexy. Esha lives in a Spite House, but at the end, he realizes that only one of them lives in a Spite House, and it isn't him.
I wish Esha had fought harder to stand up for himself. Just hiding away until Lexy gave up on him didn't set well with me. :-(
Update: I upped my star rating because on April 19th, two days after finishing this book, I went through all of the stories, reading titles only, and the only ones I could have told you anything about were the ones I rated with four or more stars, except for two: this one (so I increased my rating) and Amal El-Mohtar's (the title gives that story away, so I left it where it is/was).
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik, Read April 17, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
I understood this story until Saman started the summoning ritual. Then it lost me. And the ending didn't make any sense! :-(
History by Nnedi Okorafor, Read April 17, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was good and rather enjoyable, but though I understood the words, I did not understand the point. What happened when History sang that last song? Was it a summoning of some sort? Or. . .? I just don't know. :-(
And I'm done!
It took me 10 days to read this book, and though I never felt like I was slogging my way through it, it was probably only thanks to the fact that I did read it over 10 days that kept me from feeling like I was slogging my way through it.
This collection was not what I was expecting or hoping for. I had hoped for Fantasy/Urban Fantasy-type stories, instead they seemed more like Literary stories. This feeling can probably be blamed on the fact that I found so many of the stories in this book to be incomprehensible. . .
I think I only completely understood three of the stories (in actuality, I understood seven or eight, including two or three that I *think* I understood). And of those few - less than half of the stories (21 in total) in this collection - only one, Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain, was worthy of "gem status" from me. Though I should say that I'd have enjoyed Neil Gaiman's entry, Somewhere in America, about the same had I not read it before. (I had hoped for a new story from NG.) So should I rate it higher? I think I'll leave it at four "very good/really enjoyed" stars. :-/
Most of the stories got a "3.5-stars-good" rating for me. This was my default rating, as most of the stories were written well, they just weren't understandable by me. (I do not blame my lack of understanding on the authors, though there were a few that I'd like to sit down and talk with...)
Anyway, this collection as a whole was sort of good, but, sadly, not without errors. I can recall off the top of my head the use of "them" instead of "then" in one story, and the use of "forth" instead of "fourth" in a later story. And since I feel very underwhelmed and rather disappointed. . .
This book is only getting three stars from me. (And that's three-above-average-stars more than three-I-liked-it-stars.)
I do not regret the time spent reading this book. Thankfully, over the same 10 days I read this anthology, I also listened to several (six? more?) audiobooks. The audiobooks are actually why it took me 10 days to read this book. Some days, I listened for eight or more hours, while reading only one or two or three (or none) stories. What can I say? It worked for me.
(And I was doing a Readathon! "Reading" audiobooks helped me read 48/24 hours last week!)
But this book. . . I think I'd have spent more time with it if only the stories had been better suited for me. So three stars feels right.
The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes, Read April 7, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was a one-page poem, on page 10 (page 11 gave us the poem in its original language ... Arabic?). If I understood it, it's the perspective of a djinn who is chained by love instead of by the more usual things that chain a djinn. "My fetters may be broke..." Only, it doesn't seem to me that this djinn is in a healthy relationship. "... Here it is with a mattock, shattering everything inside me." Though maybe that's what being in love is really like. ???
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie, Read April 8, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was an interesting story, about a boy who, it turned out, was half-human, half-jinn. He meets a boy jinn, and feels an instant connection. Years pass, I kind of felt lost after this. I understood it, but I didn't understand how it worked, with
The ending left me feeling befuddled. I don't understand this. :-(
How We Remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel, Read April 8, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was, I think, a story about the disappearance of a teen, as told by those of his "friends" left behind after he disappeared. It seemed to me that the one who disappeared was a djinn, and his "friends" were remorseful for how they treated him in the days leading up to his. . .ascension?
This was a rather depressing tale.
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North, Read April 10, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This is the first story in this book that I can say that I really enjoyed. Even if I didn't entirely understand it. It was rather fun to see men get their comeuppance for doubting a woman. And the three djinn in this story - one a forest djinn, another an ocean djinn, and the third a storm djinn - were great fun, too. :-)
Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang, Read April 10, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was good, but I didn't quite understand it. Mena learned that her grandmother was a djinn. . . Then we're with Mena on her way to work, and see her granting people's deepest desires. And the story ends with her flicking off the light after thinking over her life.
So on the one hand, it did make sense. But on the other, was that it? ??? Slightly unsatisfying. :-(
Authenticity by Monica Byrne, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was. . .weird. I did not understand it at all. About a film student who gets involved with an adult film, it made sense, but I don't understand the point to it. Was the unnamed narrator a djinn? Was Abbas? And what was up with the scenes featuring the friend and fellow student?
I'm noticing a disturbing trend to the stories in this book. Many/most of them seem to be going over my head. :-(
Majnun by Helene Wecker, Read April 11, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This was the story of Zahid, a jinn, who underwent a spiritual crisis before the story and is living with his choice to change in the story. We see him explaining his choice to his former consort, who then forces him to exorcise her from the boy she possessed. From how the story ended, I don't think the boy was very pleased to be free. And Zahid doesn't seem too happy with his exorcism. I'm not sure he'll be able to stick with his new way of life.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was rather interesting, but also sort of confusing. Though the text made it clear on when it was jumping around in time, it jumped around in time. And I don't understand why Yoth Begail shot Weran Root. Didn't he see who he was aiming at before he pulled the trigger? If it was dark, why didn't he recognize the Priest's voice?
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was a story about changing to fit your environment, I think. We went from Sparrow to Crow to Cormorant to Swallow to Hummingbird to Great Horned Owl to Phoenix. I haven't the foggiest idea how djinn fit into this story. I feel like I should give it fewer stars, especially as I'm only guessing at what the point of this story was, but it was well-written and rather interesting, so 3.5-good-stars suits it.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe, Read April 11, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was good but confusing. I think the grandfather was behind the flashbacks in the different font, and that the rest of the story was told from Sam's ongoing POV. But I could be wrong. I am feeling very sleepy, which isn't helping with my concentration.
Reap by Sami Shah, Read April 12, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This story was rather creepy. It was pretty great! About a group of drone operators operating a drone in Pakistan from New Mexico, I enjoyed it right up until the final sentence, when it lost me.
What happened was, the drone operators
I suspect the neighbor had something to do with But this is just what I think.
Still though, even with the confusing final sentence, this was a really enjoyable story.
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King, Read April 14, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This was a good story, and I actually understood it! It was about a 12-year-old girl who learns that her "Auntie" is actually a djinni. She also learned that she has The Sight.
In the end, she retreated from her new knowledge, diving back into the book she was enjoying. She's only 12, after all. There's time enough to deal with the new stuff. . .later.
At least, I think that that's what happened. -)
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice by E.J. Swift, Read April 15, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was an interesting and fun story, until the end, when it lost me and left me with a lot of questions. (I laid out most my questions in my Status Update for this story, if you want to read them.) So it goes on the "just 3.5-stars-good" pile. :-(
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker, Read April 16, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was interesting, but I don't understand why the narrator held the cure without sharing it with his Plague-ridden world. We had a ghost/spirit in this story, and the narrator practiced necromancy to raise him. So that was kind of neat. But I got lost in the end when the narrator talked about the strain for the incurable version versus the cure. Were they the same? Or, curing the Red Death (the mostly-livable version) would spike the White Death (the "kill everyone!" version)? I just don't know.
And also, is the narrator now immune? Basically, once The Bottle broke the story lost me. :-(
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain, Read April 16, 2017.
4.5 stars - great!
This story was really quite good, and best of all? I completely understood it! The story's world was interesting, and presented so well that I never felt lost. I also never felt that I entered an already-in-progress tale in the middle. :-)
And you know what? I am upping my rating from 4 - very good; really enjoyed - stars to 4.5 - great! - stars. I think I'm just so very relieved to have finally read a story that made sense from beginning to end. But it works for me. :-)
Anyway, this was the story of Hanu Khillick and his djinn friend Imbidor; they opened a restaurant together! Somehow, Imbi made the air safe. But this drew the attention of the government, who did not approve.
But in the end, Hanu and Imbi took their customers and were crossing the river to find a better place in the wilderness to open their restaurant. So, an interesting story - most excellent world-building - with a hope-filled ending, that was completely understandable? If that's not "great" and worthy of the most stars I've yet given for a story in this book, I don't know what is. :-)
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman, Read April 16, 2017.
4 stars - very good; really enjoyed
This "short" was preceded by a line that says "Reprinted, with permission, from American Gods." So it is unfortunately no surprise that I'm pretty sure I've read this "story" before, since I have read American Gods. And while this excerpt works as a stand-alone story, I wish this book had had an original, intended to be a short, story from Neil Gaiman in it. :-(
(And that is pretty much word-for-word what I wrote in my Status Update for this story, but I don't know what else to say.)
Although, this was the story of Salim, an immigrant from Oman to New York (so why this story is called "Somewhere in America," when it's set in New York City, I don't know), and an unnamed jinn taxi driver. In the end, the two seem to switch places and Salim is leaving his hotel to become a taxi driver. It's a rather happy, hope-filled ending. :-)
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub, Read April 16, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story started out great - it opened with a murder mystery - but then the ending didn't tell us how that murder mattered. So. . . Disappointing. :-(
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria, Read April 17, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This was a good - as in completely understandable - story, but I didn't particularly enjoy it. Khalid believed his wife was possessed by a djinn. So he tried an exorcism. He's feeling pretty happily righteous - to borrow a word from the story's title - but in the end, :-(
So, I'm not a fan. I was hoping to see Aneeza come through the ordeal and set Khalid straight. Instead, I guess she dies. :-(
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan, Read April 17, 2017.
This was a good story, understandable, but a little disturbing. In it, a djinn - Esha - was taken advantage of by a human - Lexy. Esha lives in a Spite House, but at the end, he realizes that only one of them lives in a Spite House, and it isn't him.
I wish Esha had fought harder to stand up for himself. Just hiding away until Lexy gave up on him didn't set well with me. :-(
Update: I upped my star rating because on April 19th, two days after finishing this book, I went through all of the stories, reading titles only, and the only ones I could have told you anything about were the ones I rated with four or more stars, except for two: this one (so I increased my rating) and Amal El-Mohtar's (the title gives that story away, so I left it where it is/was).
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik, Read April 17, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
I understood this story until Saman started the summoning ritual. Then it lost me. And the ending didn't make any sense! :-(
History by Nnedi Okorafor, Read April 17, 2017.
3.5 stars - good
This story was good and rather enjoyable, but though I understood the words, I did not understand the point. What happened when History sang that last song? Was it a summoning of some sort? Or. . .? I just don't know. :-(
And I'm done!
It took me 10 days to read this book, and though I never felt like I was slogging my way through it, it was probably only thanks to the fact that I did read it over 10 days that kept me from feeling like I was slogging my way through it.
This collection was not what I was expecting or hoping for. I had hoped for Fantasy/Urban Fantasy-type stories, instead they seemed more like Literary stories. This feeling can probably be blamed on the fact that I found so many of the stories in this book to be incomprehensible. . .
I think I only completely understood three of the stories (in actuality, I understood seven or eight, including two or three that I *think* I understood). And of those few - less than half of the stories (21 in total) in this collection - only one, Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain, was worthy of "gem status" from me. Though I should say that I'd have enjoyed Neil Gaiman's entry, Somewhere in America, about the same had I not read it before. (I had hoped for a new story from NG.) So should I rate it higher? I think I'll leave it at four "very good/really enjoyed" stars. :-/
Most of the stories got a "3.5-stars-good" rating for me. This was my default rating, as most of the stories were written well, they just weren't understandable by me. (I do not blame my lack of understanding on the authors, though there were a few that I'd like to sit down and talk with...)
Anyway, this collection as a whole was sort of good, but, sadly, not without errors. I can recall off the top of my head the use of "them" instead of "then" in one story, and the use of "forth" instead of "fourth" in a later story. And since I feel very underwhelmed and rather disappointed. . .
This book is only getting three stars from me. (And that's three-above-average-stars more than three-I-liked-it-stars.)
I do not regret the time spent reading this book. Thankfully, over the same 10 days I read this anthology, I also listened to several (six? more?) audiobooks. The audiobooks are actually why it took me 10 days to read this book. Some days, I listened for eight or more hours, while reading only one or two or three (or none) stories. What can I say? It worked for me.
(And I was doing a Readathon! "Reading" audiobooks helped me read 48/24 hours last week!)
But this book. . . I think I'd have spent more time with it if only the stories had been better suited for me. So three stars feels right.
April 23, 2017
This is such an interesting collection of stories all centered around the topic of djinn (aka genie) folklore. Some of these are retellings of ancient myths, others have multicultural influences, some are high fantasy and others are literary. Some stories are set in Africa, some in Arab counties, some in America, and even one on Mars. This is a great eclectic set that was very entertaining and thought provoking.
I was provided a free Ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've rated and reviewed each story individually below for my own recollection. Spoilers may appear.
I was provided a free Ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've rated and reviewed each story individually below for my own recollection. Spoilers may appear.
December 30, 2017
Come, sit closer to the fire. That's better. See how the flames dance in your storyteller's eyes. Perhaps those flecks of orange, red and gold are merely reflections—but you must know that the eyes of djinn are also said to flicker in just this way. It makes no difference... whether we were created from quick fire or humble clay, all of us love stories. So come closer, and listen...
For a themed anthology, The Djinn Falls in Love is extraordinarily, and satisfyingly, diverse. While remaining true to its theme—all of the stories here feature djinn (or jinn, or genies... there is no enforced consistency of spelling)—there are science fictions and fantasies, a poem, stories set on Mars, or in the States, or in unnamed deserts... this anthology ranges, literally, all over the map.
As do its collected authors. I did recognize a few entries in the Table of Contents—Helene Wecker and Claire North, whose work I've read; Nnedi Okorafor, whose work I need to read; the ubiquitous Neil Gaiman, of course—but those familiar names were a distinct minority. The editing team of Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin have scoured the world to bring together stories from Singapore, Egypt and Bangladesh, from Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as more common sources like Ottawa, Los Angeles and London. The Introduction contends that this book is a "labour of love" (p.5), and I can well believe it—and this breadth of approach makes for a much stronger anthology than one might expect.
These aren't cute little wish-granters in harem outfits, either—that's one stereotype which does not appear in The Djinn Falls in Love. These are fierce spirits... well, except when they are not. The first story, for example (Kamila Shamsie's "The Congregation"), unites the worlds of jinn and human through the eyes of a young boy, in a way that made me want to read it aloud to my own children. Then the next, "How We Remember You" by Kuzhail Manickavel, shows us much nastier aspects of teenaged indifference—and I don't think it even mentions the word "djinn" in any of its permutations. Diversity... the closest thing to a wish-granting genie comes in Kirsty Logan's "The Spite House," and even that one puts a uniquely terrifying twist on the idea.
There are a score and more works like this—but not exactly like this—in The Djinn Falls in Love, and every one has something to recommend it. So come, sit closer, and listen—while the flames still dance...
June 3, 2018
Considering I don't really read short stories I was so surprised by how much I ended up loving this anthology all about the djinn.
Almost all of the stories are extremely original and well written and most of them managed to include some moral of the story despite the limited length. There were only a few where I didn't understand what they were trying to get at and one that in my view didn't even include the djinn at all.. but aside from that, I was honestly really into most of them. In the cases where I didn't love the stories it was usually because I felt like the ending seemed unfinished and I wanted more, which is possibly a common issue with short stories but definitely speaks to how much I enjoyed them.
Overall, if djinn are your thing or you would like them to be your thing, definitely check this out!
Almost all of the stories are extremely original and well written and most of them managed to include some moral of the story despite the limited length. There were only a few where I didn't understand what they were trying to get at and one that in my view didn't even include the djinn at all.. but aside from that, I was honestly really into most of them. In the cases where I didn't love the stories it was usually because I felt like the ending seemed unfinished and I wanted more, which is possibly a common issue with short stories but definitely speaks to how much I enjoyed them.
Overall, if djinn are your thing or you would like them to be your thing, definitely check this out!
November 27, 2018
Anthologies are so much fun. This one was creative and varied, as you would expect when the topic is djinn. The stories I liked most:
E.J. Swift — The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice
Fabulous futuristic atmosphere with just the right amount of plot and mystery.
James Smythe — The Sand in the Glass is Right
You know it's well-written when nothing in the story makes sense but you're still utterly entranced.
J.Y. Yang — Glass Lights
Poignant and bittersweet and so real.
Saad Hossain — Bring Your Own Spoon
A clever post-apocalyptic futuristic tale, with a lot of heart.
Sami Shah — REAP
Really tight writing. And terrifying! I love it when words on a page actually scare me.
Sophia Al-Maria — The Righteous Guide of Arabsat
This entertaining piece was somehow a combination of hilarious and sad and chillingly realistic.
Stories I didn't like as much but whose authors I will still check out:
Jamal Mahjoub — Duende 2077
Maria Dahvana Headley — Black Powder
Nnedi Okorafor — History
E.J. Swift — The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice
Fabulous futuristic atmosphere with just the right amount of plot and mystery.
James Smythe — The Sand in the Glass is Right
You know it's well-written when nothing in the story makes sense but you're still utterly entranced.
J.Y. Yang — Glass Lights
Poignant and bittersweet and so real.
Saad Hossain — Bring Your Own Spoon
A clever post-apocalyptic futuristic tale, with a lot of heart.
Sami Shah — REAP
Really tight writing. And terrifying! I love it when words on a page actually scare me.
Sophia Al-Maria — The Righteous Guide of Arabsat
This entertaining piece was somehow a combination of hilarious and sad and chillingly realistic.
Stories I didn't like as much but whose authors I will still check out:
Jamal Mahjoub — Duende 2077
Maria Dahvana Headley — Black Powder
Nnedi Okorafor — History
April 27, 2017
Full review here, on my blog.
It’s not often that I find an anthology in which I truly enjoy every story presented. I mean, it’s hard to please someone 100% of the time, amirite? That said, I didn’t dislike any of these stories, and that’s quite an achievement. I had only heard of 4 of the authors before, and only read 3 of them, so this was a lovely dive into a new an exciting world. I especially liked that this group of authors was really diverse, and I loved seeing the djinn from all these different points of view. Many different cultures come together to tell stories here, and it was awesome.
My favorite story of the bunch was Helene Wecker’s Majnun, partially because I just loved the story itself, but I think the fact that her novel The Golem and the Jinni is one of my favorite books of all time influences this somewhat, and therefore when I saw the name Helene Wecker correspond to a story about djinn in an anthology about djinn, well… I squeed. I squeed myself. It was a great story, that even within the 10 or so minutes it took to read, made me really like its characters.
I had other favorite stories in here as well. The story Reap by Sami Shah was really interesting in that it told the story from the point of view of American soldiers using drone technology to watch a small village in Pakistan, so you see this whole story and its (in this case, quite terrifying) djinn in a different way. The people being watched seem to know what is happening, what is terrorizing them, but the people watching have no idea what’s happening, and when strange things begin to happen to them too, it takes it to a legitimately scary level. It’s really quite interesting to think of what an outsider would think in that situation.
The story Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley was also really interesting to me because the djinn takes the form of a gun, and the whole story has a bit of a western… or perhaps almost a post-apocalyptic western feel to it. It had not one by two of my favorite quotes from this whole anthology in it: ‘A hunter is always looking for wishes to come true, and if it takes blood and rending to get them, then it does.’ and ‘Wishing for love is like wishing for more wishes.’ Just fantastic!
Kuzhali Manickavel’s How We Remember You was nice and short, and also beautifully written. The story just pulled me in. It was a lament, or an apology, or a bit of both. It was nostalgic, and sad. Very well done. Also, and this is a bit of an aside, this is a piece of work that I can show people that shows how a story can be beautifully written, while at the same time, have the word ‘fuck’ in it (because yes, I have had this argument).
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar was another beautifully and cleverly told story which is, as the title suggests, told in birds. The djinn in this tale changes shapes as the story progresses, from one type of bird to the next to the next until they are, what can only be described as the ultimate bird. Because, when you’re just trying to survive in a crazy world of birds, one needs to become the bird to end all birds.
There is included in this lovely anthology one of my favorite parts of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, which is named here Somewhere in America, which follows the (rather unexpected at times) exploits of Salim, a traveling salesman from Oman, and his encounter with a jinn in New York City.
In the end, this covers just some of the stories in this anthology, and as I said, I enjoyed all of them. I really enjoyed most of them. As far as anthologies go, it's a win!
It’s not often that I find an anthology in which I truly enjoy every story presented. I mean, it’s hard to please someone 100% of the time, amirite? That said, I didn’t dislike any of these stories, and that’s quite an achievement. I had only heard of 4 of the authors before, and only read 3 of them, so this was a lovely dive into a new an exciting world. I especially liked that this group of authors was really diverse, and I loved seeing the djinn from all these different points of view. Many different cultures come together to tell stories here, and it was awesome.
My favorite story of the bunch was Helene Wecker’s Majnun, partially because I just loved the story itself, but I think the fact that her novel The Golem and the Jinni is one of my favorite books of all time influences this somewhat, and therefore when I saw the name Helene Wecker correspond to a story about djinn in an anthology about djinn, well… I squeed. I squeed myself. It was a great story, that even within the 10 or so minutes it took to read, made me really like its characters.
I had other favorite stories in here as well. The story Reap by Sami Shah was really interesting in that it told the story from the point of view of American soldiers using drone technology to watch a small village in Pakistan, so you see this whole story and its (in this case, quite terrifying) djinn in a different way. The people being watched seem to know what is happening, what is terrorizing them, but the people watching have no idea what’s happening, and when strange things begin to happen to them too, it takes it to a legitimately scary level. It’s really quite interesting to think of what an outsider would think in that situation.
The story Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley was also really interesting to me because the djinn takes the form of a gun, and the whole story has a bit of a western… or perhaps almost a post-apocalyptic western feel to it. It had not one by two of my favorite quotes from this whole anthology in it: ‘A hunter is always looking for wishes to come true, and if it takes blood and rending to get them, then it does.’ and ‘Wishing for love is like wishing for more wishes.’ Just fantastic!
Kuzhali Manickavel’s How We Remember You was nice and short, and also beautifully written. The story just pulled me in. It was a lament, or an apology, or a bit of both. It was nostalgic, and sad. Very well done. Also, and this is a bit of an aside, this is a piece of work that I can show people that shows how a story can be beautifully written, while at the same time, have the word ‘fuck’ in it (because yes, I have had this argument).
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar was another beautifully and cleverly told story which is, as the title suggests, told in birds. The djinn in this tale changes shapes as the story progresses, from one type of bird to the next to the next until they are, what can only be described as the ultimate bird. Because, when you’re just trying to survive in a crazy world of birds, one needs to become the bird to end all birds.
There is included in this lovely anthology one of my favorite parts of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, which is named here Somewhere in America, which follows the (rather unexpected at times) exploits of Salim, a traveling salesman from Oman, and his encounter with a jinn in New York City.
In the end, this covers just some of the stories in this anthology, and as I said, I enjoyed all of them. I really enjoyed most of them. As far as anthologies go, it's a win!
May 17, 2017
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I have not read anything with Genies, nothing NADA! So when I saw this I jumped on the chance to read it. I love reading short story collections, you get to read from authors that you have never read from before and to see if you like their writing style. This collection of short stories is from authors all over the world and it is their take on the djinn and some of the myths,tales that they have heard whilst growing up or heard. The only author that I had heard and read beforehand was Neil Gaiman, I read ‘The Ocean at the end of the Lane’ years ago and enjoyed it so I knew there would be one possible story that I would like.
So going into this I knew nothing about Genie’s/Djinn other than Aladdin! The book has an introduction written by the editors Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin explaining how this book came together and the different authors involved. We also had the The Djinn Falls In Love by Hermes which is poem about a djinn which I really enjoyed.
There are 20 stories in this collection in total and are all very different, however I found the majority of them to be a little dull and wasn’t holding my attention or the story line/plot got confusing. There were however some really great ones that I loved such as ‘Spite House’ and ‘Reap’. I must admit that there will be something for everyone as there several different genres within.
‘Reap’ by Sami Shah – This was a 5 star from me. This is a story about a small team who use a drone for surveillance on a small village in Pakistan. They have to watch the residents of this village and one family has 11 children, but one day Miriam, the youngest, doesn’t return with the clan. This has supernatural elements and is pretty scary but truly wonderful and had me gripped all the way through.
This is not one of my favourite short story collection as there were just too many that didn’t hold my interest or was a little confusing. The cover though is beautiful and recommend if you want to read some different interpretations about Djinn.
I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars
I have not read anything with Genies, nothing NADA! So when I saw this I jumped on the chance to read it. I love reading short story collections, you get to read from authors that you have never read from before and to see if you like their writing style. This collection of short stories is from authors all over the world and it is their take on the djinn and some of the myths,tales that they have heard whilst growing up or heard. The only author that I had heard and read beforehand was Neil Gaiman, I read ‘The Ocean at the end of the Lane’ years ago and enjoyed it so I knew there would be one possible story that I would like.
So going into this I knew nothing about Genie’s/Djinn other than Aladdin! The book has an introduction written by the editors Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin explaining how this book came together and the different authors involved. We also had the The Djinn Falls In Love by Hermes which is poem about a djinn which I really enjoyed.
There are 20 stories in this collection in total and are all very different, however I found the majority of them to be a little dull and wasn’t holding my attention or the story line/plot got confusing. There were however some really great ones that I loved such as ‘Spite House’ and ‘Reap’. I must admit that there will be something for everyone as there several different genres within.
‘Reap’ by Sami Shah – This was a 5 star from me. This is a story about a small team who use a drone for surveillance on a small village in Pakistan. They have to watch the residents of this village and one family has 11 children, but one day Miriam, the youngest, doesn’t return with the clan. This has supernatural elements and is pretty scary but truly wonderful and had me gripped all the way through.
This is not one of my favourite short story collection as there were just too many that didn’t hold my interest or was a little confusing. The cover though is beautiful and recommend if you want to read some different interpretations about Djinn.
I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars
July 18, 2017
The djinn are coming into their own it seems, now a days we are seeing an explosion of literature and movies about the Djinn. This is a book of short stories about or including the Djinn. These beings called fhe Djinn are being created by Allah of smokeless fire. Angels are being of light and we humans are made of clay .
This compilation is filled with a slew of Djinn stories by way too many authors that I could even begin to name. Some have never been published while others are small,time. Quite a few have put out books about the Djinn or at least Djinn fiction. Most notable of these authors are Neil Gaiman and Sami Shah.
The excerpt is taking from Gaiman's book "American Gods" in this vignette a young man comes from the Middle East to sell,souvenirs to companies. The salesman is down on his luck. Then he meets a Djinn cab driver and the two hit it off romantic stuyle. This must be a nod in depicting gay lovers in lit as there is another story that involves gay lovers. In this other story, not by Gaiman, a pawnshop owner loses a wish gun and the Djinn huntress has come to receive it. Low and behold the pawn shop owner is killed by this gun. In the end he is reunited with his lover, a Christian priest.
Sami shah is aPakistani writer and comedian. he has written " Boy of Fire" about a boy who is half djinn. In this short story the American military is keeping an eye on a Taliban village. While observing this they witness a djinn girl murder a villager and a Taliban terrorist. In the end she is seemingly executed but how can humans kill Djinn?
In the other stories we have Djinn possession of astronauts in space. Other stories have a post apocalyptic world where it humans and Djinn against corporations. Some stories involve kids pulling out an old tome and conjuring the Djinn. If the djinn are your thing then this book is for you.
This compilation is filled with a slew of Djinn stories by way too many authors that I could even begin to name. Some have never been published while others are small,time. Quite a few have put out books about the Djinn or at least Djinn fiction. Most notable of these authors are Neil Gaiman and Sami Shah.
The excerpt is taking from Gaiman's book "American Gods" in this vignette a young man comes from the Middle East to sell,souvenirs to companies. The salesman is down on his luck. Then he meets a Djinn cab driver and the two hit it off romantic stuyle. This must be a nod in depicting gay lovers in lit as there is another story that involves gay lovers. In this other story, not by Gaiman, a pawnshop owner loses a wish gun and the Djinn huntress has come to receive it. Low and behold the pawn shop owner is killed by this gun. In the end he is reunited with his lover, a Christian priest.
Sami shah is aPakistani writer and comedian. he has written " Boy of Fire" about a boy who is half djinn. In this short story the American military is keeping an eye on a Taliban village. While observing this they witness a djinn girl murder a villager and a Taliban terrorist. In the end she is seemingly executed but how can humans kill Djinn?
In the other stories we have Djinn possession of astronauts in space. Other stories have a post apocalyptic world where it humans and Djinn against corporations. Some stories involve kids pulling out an old tome and conjuring the Djinn. If the djinn are your thing then this book is for you.
May 18, 2018
The Djinn Falls in Love edited by Mahvesh Murad is a glorious collection of stories centering around jinn, djinn, genies, written by some great fantasy authors of our time. There wasn’t one disappointing tale in the book, and they swing from experimental to horror to oral folklore–like tales. It’s a very well-curated collection, short but packed with excellence, every tale better than the next.
I had a couple favorites, although again, every piece in this collection is worth the read. “Glass Lights” by J.Y. Yang is about a lonely woman whose grandmother was a jinn, reflecting on wishes as she navigates an alienating workspace where people don’t include her in things, or remember her halal eating needs. Maria Dahvana Headley’s “Black Powder” was a haunting folk tale that seemed to fill up an entire novel’s worth of space by connecting bullets to jinn, by bringing in a hunter whose duty it is to hunt the jinn, by taking place over the course of years and years, by addressing toxic masculinity. And “REAP” by Sami Shah was a horror story that will stick with me for a while—American soldiers charged with spying on a town in Pakistan via drone watch as a young girl is possessed by a flame. Other notable tales include: “Majnun” by Helene Wecker, author of the astounding The Golem and the Jinni, a tale about a jinn who becomes an exorcist; “A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds” by Amal El-Mohtar, a story of wizards vs. jinns over the ages, as the jinns scramble through types of birds to try and survive, always followed; and “The Righteous Guide of Arabsat” by Sophia Al-Maria, a frightening tale of sexism and violence against women who don’t conform to their expected roles. Neil Gaiman and Nnedi Okorafor have tales in this collection as well. It’s a wonderful collection that I would read again—not a bad tale in the bunch.
I had a couple favorites, although again, every piece in this collection is worth the read. “Glass Lights” by J.Y. Yang is about a lonely woman whose grandmother was a jinn, reflecting on wishes as she navigates an alienating workspace where people don’t include her in things, or remember her halal eating needs. Maria Dahvana Headley’s “Black Powder” was a haunting folk tale that seemed to fill up an entire novel’s worth of space by connecting bullets to jinn, by bringing in a hunter whose duty it is to hunt the jinn, by taking place over the course of years and years, by addressing toxic masculinity. And “REAP” by Sami Shah was a horror story that will stick with me for a while—American soldiers charged with spying on a town in Pakistan via drone watch as a young girl is possessed by a flame. Other notable tales include: “Majnun” by Helene Wecker, author of the astounding The Golem and the Jinni, a tale about a jinn who becomes an exorcist; “A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds” by Amal El-Mohtar, a story of wizards vs. jinns over the ages, as the jinns scramble through types of birds to try and survive, always followed; and “The Righteous Guide of Arabsat” by Sophia Al-Maria, a frightening tale of sexism and violence against women who don’t conform to their expected roles. Neil Gaiman and Nnedi Okorafor have tales in this collection as well. It’s a wonderful collection that I would read again—not a bad tale in the bunch.
Read
October 29, 2017Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think it was a great idea to gather all those short stories, all those different visions and perspectives on the djinn in one place. Obviously, as it's always the case with anthologies, I liked some of the stories more than the others. One I did not like at all (to put it nicely). Some I felt very indifferent about. Most of them was good, though. None really blew me away, but that's just my personal issue -- I prefer longer forms.
As I can't really rate this book as a whole, here's the list of ratings for each story:
The Cobgregation by Kamila Shamsie - 4/5
How We Remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel - 4/5
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North - 2/5
Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang - 2/5
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 1/5
Majnun by Helene Wecker - 4/5
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 4.5/5
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar - 3/5
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe - 4/5
Reap by Sami Shah - 4/5
Queen of Sheba by Catherina Faris King - 3.5/5
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice by E.J. Swift - 3/5
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker - 2.5/5
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain - 3.5/5
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 4.5/5
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub - 4.5/5
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 2.5/5
The Spite House by Kristy Logan - 3/5
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik - 2.5/5
History by Nnedi Okorafor - 3/5
As I can't really rate this book as a whole, here's the list of ratings for each story:
The Cobgregation by Kamila Shamsie - 4/5
How We Remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel - 4/5
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North - 2/5
Glass Lights by J.Y. Yang - 2/5
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 1/5
Majnun by Helene Wecker - 4/5
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 4.5/5
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar - 3/5
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe - 4/5
Reap by Sami Shah - 4/5
Queen of Sheba by Catherina Faris King - 3.5/5
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice by E.J. Swift - 3/5
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker - 2.5/5
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain - 3.5/5
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 4.5/5
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub - 4.5/5
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 2.5/5
The Spite House by Kristy Logan - 3/5
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik - 2.5/5
History by Nnedi Okorafor - 3/5
May 13, 2017
With contributors from all around the world, this collection of short stories is as remarkable for its variety as it is for its quality. Murad & Shurin have given their contributors an open brief, and the results are dazzling.
My favourite tale was Reap by Sami Shah - one of the delights (as so often with anthologies) was the opportunity to dip into tales by authors I was unfamiliar with - but there are no bad stories here.
Sheer delight.
Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
My favourite tale was Reap by Sami Shah - one of the delights (as so often with anthologies) was the opportunity to dip into tales by authors I was unfamiliar with - but there are no bad stories here.
Sheer delight.
Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
June 25, 2018
A brilliant collection of short stories which introduced me to cultures and mythologies I haven't read much or anything about before. Some amazing writers I want to check out in the future.
May 9, 2022
A very diverse and interesting collection of short stories. Not all of them landed for me which was to be expected but the collection still provided a great introduction to authors I had not heard of before. It actually inspired me to add a few more to the TBR which is a sign of success for me as far as short story collections go.
The thematic tissue of the collection - Djinns in various different forms, cultures and genres - was also very interesting. The goals of the collection - to “showcase global storytelling” and “inspire new and old voices from a variety of genres” - were intriguing to me.
Short summary below:
The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes - unrated
The opening poem - which to be honest I did not understand but that is par for the course when it comes to poetry and me.
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie- 4 stars
Pakistani writer who I am very familiar with - she doesn’t write straight SFF so it was intriguing to see her in this collection. This story functions more like magical realism than genre fantasy which I really liked.
How We Remember You by Kuzhail Manickavel - 3.5 stars
Indian-Canadian author - born in Winnipeg and then moved to Tamil Nadu when she was 13. She typically writes in the “weird fiction” genre.
This was a dark little tale with the “humans as evil” take. Kind of nasty in tone which I enjoyed along with some lines. A smidgen too short to be truly clearer.
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North - 4 stars
British SFF author - I have a number of her books on her TBR but this is the first story of hers I have read.
This is the most obvious orientalist story of the bunch but I quite enjoyed it. I liked the writing and the feminist message of the story.
Glass Lights by J. Y. Yan - 2 stars
Singaporean writer who writes English language speculative fiction. The author also wrote Black Tides of Heaven which I still have to read.
The story follows a girl Mena was who is compelled to grant gifts. It's sort of an inherited drive from her grandmother but mostly I didn’t find it particularly clear. This was fine I guess - not sure what the point of the story was. I liked the writing but I didn’t find it lyrical or particularly insightful.
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 1.5 stars
American playwright and sci-fi author. She has won a couple of sci-fi awards but I haven’t heard of her before.
This was the most “adult” of the stories - on page and in theme which I wasn’t expecting and I didn’t particularly enjoy. It seemed like it wanted to shock for the sake of shocking. I found the story kind of irrelevant. I feel I should have gotten this and I was missing something - it was probably something to do with our desire for ‘authentic’ experiences.
Majnun by Helene Wecker - 4.5 stars
American speculative fiction / fantasy writer.
I loved this story - this riffed off the Majun tale very well and embraced the Islamic origins of this incarnation of the Djinn. This played into the aspects of faith, nature of sin vs. pleasure which I appreciated. Excellent tale.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 1 star
American novelist, memorist, editor, translator, poet and playwright.
Ok - also a confused short story writer. This story dealt with a sentient gun (jinn in a gun instead of jinn in a lamp I guess). I got the premise but I didn’t really understand most of it. I was so confused while reading this. I kept having to pause this - despite the length - because I was not following what was happening. I kind of low-key hated this story. It felt like the story wanted to be super-smart but it came across as a mess.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Bird by Amal el-Mothar - 4 stars
Canadian-Lebanese poet and write of speculative fiction
This story read more like a prose poem which I really enjoyed. Very allegorical with some beautiful writing. It also has this sadness in the story which hit me quite hard.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe - 3 stars
British science fiction novelist and screen-writer
This was kind of like a creepy Groundhog’s Day story mixed with sci-fi / fantasy. Unfortunately the ending was a little bit of a let down. The connection with the Djinn was a little tenuous for me.
Reap by Sami Shah - 5 stars
Pakistani comedian and writer
This was hands down my favorite story of the collection - a blend of fantasy and horror which was excellent. And this is from a chicken who usually avoids horror.It was punch and creepy and leaves you with questions in the best way. I will definitely check out more from this author!
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King - 3 stars
American author of Lebanese and Irish descent
This was the most YA feeling story in the collection which I found cute more than engaging. So definitely better than some of the pseudo-intellectual tales in the collection but it also didn’t engage me as much since I am an old-fogey.
This is a pretty straight-forward tale of a little girl learning that the world is larger than she anticipated. I actually wanted this to be a novella more than a short-story.
The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E. J. Swift - 3 stars
British speculative fiction writer
I liked the sci-fi setting - unusual in terms of what I’ve read before for Djinn stories. The story was kind of fun - I liked the setting and most of the story itself but the ending was a little much. It left me a little confused which brought the story down a little for me.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker - 4 stars
British fantasy writer
Well - I will say that K.J. Parker writes well. He has a specific style which just works for me. This book is only tangentially related to Djinn which was a shame. The connection was so slight that having this is the collection was a stretch in my opinion. I am giving it a pass because I was so intrigued by the tale itself but I can see that annoying other readers.
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossan - 3 stars
Bangladeshi author who mixes SFF and satire from what I can tell.
This was a discomfiting read in terms of setting, being a dystopian, but I loved how the plot centred on food. It ended with a kind of doomed hope which left me feeling a bit sad. I think that may have been the point but it left me feeling a little untethered so I settled on 3 stars.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 3 stars
This is not an original story for the collection by an excerpt from American Gods.
This was a very sexual story which was also a little sad. I felt sorry for the main character who was kind of left alone in NY but at the same time this also gives him the opportunity for a new life.
I keep thinking i would have enjoyed the story more if I had actually read American Gods but overall, I still liked it.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub - 3.5 stars
British-Sudanese writer who has written a number of books, including some crime fiction.
Another futuristic, cyberpunk tale which I enjoyed quite a bit but also wished this was a full novel or even a novella. Very intriguing setting. This kind of reminded me of a Dead Jinn in Cairo but with futuristic vibes. I liked the fact that the world had been taken over by the Islamic State - all the Islamized names of UK landmarks were lots of fun
The story unfortunately ended just when the plot was getting good. I loved the world and want more in this.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 4 stars
Qatari-American writer - writes “Gulf Futurism” fiction, which is a term she coined.
This was a horror tale in a real sense - and it was awful. It was meant to be but this story took me aback. This was a story which I was not expecting in the collection - this was the most real story which required trigger warnings.
I am rating this story so highly because I think the intent was to be a real actual horror story and was very disturbing. I am giving the author credit for the intent but I don't think this story belonged in the collection given that the rest are more SFF tales and this was a contemporary horror.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan - 3 stars
Scottish novelist, poet, performer who lives in Glasgow
This was a cute story where the theme was a little obvious (thankfully). The story tried a little too hard to make sure we all understood the theme - yes, we got it. I liked the (fake) academic excerpts in the story. It gave the worldbuilding a depth in a short timeframe which I appreciated.
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik - 1.5 stars
Speculative fiction author from Pakistan
This was an interesting tale - I liked how the Urdu words were dropped in without much context of translation. I kind of appreciated the chutzpah of not explaining the story to Western audiences. The story was another creepy tale of privilege and abuse - but shown in glimpses. The main Djinn plot however, I did not follow. I was confused by the story and didn’t really see a point.
History by Nnedi Okarafor - 3 stars
Nigerian American author
Once again another tale I didn’t see a point to. The setting, with all the various spirits, was interesting and the writing was really good so I gave it a fun 3 stars. But the thematic underpinning to the tale I was cold towards - mostly because I did not understand what the author was going for.
Overall rating (average of all the stories): 3.175 - rounded to 3 stars
The thematic tissue of the collection - Djinns in various different forms, cultures and genres - was also very interesting. The goals of the collection - to “showcase global storytelling” and “inspire new and old voices from a variety of genres” - were intriguing to me.
Short summary below:
The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes - unrated
The opening poem - which to be honest I did not understand but that is par for the course when it comes to poetry and me.
The Congregation by Kamila Shamsie- 4 stars
Pakistani writer who I am very familiar with - she doesn’t write straight SFF so it was intriguing to see her in this collection. This story functions more like magical realism than genre fantasy which I really liked.
How We Remember You by Kuzhail Manickavel - 3.5 stars
Indian-Canadian author - born in Winnipeg and then moved to Tamil Nadu when she was 13. She typically writes in the “weird fiction” genre.
This was a dark little tale with the “humans as evil” take. Kind of nasty in tone which I enjoyed along with some lines. A smidgen too short to be truly clearer.
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North - 4 stars
British SFF author - I have a number of her books on her TBR but this is the first story of hers I have read.
This is the most obvious orientalist story of the bunch but I quite enjoyed it. I liked the writing and the feminist message of the story.
Glass Lights by J. Y. Yan - 2 stars
Singaporean writer who writes English language speculative fiction. The author also wrote Black Tides of Heaven which I still have to read.
The story follows a girl Mena was who is compelled to grant gifts. It's sort of an inherited drive from her grandmother but mostly I didn’t find it particularly clear. This was fine I guess - not sure what the point of the story was. I liked the writing but I didn’t find it lyrical or particularly insightful.
Authenticity by Monica Byrne - 1.5 stars
American playwright and sci-fi author. She has won a couple of sci-fi awards but I haven’t heard of her before.
This was the most “adult” of the stories - on page and in theme which I wasn’t expecting and I didn’t particularly enjoy. It seemed like it wanted to shock for the sake of shocking. I found the story kind of irrelevant. I feel I should have gotten this and I was missing something - it was probably something to do with our desire for ‘authentic’ experiences.
Majnun by Helene Wecker - 4.5 stars
American speculative fiction / fantasy writer.
I loved this story - this riffed off the Majun tale very well and embraced the Islamic origins of this incarnation of the Djinn. This played into the aspects of faith, nature of sin vs. pleasure which I appreciated. Excellent tale.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley - 1 star
American novelist, memorist, editor, translator, poet and playwright.
Ok - also a confused short story writer. This story dealt with a sentient gun (jinn in a gun instead of jinn in a lamp I guess). I got the premise but I didn’t really understand most of it. I was so confused while reading this. I kept having to pause this - despite the length - because I was not following what was happening. I kind of low-key hated this story. It felt like the story wanted to be super-smart but it came across as a mess.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Bird by Amal el-Mothar - 4 stars
Canadian-Lebanese poet and write of speculative fiction
This story read more like a prose poem which I really enjoyed. Very allegorical with some beautiful writing. It also has this sadness in the story which hit me quite hard.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe - 3 stars
British science fiction novelist and screen-writer
This was kind of like a creepy Groundhog’s Day story mixed with sci-fi / fantasy. Unfortunately the ending was a little bit of a let down. The connection with the Djinn was a little tenuous for me.
Reap by Sami Shah - 5 stars
Pakistani comedian and writer
This was hands down my favorite story of the collection - a blend of fantasy and horror which was excellent. And this is from a chicken who usually avoids horror.It was punch and creepy and leaves you with questions in the best way. I will definitely check out more from this author!
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King - 3 stars
American author of Lebanese and Irish descent
This was the most YA feeling story in the collection which I found cute more than engaging. So definitely better than some of the pseudo-intellectual tales in the collection but it also didn’t engage me as much since I am an old-fogey.
This is a pretty straight-forward tale of a little girl learning that the world is larger than she anticipated. I actually wanted this to be a novella more than a short-story.
The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E. J. Swift - 3 stars
British speculative fiction writer
I liked the sci-fi setting - unusual in terms of what I’ve read before for Djinn stories. The story was kind of fun - I liked the setting and most of the story itself but the ending was a little much. It left me a little confused which brought the story down a little for me.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker - 4 stars
British fantasy writer
Well - I will say that K.J. Parker writes well. He has a specific style which just works for me. This book is only tangentially related to Djinn which was a shame. The connection was so slight that having this is the collection was a stretch in my opinion. I am giving it a pass because I was so intrigued by the tale itself but I can see that annoying other readers.
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossan - 3 stars
Bangladeshi author who mixes SFF and satire from what I can tell.
This was a discomfiting read in terms of setting, being a dystopian, but I loved how the plot centred on food. It ended with a kind of doomed hope which left me feeling a bit sad. I think that may have been the point but it left me feeling a little untethered so I settled on 3 stars.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman - 3 stars
This is not an original story for the collection by an excerpt from American Gods.
This was a very sexual story which was also a little sad. I felt sorry for the main character who was kind of left alone in NY but at the same time this also gives him the opportunity for a new life.
I keep thinking i would have enjoyed the story more if I had actually read American Gods but overall, I still liked it.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub - 3.5 stars
British-Sudanese writer who has written a number of books, including some crime fiction.
Another futuristic, cyberpunk tale which I enjoyed quite a bit but also wished this was a full novel or even a novella. Very intriguing setting. This kind of reminded me of a Dead Jinn in Cairo but with futuristic vibes. I liked the fact that the world had been taken over by the Islamic State - all the Islamized names of UK landmarks were lots of fun
The story unfortunately ended just when the plot was getting good. I loved the world and want more in this.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria - 4 stars
Qatari-American writer - writes “Gulf Futurism” fiction, which is a term she coined.
This was a horror tale in a real sense - and it was awful. It was meant to be but this story took me aback. This was a story which I was not expecting in the collection - this was the most real story which required trigger warnings.
I am rating this story so highly because I think the intent was to be a real actual horror story and was very disturbing. I am giving the author credit for the intent but I don't think this story belonged in the collection given that the rest are more SFF tales and this was a contemporary horror.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan - 3 stars
Scottish novelist, poet, performer who lives in Glasgow
This was a cute story where the theme was a little obvious (thankfully). The story tried a little too hard to make sure we all understood the theme - yes, we got it. I liked the (fake) academic excerpts in the story. It gave the worldbuilding a depth in a short timeframe which I appreciated.
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik - 1.5 stars
Speculative fiction author from Pakistan
This was an interesting tale - I liked how the Urdu words were dropped in without much context of translation. I kind of appreciated the chutzpah of not explaining the story to Western audiences. The story was another creepy tale of privilege and abuse - but shown in glimpses. The main Djinn plot however, I did not follow. I was confused by the story and didn’t really see a point.
History by Nnedi Okarafor - 3 stars
Nigerian American author
Once again another tale I didn’t see a point to. The setting, with all the various spirits, was interesting and the writing was really good so I gave it a fun 3 stars. But the thematic underpinning to the tale I was cold towards - mostly because I did not understand what the author was going for.
Overall rating (average of all the stories): 3.175 - rounded to 3 stars
May 4, 2025
The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories is an anthology of short stories surrounding the djinn theme, the title inspired by The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes. (Although the poem was featured, I will be honest and say that it did not stay with me in the way other poetry has.) Most of the authors within the collection were new-to-me, writing from across a range of genres, which left me with the hope of a wide range of stories within the anthology.
The Congregation by Kamila Shamie was a three-star rating. This story offered much more than I initially anticipated, ensuring I was hooked throughout. I can certainly see it being a part of a much bigger world, linking together the may secrets. That said, it worked well as a standalone read that offered a world of mystique to briefly escape to.
How We Remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel was a two-star rating. This was a story that I felt should have hit me much harder than it did. It certainly handled strong topics within the pages, and it did have me intrigued. At the same time, the strong themes did not stick with me beyond the pages, which meant it did not hit me to the extent such themes should have.
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North was a three-star rating. This was a story that I found to be rather predictable, yet I did enjoy watching the way it came together. I feel the style of the telling made it a little too easy to see where things were heading, but this did not take away from the way it gripped me and had me eager to watch the specifics play out.
Glass Light by J.Y. Yang was a two-star rating. This was a story where I feel there was a lot of potential for the story to hit hard. The theme was powerful, yet it missed the mark needed to ensure it hit with the strength required to guarantee the reader felt the depth of the feelings.
Authenticity by Monica Byrne was a two-star rating. This was a strange little tale that I feel will either work for the reader or it won’t. Sadly, for me, it did not work. It was well-written, yet the fact that it was not the story for me meant it was easily forgotten (except as the sudden reminder of ‘oh, that was the porn filming story’).
Majnun by Helene Wecker was a two-star rating. This was such an interesting idea, but I feel like it was much too short to fully explore the things I was interested in. There were so many aspects I wanted to learn more about, and it felt like a snapshot of something much bigger. While I can see it working for many, I needed much more from it to love it to the extent I wanted.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley was a three-star rating. This was a story that alternated in timelines, bridging many different components together. It was super addictive, and I enjoyed watching the pieces come together, but I do feel like some aspects were not quite as strong as they could have been. I think, in part, this is because it would have worked better as a longer narrative. Nevertheless, it was a gripping read.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar was a one-star rating. A part of me considered giving this story a two-star rating due to the poetic nature. However, I feel this did not fit the theme of the collection, and due to this I felt like this story did not belong, and this impacted upon my enjoyment of the tale. While I can see many enjoying this, it was one that did not work for me.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe was a two-star rating. This is a story where my rating is lowered due to the writing style. I enjoyed the nature of this story, with the way it focuses on the character trying to outsmart the genie and the circular nature of the tale, but it had one of my major pet peeves. I know it is a stylistic choice, but I always find stories without speech marks to be too chunky, which happened here. Thus, while I appreciated the idea, I was kept at a distance due to a personal preference.
Reap by Sami Shah was a two-star rating. This is another story where my rating is lowered due to the writing style. I appreciated the idea of this story, and I certainly saw the potential and how it would hook people, but it had one of my major pet peeves. It was another story without speech marks, which kept me at a distance due to a personal preference.
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King was a two-star rating. This felt like a snapshot of something much bigger, as though it was taken from a larger story, simply showing a snippet of a tale. I could easily see this linking to an extremely interesting world, yet it felt like it was floating without anything around it, meaning it was easily blown away and did not linger in my memory.
The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E.J. Swift was a three-star rating. A large part of my enjoyment of this story comes from my enjoyment of science-fiction, as I loved the way that science-fiction was used in this story. I feel the ending was a little too easy and predictable, which stopped it from earning a higher rating, but I did enjoy this story.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker was a three-star rating. I confess that I was a little on the fence with this story at first, but it did grow on me and have me invested. It gave more than anticipated and certainly left an impact with the – compared to some of the other stories – slightly darker approach.
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain was a three-star rating. I will be hone by admitting this is a rounded-up rating. While I enjoyed the nature of this story, I do wish there had been a slightly deeper exploration of some elements. It certainly kept me interested, yet I did wish there had been slightly more from it.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman was a two-star rating. I will be entirely honest and say that I am someone who was disappointed by American Gods. As this is taken directly from the story, it is no surprise that re-reading it failed to have the impact upon me that it will have on others. While I appreciated the idea, the whole did not grip me in the way it could have.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub was a two-star rating. This was a story where I feel it ended as soon as it had me interested. While I was curious to see what would happen throughout, my curiosity reached the highest point as the story ended. Due to this, I found myself rounding my rating down.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria was a two-star rating. This is one of the cases where I simply was not the right reader for the story. While I can see why people will enjoy the dark narrative of this story, it was one that did not sit right with me. Thus, what could have been a powerful ending, ended up being a story that left a bad taste in my mouth.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan was a two-star rating. I will be honest and say that this was a story where I rounded my rating down. I liked the idea of this story, but it never quite hit as hard as I had hoped. A part of this was in the way the story was told, as I was pulled out of the story by the way additional information was provided.
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik was a one-star rating. I feel like the bones of an intriguing tale existed within the story, but it was too disjointed for me to ever feel the connection. In fact, there were times when I was lacking understanding. Except for the darkest hints, which really should not have been the only thing I fully understood.
History by Nnedi Okorafor was a two-star rating. This was another story where there were interesting ideas to be found within the pages, but it felt a bit all over the place for me. I wanted to understand things much better to full enjoy it, as I felt I never had the necessary level of understanding needed to appreciate the story.
All in all, as someone who finds short story anthologies to be hit or miss, The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories ended up being mostly misses for me. While there were some stories that I did enjoy more than others, none truly stuck with me.
The Congregation by Kamila Shamie was a three-star rating. This story offered much more than I initially anticipated, ensuring I was hooked throughout. I can certainly see it being a part of a much bigger world, linking together the may secrets. That said, it worked well as a standalone read that offered a world of mystique to briefly escape to.
How We Remember You by Kuzhali Manickavel was a two-star rating. This was a story that I felt should have hit me much harder than it did. It certainly handled strong topics within the pages, and it did have me intrigued. At the same time, the strong themes did not stick with me beyond the pages, which meant it did not hit me to the extent such themes should have.
Hurrem and the Djinn by Claire North was a three-star rating. This was a story that I found to be rather predictable, yet I did enjoy watching the way it came together. I feel the style of the telling made it a little too easy to see where things were heading, but this did not take away from the way it gripped me and had me eager to watch the specifics play out.
Glass Light by J.Y. Yang was a two-star rating. This was a story where I feel there was a lot of potential for the story to hit hard. The theme was powerful, yet it missed the mark needed to ensure it hit with the strength required to guarantee the reader felt the depth of the feelings.
Authenticity by Monica Byrne was a two-star rating. This was a strange little tale that I feel will either work for the reader or it won’t. Sadly, for me, it did not work. It was well-written, yet the fact that it was not the story for me meant it was easily forgotten (except as the sudden reminder of ‘oh, that was the porn filming story’).
Majnun by Helene Wecker was a two-star rating. This was such an interesting idea, but I feel like it was much too short to fully explore the things I was interested in. There were so many aspects I wanted to learn more about, and it felt like a snapshot of something much bigger. While I can see it working for many, I needed much more from it to love it to the extent I wanted.
Black Powder by Maria Dahvana Headley was a three-star rating. This was a story that alternated in timelines, bridging many different components together. It was super addictive, and I enjoyed watching the pieces come together, but I do feel like some aspects were not quite as strong as they could have been. I think, in part, this is because it would have worked better as a longer narrative. Nevertheless, it was a gripping read.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds by Amal El-Mohtar was a one-star rating. A part of me considered giving this story a two-star rating due to the poetic nature. However, I feel this did not fit the theme of the collection, and due to this I felt like this story did not belong, and this impacted upon my enjoyment of the tale. While I can see many enjoying this, it was one that did not work for me.
The Sand in the Glass is Right by James Smythe was a two-star rating. This is a story where my rating is lowered due to the writing style. I enjoyed the nature of this story, with the way it focuses on the character trying to outsmart the genie and the circular nature of the tale, but it had one of my major pet peeves. I know it is a stylistic choice, but I always find stories without speech marks to be too chunky, which happened here. Thus, while I appreciated the idea, I was kept at a distance due to a personal preference.
Reap by Sami Shah was a two-star rating. This is another story where my rating is lowered due to the writing style. I appreciated the idea of this story, and I certainly saw the potential and how it would hook people, but it had one of my major pet peeves. It was another story without speech marks, which kept me at a distance due to a personal preference.
Queen of Sheba by Catherine Faris King was a two-star rating. This felt like a snapshot of something much bigger, as though it was taken from a larger story, simply showing a snippet of a tale. I could easily see this linking to an extremely interesting world, yet it felt like it was floating without anything around it, meaning it was easily blown away and did not linger in my memory.
The Jinn Hunter’s Apprentice by E.J. Swift was a three-star rating. A large part of my enjoyment of this story comes from my enjoyment of science-fiction, as I loved the way that science-fiction was used in this story. I feel the ending was a little too easy and predictable, which stopped it from earning a higher rating, but I did enjoy this story.
Message in a Bottle by K.J. Parker was a three-star rating. I confess that I was a little on the fence with this story at first, but it did grow on me and have me invested. It gave more than anticipated and certainly left an impact with the – compared to some of the other stories – slightly darker approach.
Bring Your Own Spoon by Saad Z. Hossain was a three-star rating. I will be hone by admitting this is a rounded-up rating. While I enjoyed the nature of this story, I do wish there had been a slightly deeper exploration of some elements. It certainly kept me interested, yet I did wish there had been slightly more from it.
Somewhere in America by Neil Gaiman was a two-star rating. I will be entirely honest and say that I am someone who was disappointed by American Gods. As this is taken directly from the story, it is no surprise that re-reading it failed to have the impact upon me that it will have on others. While I appreciated the idea, the whole did not grip me in the way it could have.
Duende 2077 by Jamal Mahjoub was a two-star rating. This was a story where I feel it ended as soon as it had me interested. While I was curious to see what would happen throughout, my curiosity reached the highest point as the story ended. Due to this, I found myself rounding my rating down.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat by Sophia Al-Maria was a two-star rating. This is one of the cases where I simply was not the right reader for the story. While I can see why people will enjoy the dark narrative of this story, it was one that did not sit right with me. Thus, what could have been a powerful ending, ended up being a story that left a bad taste in my mouth.
The Spite House by Kirsty Logan was a two-star rating. I will be honest and say that this was a story where I rounded my rating down. I liked the idea of this story, but it never quite hit as hard as I had hoped. A part of this was in the way the story was told, as I was pulled out of the story by the way additional information was provided.
Emperors of Jinn by Usman T. Malik was a one-star rating. I feel like the bones of an intriguing tale existed within the story, but it was too disjointed for me to ever feel the connection. In fact, there were times when I was lacking understanding. Except for the darkest hints, which really should not have been the only thing I fully understood.
History by Nnedi Okorafor was a two-star rating. This was another story where there were interesting ideas to be found within the pages, but it felt a bit all over the place for me. I wanted to understand things much better to full enjoy it, as I felt I never had the necessary level of understanding needed to appreciate the story.
All in all, as someone who finds short story anthologies to be hit or miss, The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories ended up being mostly misses for me. While there were some stories that I did enjoy more than others, none truly stuck with me.
June 19, 2019
If there were stars lower than 1, I would give this book those -stars. I did not relate in any way to these characters or their culture. As a South Asian Muslim who was born and raised in the Middle East, I don’t consider this book to be a representation of my faith nor of my culture. So badbye book you were horrible, you deserve to not exist.
Three authors made me want to pick this book up, Usman T. Malik, Nnedi Okorafor and Neil Gaiman. I wish to not dwell on Gaiman’s disappointing tale but fortunately for me, the other two’s stories were the only saving grace for this collection. Also not so fortunate for me these two stories were strategically placed at the end of this anthology, inflicting upon me the torture of reading through other bs stories in order to reach them. Anyway, coming back to my point, I actually enjoyed Usman’s short story and related with it in terms of culture representation. And as promised, Nnedi’s story was unique to it’s eerie nature. 3-4 solid stars for them, they spooked me out alright.
The overall motto for this book felt like a bunch of “diverse” authors came together and decided “let’s add some explicitness and controversy to a faith we already consider so foreign to make it relatable.” I don’t need to fit in a criteria to be finally accepted, thank you. To those that enjoyed it, good on them. To each his own. I’m just here sharing my personal opinions on a book that gave my heart a lot of discomfort, nausea and probably some gas.
Peace out✌🏾
Three authors made me want to pick this book up, Usman T. Malik, Nnedi Okorafor and Neil Gaiman. I wish to not dwell on Gaiman’s disappointing tale but fortunately for me, the other two’s stories were the only saving grace for this collection. Also not so fortunate for me these two stories were strategically placed at the end of this anthology, inflicting upon me the torture of reading through other bs stories in order to reach them. Anyway, coming back to my point, I actually enjoyed Usman’s short story and related with it in terms of culture representation. And as promised, Nnedi’s story was unique to it’s eerie nature. 3-4 solid stars for them, they spooked me out alright.
The overall motto for this book felt like a bunch of “diverse” authors came together and decided “let’s add some explicitness and controversy to a faith we already consider so foreign to make it relatable.” I don’t need to fit in a criteria to be finally accepted, thank you. To those that enjoyed it, good on them. To each his own. I’m just here sharing my personal opinions on a book that gave my heart a lot of discomfort, nausea and probably some gas.
Peace out✌🏾
January 3, 2018
Many of the stories in this anthology are just not my cup of tea. Vague language and shallow concepts makes many stories worth skipping.
March 12, 2017
So many authors are the reason I picked this one up - Helene Wecker, Maria Dahvana Headley, Amal El-Mohtar, Usman T. Malik and Nnedi Okorafor just to name a few... I love a good djinn tale, and this anthology somehow surpassed my already high expectations. An anthology often contains a number of shorts that I'm just not in the mood for, or feel overwhelmed by... but this collection was close to perfect.
It sets the tone well by starting with a poem, The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes, and translated by Robin Moger, giving the anthology its title.
The Congregation - Kamila Shamsie
This first short story was so beautiful - a young boy wakes for prayer, but somehow finds himself amongst praying jinn instead, either by waking entirely early, or somehow walking into their own world. He stands beside a boy about his age, who whispers things that keep him safe - then they all disappear, and Qasim is at a loss without jinn in his life as he got to experience for such a short amount of time, yet knows can't be ever matched.
He allows an exorcism to try to free him from their hold, but as the man says, what is one supposed to do about a boy who craves nothing else?
We have a sweet ending, see Qasim grow old, and finally find a love that finds meaning. This is a strong start to the anthology, and leads us onwards, well.
How we Remember You - Kuzhali Manickavel
Several people reminisce about someone now lost to them, and it's interesting how their shared experiences are remembered differently from person to person. It's quite an angry re-telling, showing the guilt that more wasn't done to save their friend while it was still possible.
A boy who has feathers growing from his back, can disappear and reappear, and has been witnessed flying, is locked in a room when he doesn't seem to be as magic as he once was. And he becomes the burden of guilt upon his former friends.
Hurrem and the Djinn - Claire North
Davuud has the hard task of investigating the sultan's favourite wife - and one can only guess at what the repercussions may be for this one. Told in the first person, this one is a little more of a 'Arabian Nights' tale as we hear of someone tell us the story as the story itself. At times the voice doesn't match the tone that well, and upon re-reading, this is possible one of the weaker shorts in the collection, yet still readable.
Glass Lights - J. Y. Yang
A young girl with djinn blood in her veins can still suffer from the same human ailments that anyone can - loneliness. Mena is different from the other girls at work, and though she can feel the strong human emotions of those around her, it doesn't make life any easier. The work heartthrob will still go for pretty Wendy, and Mena still won't be invited to lunch - or even if she is, she won't be able to attend a non-kosher restaurant.
A simple and quick story, that is elegant and sticks with you for how relatable it is. Incidentally, Yang has two novellas coming out with Tor this year - The Red Threads of Fortune and The Black Tides of Heaven and I could not be more excited to read them after this short story.
Authenticity - Monica Byrne
A story that involves sex deliberately in a way that's all about seeking experiences and thus, what makes us human - or how others may seek the human experience. There's often stories of Gods and others coming to humans for sex or otherwise, and this completes that. Unfortunately, due to my sexuality I wasn't able to understand this one (the drive, or the need, etc) and hence it left me a bit cold.
Majnun - Helene Wecker
Zahid was once consort to Aisha, the famous jinniyah of Morocco for over a century. Now he uses his special abilities to clear jinns from possessing young children, and that's why he is called the the bedside of a young boy who Aisha has taken up residence inside, just to get Zahid's attention.
This one is endlessly interesting, because it goes into detail of how a once favoured jinn has a religious experience, and has to re-asses his entire life, and how he knew he was once happy, but also never at peace. He discovers what he needs in his life along the way, and struggles hard to make it happen, even if he's had to leave his entire world behind and hurt his own kind for the now and future.
This is a beautiful piece of work, and I can't wait for Wecker's next novel to come out. 2018 is far too long away.
Black Powder - Maria Dahvana Headley
Jinns don't always live in lamps. This one, lives in a rifle once owned by a terrible man who made hundreds of lives hell by taking women and abandoning the resulting children all through the wilderness. A hundred and fifty years later, and its now in the hands of some punk kid who has no friends, and its easy to see why.
This story is good as it is another djinn story that has a totally different setting to most. It's mysterious and edgy and everything plays out like a movie in your mind, but it isn't exactly kind.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds - Amal El-Mohtar
Seven birds. Sparrow, crow, cormorant, swallow, hummingbird, owl, phoenix. Short and yet powerful, as we see these wonderful birds hunted by wizards and to say anything else about it would take away the magic. It's only five pages long and perhaps the shortest piece in the book, but utterly wonderful.
The Sand in the Glass is Right - James Smythe
The idea of how even with wishes, perhaps a life without them is far simpler and safer. It's one of those shorts that explores the idea of how you need to be careful when making a wish, or how you have to frame or think of it in order to somehow achieve what you really want - even if perhaps you don't know the answer yourself. We see a man try again and again to get his wish right, but the consequences each brings.
I would have preferred that this one have - well, not more structure, as I get the deal with the lack of grammar signifying pace and the runalong nature of it all, but I've never been a fan of the no speech marks thing.
Reap - Sami Shah
Initially for some reason I thought this was space exploration, but instead it was set in both New Mexico (in a shipping container where a team remotely control a drone) and keep an eye on things in Pakistan, analysing the heat signatures and other data that comes back. They've done this for so long that they know each and every person in the area, what their routines generally are, and have even given them nicknames.
This one is well done, as it's interesting from the beginning (or perhaps only to nerds like me who like analyst-type things like Anna-the-Analyst does), and slowly turns more and more interesting as the surveillance on the locals drips piece after piece of information into your lap, so you're working it out alongside the intelligence team. Masterfully done, and high five to Shah.
I really shouldn't have read this one before going to bed, though.
Queen of Sheba - Catherine Faris King
Set in 1953 it's Christmas and snow is falling, twelve-year-old Juanita is now old enough to sit with the adults, prepare the house for Christmas while the little ones sleep, and stay up for Midnight Mass and coffee. Part of her tasks is to iron the linens - an important job - but something strange catches her attention away just for a moment to long, leaving a burn mark to ruin her hard work.
Auntie Opal - who's not really an auntie at all - saves the day somehow, but how leaves far too many questions, and then an urgent call pulls her away before she can explain to Juanita.
What I love about this piece is how it toys with our expectations, to the point where it's even mentioned in the short and twisted this way and that. I loved this piece.
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice - E. J. Swift
Suddenly, we're in space. And it's beyond excellent. A ship has at least one (possibly more) staff possessed by jinn, and Captain Bukhari is expecting Ajam to come help him. Instead, he receives his apprentice, Fahima and her ring-tailed lemur who immediately gets on Bukhari's bad side. It's not like he has much choice though, so he blinks over the reports and agrees to make appointments between her and his crew so they can be interviewed, and leaves her to it.
This is beyond excellent, to the point where I paused reading to look up where I'd seen Swift's name before and was glad to realise I have Osiris, the first book in her series, already waiting to be read on my eReader. I know what I'll be doing next very, very shortly. That's how good this piece was.
Message in a Bottle - K. J. Parker
A scholar has a hefty weight on his shoulders - look back upon forbidden texts to see if there's ever been a possible cure to two strains of awful plagues which are causing havoc wherever they reach. I do like seeing a bookish hero.
There was once a great man, who was either beyond evil or good (or, like most humans, probably a bit of both) who knew much about the plagues but possibly was the creator... but also possibly, knew of a cure. The trouble is knowing how to separate his lies from the truth, and perhaps it's impossible to really ever know that. Relying on a hunch when thousands of lives are in your hands certainly wouldn't be for the faint hearted.
I quite liked this one - it had an easy flow, and the characters are interesting enough to be able to ignore slight plot holes and the like.
Bring your Own Spoon - Saad Z. Hossain
Ahh, post apocalyptics worlds, my favourite. Hanu is scraping by. Though luck he has some comforts, but the little he has he's willing to share, which of course means that somehow, he'll get by as this is a story. The little details of the carded people, the health warnings, contamination and viruses, quickly give this short story such depth that I instantly want a full novel of this.
Although everything is doom and gloom, by Hanu's little stove it seems like such a cozy story. The djinn seems so casual and childlike - being bored is why they sleep so often, which is a nice touch. And a pirate never hurts, either.
Somewhere in America - Neil Gaiman
An except from his book American Gods, so a pass from me.
Duende 2077 - Jamal Mahjoub
A murder occurs where murder is taboo, so it just doesn't happen - a detective is there, though there's no resources as no murders happen. Futuristic perfection, complete with holograms... and yet also at a loss, as things from the past are strictly forbidden.
Duende 2077 was the messiah, who will return again. And that's how this short is left. I'm not entirely sure I 'got' the majority of it (or even half of it), but it kept me reading.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat - Sophia Al-Maria
An interesting discussion on how a woman is damned if she do, damned if she don't. If a woman doesn't know anything about sex, she does her husband a disservice - if she knows too much, then all hell breaks loose. A man with several issues is matched with a woman, and their first night of married life doesn't all go to plan.
This one isn't a comfortable read. The way he picks her apart, the way he grew up, everything is so... not healthy.
The Spite House - Kirsty Logan
A piece in where though a djinn may have magic and be all powerful - perhaps they are just as much trapped by their god-like ability than anything else, and it's actually a curse.
I love stories that investigate this idea. Genie from Down Under was a dreadfully bad (so bad it was SO good) tv show here in Australia growing up, and it was one of those fatal 'don't say 'I wish' near them' because it'll never turn out the way you hoped. In this, a junk scavenger is delighted with haul she finally finds, only to be enticed in with the thoughts of more by granting first one, then two, then three wishes. Terrible wishes. She runs and hides, but the woman finds her and eventually, the life of the half-djinn is barely one worth living...
Emperors of Jinn - Usman T. Malik
Four children, related via their mothers' side, are thrown together during the holidays. They vaguely know of each other, they know that one of them likes to punch and that another likes nasty things, but that's about all. They're surrounded by riches and one gets the idea fairly early on that they've never had to care about the results of their actions.
All up, it's all pretty awful. As ever, Malik's writing is perfect.
History - Nnedi Okorafor
In this, History is the most famous singer of the world. Born to African-American parents who were on research tours at the time, History was born and raised in Nigeria, and it is there she began to sing and dance like in a way that everyone knew she'd be famous one day. She's taken to the oldest woman in the village, who also happens to be a sorceress, who teaches History the beginnings of everything she needs to know in order to both control her magic, and not cause any trouble with it.
It's about this time that History manages to capture a bush baby and there he remains, in her mirror, bringing her true good luck throughout her life and career. And I love the ending line - but to find it out, you'll just have to buy the anthology.
It sets the tone well by starting with a poem, The Djinn Falls in Love by Hermes, and translated by Robin Moger, giving the anthology its title.
The Congregation - Kamila Shamsie
This first short story was so beautiful - a young boy wakes for prayer, but somehow finds himself amongst praying jinn instead, either by waking entirely early, or somehow walking into their own world. He stands beside a boy about his age, who whispers things that keep him safe - then they all disappear, and Qasim is at a loss without jinn in his life as he got to experience for such a short amount of time, yet knows can't be ever matched.
He allows an exorcism to try to free him from their hold, but as the man says, what is one supposed to do about a boy who craves nothing else?
We have a sweet ending, see Qasim grow old, and finally find a love that finds meaning. This is a strong start to the anthology, and leads us onwards, well.
How we Remember You - Kuzhali Manickavel
Several people reminisce about someone now lost to them, and it's interesting how their shared experiences are remembered differently from person to person. It's quite an angry re-telling, showing the guilt that more wasn't done to save their friend while it was still possible.
A boy who has feathers growing from his back, can disappear and reappear, and has been witnessed flying, is locked in a room when he doesn't seem to be as magic as he once was. And he becomes the burden of guilt upon his former friends.
Hurrem and the Djinn - Claire North
Davuud has the hard task of investigating the sultan's favourite wife - and one can only guess at what the repercussions may be for this one. Told in the first person, this one is a little more of a 'Arabian Nights' tale as we hear of someone tell us the story as the story itself. At times the voice doesn't match the tone that well, and upon re-reading, this is possible one of the weaker shorts in the collection, yet still readable.
Glass Lights - J. Y. Yang
A young girl with djinn blood in her veins can still suffer from the same human ailments that anyone can - loneliness. Mena is different from the other girls at work, and though she can feel the strong human emotions of those around her, it doesn't make life any easier. The work heartthrob will still go for pretty Wendy, and Mena still won't be invited to lunch - or even if she is, she won't be able to attend a non-kosher restaurant.
A simple and quick story, that is elegant and sticks with you for how relatable it is. Incidentally, Yang has two novellas coming out with Tor this year - The Red Threads of Fortune and The Black Tides of Heaven and I could not be more excited to read them after this short story.
Authenticity - Monica Byrne
A story that involves sex deliberately in a way that's all about seeking experiences and thus, what makes us human - or how others may seek the human experience. There's often stories of Gods and others coming to humans for sex or otherwise, and this completes that. Unfortunately, due to my sexuality I wasn't able to understand this one (the drive, or the need, etc) and hence it left me a bit cold.
Majnun - Helene Wecker
Zahid was once consort to Aisha, the famous jinniyah of Morocco for over a century. Now he uses his special abilities to clear jinns from possessing young children, and that's why he is called the the bedside of a young boy who Aisha has taken up residence inside, just to get Zahid's attention.
This one is endlessly interesting, because it goes into detail of how a once favoured jinn has a religious experience, and has to re-asses his entire life, and how he knew he was once happy, but also never at peace. He discovers what he needs in his life along the way, and struggles hard to make it happen, even if he's had to leave his entire world behind and hurt his own kind for the now and future.
This is a beautiful piece of work, and I can't wait for Wecker's next novel to come out. 2018 is far too long away.
Black Powder - Maria Dahvana Headley
Jinns don't always live in lamps. This one, lives in a rifle once owned by a terrible man who made hundreds of lives hell by taking women and abandoning the resulting children all through the wilderness. A hundred and fifty years later, and its now in the hands of some punk kid who has no friends, and its easy to see why.
This story is good as it is another djinn story that has a totally different setting to most. It's mysterious and edgy and everything plays out like a movie in your mind, but it isn't exactly kind.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds - Amal El-Mohtar
Seven birds. Sparrow, crow, cormorant, swallow, hummingbird, owl, phoenix. Short and yet powerful, as we see these wonderful birds hunted by wizards and to say anything else about it would take away the magic. It's only five pages long and perhaps the shortest piece in the book, but utterly wonderful.
The Sand in the Glass is Right - James Smythe
The idea of how even with wishes, perhaps a life without them is far simpler and safer. It's one of those shorts that explores the idea of how you need to be careful when making a wish, or how you have to frame or think of it in order to somehow achieve what you really want - even if perhaps you don't know the answer yourself. We see a man try again and again to get his wish right, but the consequences each brings.
I would have preferred that this one have - well, not more structure, as I get the deal with the lack of grammar signifying pace and the runalong nature of it all, but I've never been a fan of the no speech marks thing.
Reap - Sami Shah
Initially for some reason I thought this was space exploration, but instead it was set in both New Mexico (in a shipping container where a team remotely control a drone) and keep an eye on things in Pakistan, analysing the heat signatures and other data that comes back. They've done this for so long that they know each and every person in the area, what their routines generally are, and have even given them nicknames.
This one is well done, as it's interesting from the beginning (or perhaps only to nerds like me who like analyst-type things like Anna-the-Analyst does), and slowly turns more and more interesting as the surveillance on the locals drips piece after piece of information into your lap, so you're working it out alongside the intelligence team. Masterfully done, and high five to Shah.
I really shouldn't have read this one before going to bed, though.
Queen of Sheba - Catherine Faris King
Set in 1953 it's Christmas and snow is falling, twelve-year-old Juanita is now old enough to sit with the adults, prepare the house for Christmas while the little ones sleep, and stay up for Midnight Mass and coffee. Part of her tasks is to iron the linens - an important job - but something strange catches her attention away just for a moment to long, leaving a burn mark to ruin her hard work.
Auntie Opal - who's not really an auntie at all - saves the day somehow, but how leaves far too many questions, and then an urgent call pulls her away before she can explain to Juanita.
What I love about this piece is how it toys with our expectations, to the point where it's even mentioned in the short and twisted this way and that. I loved this piece.
The Jinn Hunter's Apprentice - E. J. Swift
Suddenly, we're in space. And it's beyond excellent. A ship has at least one (possibly more) staff possessed by jinn, and Captain Bukhari is expecting Ajam to come help him. Instead, he receives his apprentice, Fahima and her ring-tailed lemur who immediately gets on Bukhari's bad side. It's not like he has much choice though, so he blinks over the reports and agrees to make appointments between her and his crew so they can be interviewed, and leaves her to it.
This is beyond excellent, to the point where I paused reading to look up where I'd seen Swift's name before and was glad to realise I have Osiris, the first book in her series, already waiting to be read on my eReader. I know what I'll be doing next very, very shortly. That's how good this piece was.
Message in a Bottle - K. J. Parker
A scholar has a hefty weight on his shoulders - look back upon forbidden texts to see if there's ever been a possible cure to two strains of awful plagues which are causing havoc wherever they reach. I do like seeing a bookish hero.
There was once a great man, who was either beyond evil or good (or, like most humans, probably a bit of both) who knew much about the plagues but possibly was the creator... but also possibly, knew of a cure. The trouble is knowing how to separate his lies from the truth, and perhaps it's impossible to really ever know that. Relying on a hunch when thousands of lives are in your hands certainly wouldn't be for the faint hearted.
I quite liked this one - it had an easy flow, and the characters are interesting enough to be able to ignore slight plot holes and the like.
Bring your Own Spoon - Saad Z. Hossain
Ahh, post apocalyptics worlds, my favourite. Hanu is scraping by. Though luck he has some comforts, but the little he has he's willing to share, which of course means that somehow, he'll get by as this is a story. The little details of the carded people, the health warnings, contamination and viruses, quickly give this short story such depth that I instantly want a full novel of this.
Although everything is doom and gloom, by Hanu's little stove it seems like such a cozy story. The djinn seems so casual and childlike - being bored is why they sleep so often, which is a nice touch. And a pirate never hurts, either.
Somewhere in America - Neil Gaiman
An except from his book American Gods, so a pass from me.
Duende 2077 - Jamal Mahjoub
A murder occurs where murder is taboo, so it just doesn't happen - a detective is there, though there's no resources as no murders happen. Futuristic perfection, complete with holograms... and yet also at a loss, as things from the past are strictly forbidden.
Duende 2077 was the messiah, who will return again. And that's how this short is left. I'm not entirely sure I 'got' the majority of it (or even half of it), but it kept me reading.
The Righteous Guide of Arabsat - Sophia Al-Maria
An interesting discussion on how a woman is damned if she do, damned if she don't. If a woman doesn't know anything about sex, she does her husband a disservice - if she knows too much, then all hell breaks loose. A man with several issues is matched with a woman, and their first night of married life doesn't all go to plan.
This one isn't a comfortable read. The way he picks her apart, the way he grew up, everything is so... not healthy.
The Spite House - Kirsty Logan
A piece in where though a djinn may have magic and be all powerful - perhaps they are just as much trapped by their god-like ability than anything else, and it's actually a curse.
I love stories that investigate this idea. Genie from Down Under was a dreadfully bad (so bad it was SO good) tv show here in Australia growing up, and it was one of those fatal 'don't say 'I wish' near them' because it'll never turn out the way you hoped. In this, a junk scavenger is delighted with haul she finally finds, only to be enticed in with the thoughts of more by granting first one, then two, then three wishes. Terrible wishes. She runs and hides, but the woman finds her and eventually, the life of the half-djinn is barely one worth living...
Emperors of Jinn - Usman T. Malik
Four children, related via their mothers' side, are thrown together during the holidays. They vaguely know of each other, they know that one of them likes to punch and that another likes nasty things, but that's about all. They're surrounded by riches and one gets the idea fairly early on that they've never had to care about the results of their actions.
All up, it's all pretty awful. As ever, Malik's writing is perfect.
History - Nnedi Okorafor
In this, History is the most famous singer of the world. Born to African-American parents who were on research tours at the time, History was born and raised in Nigeria, and it is there she began to sing and dance like in a way that everyone knew she'd be famous one day. She's taken to the oldest woman in the village, who also happens to be a sorceress, who teaches History the beginnings of everything she needs to know in order to both control her magic, and not cause any trouble with it.
It's about this time that History manages to capture a bush baby and there he remains, in her mirror, bringing her true good luck throughout her life and career. And I love the ending line - but to find it out, you'll just have to buy the anthology.
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