Rumaysa: Ever After

by Radiya Hafiza

Return to a Once Upon a Time where anything is possible . . . Rumaysa: Ever After is the enchanting sequel to Radiya Hafiza's Rumaysa: A Fairytale – a gorgeously empowering and funny story that spins the classic fairytale to show that anyone can be a hero.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fiercest one of all?

Ever since she escaped her tower, Rumaysa has been searching the land, far and wide, determined to find her long lost parents. But after she receives a mysterious invitation from Saira White, Queen of Bishnara, she is soon pulled into a dark, magical adventure, that threatens her own happily ever after . . .

This eagerly anticipated sequel enchantingly intertwines traditional stories of Princesses, Princes, Witches and Beasts with a fresh and empowering perspective, beautifully illustrated by Rhaida El Touny.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Retellings, Fairy Tales, Islam, Muslims, Childrens

256 pages, Paperback

Published April 28, 2022

About the author

Radiya Hafiza is the acclaimed author of the Rumaysa duology and Aya and the Star Chaser. Her debut, Rumaysa, was the Waterstones Children's Book of the Month in April 2021 and has won critical acclaim across the UK and US. The Silver Kingdom is her debut YA fantasy, exploring empires, history and forbidden love.

Reviews

[Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was even better than the first book.

[GG_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only complaint about the last book was the too-much -wiggle of the art but I’m pretty sure the artist changed and this was adorable! Usually add ons to a finished story annoy me because it undoes all the progress, but this was just an add on! And WHAT a cute end!

[T ✩ Handmaiden Of Amidala · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't nearly as entertaining as the first one. But it was nice to get some closure on Rumaysa's story (though a bit too soon imo this could be a series) and find out exactly what Cordelia was using her powers for.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!! Rumaysa Ever After is such an excellent sequel. The overarching plotline in this - compared to the multiple fairytales explored in Rumaysa A Fairytale - was just phenomenal. Saira White's friendship with Cordelia was just such a brilliant story choice. The use of familial love as true love to break Dalia's curse was brilliant - I adore stories that don't confine true love to romantic love. And Rumaysa's parents finally found her!! She finally found them!! I love, love, loved this book. Would highly recommend for any Fairytale lovers.

[Imanewreader ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this second (and last book) was more structured and fast, which i actually enjoyed.

following the first book we see rumaysa searching and getting closer to her parents. she also gets to meet others prince and princesses.. and witches.

again, i really liked it ! the couple of times the narrators talked directly to us were great additions. it kind of influences my way of reading the book (like my inner voice changed, i guess?)

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW. Grief, Kidnapping & Family Separation

Rumaysa Ever After follows perfectly from the first in the duology; Rumaysa: A Fairytale. Once again, Radiya Hafiza weaves in her recreation of famous fairy tale characters who live in a magical reimagining of South Asia.

Not only does the author bring these amazing characters to life and give them so much more depth and interesting characterisation; but there is also a beauty to the fictional world we journey through alongside Rumaysa.

Rumaysa is a wonderful main character, and what is good for a young reader is that she is a child albeit one facing drama and chaos at every turn. I think many children will appreciate that the heroes in Rumaysa Ever After are not your typical ones - they're children rather than larger-than-life adults. I also love how they're described and how important their clothing etcetera is mentioned such as a Hijab which I think those who wear one will love to see in a story.

The main character we encounter in the sequel is a reimagining of Snow White as an adult and she's fantastically written as an adult and Queen (promise not a spoiler as it's in the blurb.) There's also I think, a rethinking of George and the Dragon but I'm not sure - some are very clear and some, not so much.

We have more adventure, some mystery and a wonderful web of Radiya Hafiza's creation in Rumaysa Ever After. This series is fantastic for lovers of fairy tales and a little (or a lot) of imagination.

[Aishah Humaira' (Mermaird ♡) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being in a slump for months, I can hardly believe I finished this one in a single day 🥹 it was a fun read!

[Steph Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free DRC of this book, with thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

More of Rumaysa’s fairytale adventures on the way to find her parents, but this time the focus is mostly on the story of Snow (Saira) White, with touches of Rapunzel and any tale with a beast-by-night curse.

We also see snippets from the other side, as we get some of the story from the perspective of Naina and Sunar as they search for their long-lost daughter.

This duology of books contains lovely fairytale retellings, with gentle moments of humour and lessons about forgiveness, loyalty, vanity and trust, alongside plenty of action and quick thinking from our heroine and her allies. And we finally get a happily-ever-after, although I really think this could have run into a longer series quite easily!

The Rumaysa stories are ideal for middle grade readers upwards who want traditional adventure stories but with modern morality and perspectives.

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book with my daughter. We loved the action and adventure. There were many strong female lead characters both good and bad which was refreshing. Hopefully we will read the previous book. It didn't spoil it that we haven't read the books in order. The different twists on traditional fairy tales were interesting and we had fun spotting the original stories or characters woven into these new stories.

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely better than book 1! It doesn't jump around as much, actually has a consistent plot, and continues to play on fairytale tropes.

Still not a masterpiece by any means, and still a little shallow in terms of worldbuilding and consistency, and the Islam/ Muslimness of it all is barely even surface level... but it's a fun, light read for kids (and adults like me).

[Cara (Wilde Book Garden) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So lovely and heartwarming. Rumaysa is a treasure 💞

CW: Grief, kidnapping, family separation

[Tasnim Rahman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to the first book, this sequel was a lot slower in the plot unravelling. It took about 100 pages for the really interesting parts of the story to get me turning the pages quicker. I did enjoy the twists but I think all the bits before could have been condensed into shorter chapters or combined together as it did drag out a bit.

It’s still a good book and I’m glad there was a happy ending, as is expected with all fairytales ☺️

[Rebecca R · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Rumaysa Ever After’ is the sequel to Radiya Hafiza’s first novel ‘Rumaysa’, in which Rumaysa escaped a tower using her hijab, defeated the evil witch Cordelia who kidnapped her as a baby, and has two other adventures with her friends Cinderayla and Sleeping Sara. But now all Rumaysa wants is to find the parents she never had a chance to know, and go home.

But on the way, Rumaysa saves a prince from a terrifying beast, and is invited to a golden castle by his sister, Queen Saira White, to thank her for her heroic actions. There Rumaysa hears the story of how Saira’s evil stepmother was jealous of her beauty and tried to have her killed, but instead she hid in the woods with the Seven Outcasts and eventually returned to kill her stepmother. So far, it is the story we all know. But Saira White is hiding something and once again Rumaysa’s magic necklace leads her to someone who needs her help. Little does Rumaysa know that her parents are still desperately searching for her in the meantime, but there is someone who is determined to stop them from finding each other.

I love Radiya Hafiza’s take on the traditional fairy tales, in particular her feisty and determined protagonist who doesn’t wait around for a boy to save her, and her happy endings that are about finding family and being true to yourself, rather than falling in love and getting married.

“‘True love?’ Rumaysa made a face. ‘That’s so clichéd! Besides, I think we’re a bit young for that.’”

Another inspiring and empowering Rumaysa adventure!

[Khairun Atika · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Someone else's hatred is not your fault." - Rumaysa Ever After by Radiya Hafiza

Exciting, adventurous, and a whole lot of fun for every young reader out there. Add in the fact that our protagonist is a hijabi with lots of drive and sass, and Rumaysa is sure to be a hit, a wonderfully lovable inspiration for young Muslimahs out there.

This sequel to Rumaysa: A Fairytale follows Rumaysa's further adventures. Having escaped her tower, she is now searching high and low for her long lost parents, while still finding time to help others along the way. Things take a turn when she receives a mysterious invitation from Queen of Bishnara, Saira White, who is training her brother, the future king to be a good ruler - by fighting a menacing winged beast.

This is a beautiful story of an inspiring protagonist, whose pure heart understands the true meaning of beauty, and who never fails to help other. While the prose is generally engaging and empowering, it is the wonderful message of inner beauty and having a kind and forgiving heart that makes the story appealing.

In all, it is a fun and exciting adventure filled with lots of warmth and heart. The Muslim representation is also enlightening and a delight to see in contemporary, middle-grade literature. Truly a wonderful and amazing fairy tale.

[Atifah Mariyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

This is such an amazing book for its genre! I know, Im too old for this, but I didn’t have a single book about a hijabi girl riding dragons when I was growing up?! So yes, I am actually buying this book for my future daughter.. or my inner child, what’s the difference?

The funny thing was I didn’t realize it was a sequel until the last page?! Lol! I did find it weird why certain things happened off page but I thought it’s normal for a middle grade fictions coz kids can have that space for imagination but turns out I was totally off haha

But despite that, the story was whimsical with the adventures, magics and even plot twists. The muslim representation in this is beautiful, i like how it mentions prayer a few times, conversations about good n bad actions, curiousity around the meaning of beauty, and praying to Allah.

The best statement was when Dalia said “It needs true love to break the curse” and Rumaysa straight up said “Ergh, aren’t we too young for that?!” Yes gurl, period.

Grateful for the author to write such magical book!

I wish one day my future daughter will read this book💕

[Thalia S. A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely loved this book! Rumaysa: Ever After is a good sequel to the first book.

I liked the plot a lot, especially finding out Saira White's palace being the palace Rumaysa helped make with her gold. That was smart! And Saira's friendship with Cordelia was a nice bonus. Who knew Cordelia had a friend?

I also enjoyed breaking Dalia's curse. She says that true love will break the curse. That sounded a bit cliched to me (as Rumaysa says), but actually the "true love" is family love, from Dalia's half brother.

It was nice to see Zabina the owl from the first book. Again, she is determined to help Rumaysa and is one of my favourite characters. (Not sure what happened to Zabina's raven as mentioned in the first book, though!)

And Rumaysa found her parents! Finally she found them. However, I think the part where she found them could be slightly improved. I was expecting her to be a little more ecstatic. But she was wanted by the guards and had to hide, so I suppose that makes sense that she was happy but then had to go and hide.

Overall I enjoyed the book, five stars for sure.

[Jesika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following on from the brilliant fairytale retellings she delivered in the first Rumaysa book, Radiya Hafiza is back with a sequel which is just as good.

I love the messages this book manages to deliver in a digestible and fun way for young readers: you deserve to see yourself reflected in a book, girls can save the day, boys don't actually have to on point of pride, appearances aren't always truthful and you should always do what you know is right.

What's more, in placing Rumaysa and her friends in the fairytales readers may already be familiar with - here this is mainly Snow White - shows not only young Muslim girls they belong at the head of the story, it helps every other young reader to start expecting protagonists that aren't white males. This representation is incredibly needed in literature, especially for children so they can learn to see themselves as well as others as important.

Then there's the actual fairytale - it is brilliant. The way the author plays with the readers expectations of the narrative whilst still pulling you towards a happy ending is a joy to read.

[Ceyrone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Rumaysa, I ended up buying a whole bunch of them and gifted them to my cousins on Eid. I even gave one to my school library, which is very white. I will be doing the same for this one. I loved this, so happy to return to this world, and follow the character on further adventures. This is such an excellent sequel and I hope we get more. Unlike the first one, we were get multiple fairytales. This one follows one, and done masterfully, as we get more character development and it feels better structured. Saira White's friendship with Cordelia was just such a brilliant story choice. The use of familial love as true love to break Dalia's curse was brilliant - I adore stories that don't confine true love to romantic love. And we also get more insight into Rumaysa’s parents and what they went through and how they never gave up their search of their daughter. Never lost hope. Zabina the owl makes an appearance which was so good. I loved this and would highly recommend this.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new take on famous fairytales weaves in diverse cultures and content that you wont find in an all-white disney cartoon cast. The second book in a series, Rumaysa: Ever After continues the story of a girl on a magic adventure after accepting an invitation from the Queen (a take on Snowhite). Challenging the fairytale "rules" of things like damsel in distress, this book is all for empowering young women to take charge!

Short chapters with black and white illustrations intermixed help tell the enchanting story. The book is fairly long, at over 200 pages, so it is good for young readers who are ready for longer texts and less pictures. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the age 7-12 range. Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rather liked it but it is a children's book. It seemed like the word hidjab was at almost every page. I get what the author want to tell me! There needs to be heroines in hidjab and robes to in fantasy. But sometimes when I read fantasy books with girl heroines the word corset is at t every third page! Like in "Juniper and Thorns".

[Sharmin Begum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is such a lovely closure to the first book. It’s filled with feminine power and independence, which is so inspiring for young readers. Absolutely love the Bengali touch to this book. There are elements which really celebrates diversity and the importance of it.

[Kirsten Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small twist on a tale.
I adore Rumaysa - it was lovely to see how her story continued from the first book and how her character develops.
What if there is a reason for every bad choice? Is that what makes someone good or bad.

Will Rumaysa find her family? Or maybe they her lost to her forever?

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was almost as good as the first, I say almost as the retellings were not as in depth as before. This was a great ending to Rumaysa’s search, and as before I loved how cultural stereotypes were challenged as well as all manner of -isms.

[Toni Fowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

So heartwarming, I loved this as much as the first one

[BookswithLydscl | · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25* lovely closing part of this middle grade duology

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first one, but Rumaysa’s own journey is front and center here, and it’s great that it has a conclusion.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun fairytale for any age.

[Soukaina Ait Ouasaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

very heartwarming

[Nimra Farrukh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fairy tale retelling!

Finally rumaysah found what she was looking for. Such a cute book, perfect for 8 to 12 year olds! I'm adding this to my middle school book recommendations!

[Meira · Rating 5 out of 5]

👌👌👌👌