Nadine is the jinn of her village – a person who collects pomegranate seeds, which represent the souls of the dead. She consumes them in order to tell their stories, allowing them to pass on. Yet she is the last of her kind. The Sheikh of her village – who also happens to be her father-in-law – killed and imprisoned all Jinns years ago. Banished to the outskirts, she spends her days doing her job and caring for her 14-year-old daughter, Layala. But then one day the seeds stop falling. And she’s not sure what’s wrong – until Death herself pays her a visit. She seeks someone to replace her, and she wants Layala for the job. Terrified and refusing to allow her daughter to leave the land of the living to fulfill this role, she does everything within her power to control her daughter’s fate. But soon she realizes that not even those blessed with magic have the power to avoid Death. The Jinn Daughter by debut author Rania Hanna is a fantasy novel that shows how far a mother will go to save her only child – even when destiny demands otherwise.
Book
Layala has shown signs of magic, but Nadine does not want that life for her daughter. So she feeds Layala half-truths and white lies to quell her curiosity, hoping to save her from a life with magic. Unfortunately, in true teenage rebel fashion, Layala gets creative. She befriends a Jinn boy and sees him in secret. And while Nadine always made sure to encourage her daughter to stand up for herself, she reaps what she sows as Layala becomes more emboldened to express her desire for a more meaningful purpose in life. Ironically, that higher purpose means Nadine’s worst nightmare coming true – the loss of her only child.
Review
Hanna offers a strong debut with The Jinn Daughter. The story integrates folklore and mythology with relatable and authentic human experiences, which will undoubtedly suck readers in. The lyrical writing style sets the tone for the fantasy world, broken up with short passages that represent the stories of the dead. And somehow, the author maintained a seamless flow throughout. While the pacing was a bit slow, the story is powerful enough to keep readers engaged. Nadine stopped at nothing to solve Death’s problem without losing her daughter – whether it was manipulating others or actually using her powers. As a mother, I couldn’t help but sympathize with Nadine as a character. Even so, I understood Layala’s desire for something more. These conversations between mother and daughter were heartfelt and hit me harder than I expected. While Hanna definitely could have expanded on the Jinn wars, the underworld, and the goddesses, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story as is.
Rania Hanna joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about her experiences as a debut author and the challenges of building a fantasy world. Keep an ear out for the interview in a future episode and order The Jinn Daughter, available now.
