A ruthless murder.
A magical herb.
A mysterious manuscript.
When Nardeen’s home is stormed by angry men frantically in search of something—or someone—she is the only one who manages to escape. And after the rest of her family is left behind and murdered, Nardeen sets out on an unyielding mission to bring her family’s killers to justice, regardless of the cost…
Historical fiction meets crime fiction in The Djinn’s Apple , an award-winning YA murder mystery set in the Abbasid period—the golden age of Baghdad.
Combining murder mystery, historical fiction, romance, AND a poignant coming-of-age tale, The Djinn’s Apple is the first of Algerian author and academic Djamila Morani’s full-length works to be translated into English but, hopefully, won’t be the last.
Set during the reign of Harun Al-Rashid, of the most famous rulers of the Abbasid caliphate, The Djinn’s Apple opens with the brutal murder of twelve-year-old Nardeen’s entire family. Although choosing medicine over politics, Nardeen’s father appears to have fallen foul of the caliph’s denunciation of the once-powerful Baramika family. Betrayed by those once thought to be friends, Nardeen swears vengeance upon her family’s killers. But what can one twelve-year-old girl do against the might of the Abbasid caliphate?
Nardeen’s journey will span several years and take her into the heart of the Bimaristan: one of the most advanced hospitals in the world. There she will meet the enigmatic teacher Muallim Ishaq and his former pupil, Suhaib. And there she will, eventually, learn of the Djinn’s Apple and come to discover the true reason that her family were taken from her.
As you might be able to tell from that brief summary, there is a lot of plot packed into a slender 132 pages. Although this makes The Djinn’s Apple a fast-paced, page-turning read, there were moments when I wished that the story had just a little more room to breath. Although there is a glossary provided at the end of the book, and some very interesting notes about Harun Al-Rashid, the Golden Age of Baghdad, and the Bimaristan, I still found myself wanting to know more about Nardeen and her world.
This isn’t to say that the story doesn’t feel finished. Indeed, it is impressive just how much characterisation Djamila Morani has managed to pack into the novel. I found myself really empathising with Nardeen and enjoyed watching her mature from a distraught child, motivated by righteous anger, into a more considered and reflective player of the political game. I also loved the way in which Nardeen has to learn to use the tools available to her as a young woman in a male-dominated world and the way in which is is her fiery intellect and unquenchable spirit that eventually lead her to discover the truth behind her family’s murder.
Morani’s writing – or rather, Sawad Hussain’s translation of it – is beautifully sparse. Words are very rarely wasted but Morani and Hussain still convey a whole world and all of the senses within it. Whilst reading, I could practically hear the dawn call to prayer, see the luscious gardens of the Bimaristan, and imagine myself sitting before Muallim Ishaq as he lectures to his students.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Djinn’s Apple. Although my time with Nardeen was all-too-brief, her story was absolutely gripping and utterly transported me to a place and time about which I knew very little. From the back-and-forth with her fellow pupil (and, later, love interest) Suhaib, to the wisdom passed down to her from her father, her mother, and her mentor Muallim Ishaq, I really felt like I was getting a little glimpse into Nardeen’s life and world whilst I was reading, and that I was alongside her as she sought the truth about her family’s untimely deaths.
Offering a blend of crime fiction, historical fiction, and coming-of-age tale (and with just a dash of YA romance), The Djinn’s Apple is an engaging and thought-provoking read for older teens and adults alike. Beautifully translated and presented (credit must also go to Holly Ovenden, the designer of the beautiful cover and illustrator of the stunning chapter headers, map, and front/endpapers), this will hopefully not be the last of Djamila Morani’s work that we see translated for English readers to enjoy.
The Djinn’s Apple by Djamila Moran (translated by Sawad Hussain) is published by Neem Tree Press and is available now from all good booksellers and online retailers including Hive, Bookshop.org, and Wordery.
If you can, please support a local indie bookshop by ordering from them either in person or online! Some of my favourites include Booka Bookshop, Sam Read Booksellers, Book-ish, Scarthin Books, Fox Lane Books, and Berts Books.
My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review and to The Write Reads for organising and inviting me onto this blog tour. The tour continues until 10 March 2024 so please do check out the other stops using the #TheWriteReads #UltimateBlogTour for more reviews and content!
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