THANKS TO TBR AND BEYOND TOURS AND NETGALLEY FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THIS TOUR.
Nura, along with other kids, works in mica mines so her family can survive. Education is not an option for these kids, they spent their day in a struggle to collect the most mica to earn more. Nura's father lost his life working in mines. Nura's mother wants her kids to get an education but it seems luxury when it is hard to meet their basic needs. Nura grew up listening to demon tongue's myth- a hidden treasure, somewhere in mines, that can change her days. The efforts to find this treasure led her to a new world.
Nura and the Immortal Palace made it on my tbr list from the day I saw it on the author's Twitter account and I am more than glad that it was everything it promised to be. Nura as a character sometimes came a bit arrogant but she is a lovely daughter and sister, her efforts toward friendship with Faisal were also a new element that I've rarely read in any middle grade. I love that Nura was unapologetically Muslim and showed it with her actions. I was pleasantly surprised to read direct Islamic and Quranic references as the majority of Muslim books are white-washed for sake of the majority of readers.
The story was so beautiful and sad at the time. I wasn't expecting a middle grade to touch on so many sensitive and important topics. This book advocates the importance of education at every chance it gets along with the opposition to child labor. The world-building of the palace was magical and can easily transport a reader, on the other hand, the way Meera bagh was portrayed transported me to a calm and small village in Pakistan. It made me think that sometimes simple is enough if done brilliantly.
It is definitely that kind of book I'll like my niece and nephews to read. M.T. Khan History repeats itself. Once again, we fall to chaos. But we'll rise again. And again. And once more.
Comparing a book to a Studio Ghibli movie will always, always put that book on top of my to-read list. And the comparison of Nura and the Immortal Palace to Spirited Away had me so excited to get my hands on it. Reader, this book did not disappoint.
My favorite things about this book:
➛ Nura is exactly the kind of fiercely protective eldest sister main character that I adore soooo much
➛ The emphasis on the cycle of exploitation and how the wealthy pit the powerless against each other so they won't realize the effectivity of banding together and rising up against their oppressors
➛ The underlying message of the importance of education
➛ The absolutely magical descriptions of the hotel...
➛ ...before the facade is peeled back and you see the darkness that lies beneath.
I'm glad I decided to make this one of my API Heritage Month 2022 reads. Can't wait for this to come out so I can get myself a finished copy!
🌿 Read my full review at my blog, Your Tita Kate! 🌿 M.T. Khan SO GOOD AND FUN AND IMPORTANT rtc!! M.T. Khan this book was amazing!! NURA AND THE IMMORTAL PALACE is like desi spirited away and i love that. M.T. Khan Disclaimer: I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and this blog tour post.
Trigger Warning(s): Death of a parent, child labor, grief, and exploitation.
Rep: Pakistani Muslim characters.
My Thoughts Before Reading: When I first heard about this book I was excited! But I at the time had no intention to read it. I knew it was going to be dealing with a heavy subject matter and I wasn’t sure that I was prepared to read that.
I changed my mind on the urging of my sister. I am happy to say that I adored this book!
What I Liked: The plot was fantastic! It was fast paced, there was never a dull moment. I was at the edge of my bed anticipating all the high stakes.
The world building was superb! I loved reading about the imagery and magic of the Sijj palace. The dijjn’s and their powers were so cool to read about.
I loved that child labor and exploitation was explained in an accessible way! Of course it was a heavy subject matter and such matters should be published for every age group. That being said I truly believe middle grade authors have some sort of secret power in how they write their novels. They truly can write anything and it just turns out to make perfect sense and is done so well.
I really liked how the Sijj palace mirrored our own world. I won’t get into spoilers so the only thing I will say is that a lot of the circumstances are very similar to our world.
Nura’s relationship with her family was so lovely to read about! I loved how close she was to her mother, how she treated her siblings, and how much she cared about her family. The devotion and love she had for her family is something that readers will love reading about.
Nura’s relationship with Faisal was so cute! They were such good friends always having each others back, bringing out the best in each other whilst also calling out the other ones faults.
I loved the role Islam played! Whenever Nura would feel helpless she always thought about her religion. Ayat al-Kursi was actually written in the novel and it made my day when I read it.
Nura’s character development was fantastic! I loved how she grew and learned from her mistakes. She did make some rash decisions as well as assumptions (but who doesn’t) and she learns to acknowledge that.
My Criticism(s): Absolutely nothing!
What I’m Looking Forward To: I’m really looking forward to the sequel!
Conclusion: Overall I loved Nura and the Immortal Palace! I highly recommend this book to everyone. M.T. Khan
READ Nura and the Immortal Palace
Aru Shah and the End of Time meets Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away in this mesmerizing portal fantasy that takes readers into the little-known world of Jinn.
Nura longs for the simple pleasure of many things—to wear a beautiful red dupatta or to bite into a sweet gulab. But with her mom hard at work in a run-down sweatshop and three younger siblings to feed, Nura must spend her days earning money by mica mining. But it’s not just the extra rupees in her pocket Nura is after. Local rumor says there’s buried treasure in the mine, and Nura knows that finding it could change the course of her family’s life forever.
Her plan backfires when the mines collapse and four kids, including her best friend, Faisal, are claimed dead. Nura refuses to believe it and shovels her way through the dirt hoping to find him. Instead, she finds herself at the entrance to a strange world of purple skies and pink seas—a portal to the opulent realm of jinn, inhabited by the trickster creatures from her mother’s cautionary tales. Yet they aren’t nearly as treacherous as her mother made them out to be, because Nura is invited to a luxury jinn hotel, where she’s given everything she could ever imagine and more.
But there’s a dark truth lurking beneath all that glitter and gold, and when Nura crosses the owner’s son and is banished to the working quarters, she realizes she isn’t the only human who’s ended up in the hotel’s clutches. Faisal and the other missing children are there, too, and if Nura can’t find a way to help them all escape, they’ll be bound to work for the hotel forever. Nura and the Immortal Palace
This book was so fun and creepy, and I really loved the way it handled the very difficult issue of child labour, which is something I've actually never read about in a book. Definitely not in an MG one. A really fantastic debut with such brilliant writing and captivating characters. And I also loved how unapologetically Muslim and Pakistani it was. M.T. Khan this is definitely the kind of book i wish i'd had as a kid when i would devour books about white children going on magical adventures without realizing someone like me could too. also, pakistani media is woefully lacking in middle grade/young adult fiction aimed towards young people so it's really nice to see mainstream fantasy fiction featuring pakistani muslim kids (including ms. marvel).
personally, i wish the theme of education was tackled with more nuance and framed a bit differently (with the onus being more on government/structural failures rather than the protagonist's individual choice) but i understand that's unfair to expect from a short middle grade book.
all in all, i'm glad desi muslim kids can get to see themselves in a fantasy book. M.T. Khan read this review on my blog!
Having read this book I can vouch that the Spirited Away comparison is so apt! Nura and the Immortal Palace is a middle grade fantasy about 12 year old Nura, who works in the mica mines to support her family but when the mine collapses and her friends disappear, she finds herself whisked away into a secret world ruled by the jinn. What follows next is Nura’s race to get herself out of the jinn hotel before it’s too late.
magically written
One of the best things about Nura and the Immortal Palace is how vividly the setting has been described. My South Asian heart absolutely adores the Islam religion and Pakistani culture influences in the book, be it about festivals, the mouth watering food, the dances, the faith or the sense of family among the characters. I love how unapologetically Muslim it is and how the culture blends with the magical elements.
Even when Nura winds up in another realm, the beauty of the descriptions remains the equally imaginative. We’re introduced to the world of the jinn and the hotel Nura and other kids are stuck in and the magical nature is brought to life by M.T. Khan—be it the food competitions, the glamour or the liveliness through which Nura is lured into the faux sense of security. The atmosphere is bright and colourful but the realistic undertones are not to be missed among the glitters.
tackles themes of child labour and importance of education
I really admire how a Middle Grade fantasy manages to include important topics of the vicious cycle of exploitation as well as prevalent child labour practices in parts of the world. Without is seeming heavy on the readers. It shows how carefully crafted this story is! There’s a smooth blend of the shining world in the story with insights into how mere kids are exploited and how the rich turn the poor against each other for their benefit. So while we’re lost in an adventurous tale, it doesn’t fail to shatter the truth about the illusions.
By the end, Nura and the Immortal Palace also makes the readers realise why being educated is important. From revolting against going to school to acknowledging the benefits of being a capable literate, Nura’s growth arc develops subtly but strongly.
engaging characters
Nura is such a delightful voice to read through the book! I was impressed with how determined she was to earn for her family even if it meant grappling with the mica mining. And later on, I appreciated how she absorbed the lessons from different encounters, she always has her family as her priority. She’s a protective elder sister and daughter but also a caring friend.
Faisal, a side character and Nura’s closest friend shines throughout the story too, despite being a side character. He’s anxious and cautious but his bond with Nura is heartwarming, supporting each other through thick and thin.
If all of that hasn’t convinced you yet, this book is for the gulab jamun lovers. Be sure to check out this book for a determined protagonist, her soft boy companion, their adventure into a jinn world and a glimpse into workings of the real world!
thank you netgalley and little brown books for the ARC! M.T. Khan
➵ the theme of poverty as a vicious cycle impressed me the most, especially how easily it's conveyed through a middle-grade story. rtc.
17.08.2020 an ownvoices muslim mg fantasy set in a rural town of pakistan where a luxury jinn hotel holds dark secrets? i mean, how do I skip an entire year so I can pick up this book right now— M.T. Khan In a Nutshell: A children’s fantasy from the Indian subcontinent – what a welcome change and a novel experience!
Story Synopsis:
Twelve year old Nura works in a mica mine for long hours. She is determined to find a legendary treasure known as ‘The Demon’s Tongue’, and thus provide respite to her widowed mother and four younger siblings from the drudgery of poverty and struggle. However, one day, she gets too carried away while digging and ends up triggering a collapse in the mines, resulting in some of the child labourers, including her best friend Faisal, being declared dead. Nura is determined to save her friend, but in attempting this rescue, she lands up through a portal in the world of the jinn. Is Faisal here? Is the ‘Demon’s Tongue’ here? Can Nura save herself and her friend from the evil jinn?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Nura.
Most of the children’s books I have read in my childhood had some or all of the following: Magical adventures; Best friends and squabbling but sweet siblings; Excitement for Christmas; biblical values; cakes and pies; pretty dresses for parties; elves/gnomes. The first two elements remain the same in this book but the rest transform into an experience closer to home: excitement for Eid; Islamic values; gulab jamuns, lehengas and jinn! I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to read a children's book with the protagonist drooling for gulab jamuns. The fact that this was set in a rural village in Pakistan made its freshness even more appealing.
Nura and Faisal’s characters are created very well. Nura’s aggressive nature balances Faisal’s demure spirit. This was again a nice change, seeing the girl protagonist in charge while the boy follows her lead.
The descriptions of the jinn realm were astounding. The Sijj hotel had vibes of Las Vegas, but its realms were complicated. The author doesn’t take her little readers for granted nor does she spoonfeed them – that’s for sure. The writing is intricate and incorporates many atmospheric flourishes, making you feel one with Nura and Faisal in wanting to escape from the jinn realm.
There are so many memories the book triggered in my head – Spirited Away (for the portal realm), Journey to the Centre of the Earth (the underground world), Hotel Magnifique (a legendary magical hotel with VIP guests and enslaved labourers). The book does justice to almost all the expectations it creates through these parallels.
Though a middle grade fiction, the book doesn’t go all light and fluffy. There are several dark themes and important topics such as the value of education and the prevalence of child labour. The author’s note at the end casts further light on these topics and is a must-read.
All in all, a fabulous magical adventure with ‘desi’ vibes and an important message as well. Definitely a yes. I’d love to read more books by this young Pakistani author. You’ve earned yourself a fan in India. 💕
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Walker Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Nura and the Immortal Palace”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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