Mirage

June 1, 2018
Abducted from her small village, Amani finds that her survival depends on being the perfect body double to an arrogant and cruel princess. Amani lives with her family in an impoverished village on Cadiz, a moon of the planet Andala that has been occupied by the Vathek Empire. At her coming-of-age ceremony she is violently stolen away to the imperial palace, Ziyaana, where she is shocked to find that she looks exactly like the princess Maram vak Mathis, known to be as cruel and ruthless as her Vathek father but with the visage of her Kushaila mother. In response to increased rebel attacks, Amani is groomed as a body double and must navigate the complexities of court, including the charms of Maram's fiance, Idris. Daud's debut, set in a Moroccan proxy world, addresses colonialism, appropriation, suppression, and erasure, along with orientalist tropes. Readers may recognize a possible reference to William Beckford's gothic orientalist novel Vathek, used to describe invading colonizers. In addition to a cast of characters of color, Daud also introduces concepts specific to the Indigenous Amazigh of Northwest Africa, including the warrior queen Dihya, who serves as a symbol of feminism and anti-colonialism.Though the machinations of politics and identity create a slowly burning narrative, readers will appreciate the rich world and prose built by a much-needed diverse voice. (Science fiction. 13-adult)

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July 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-On her majority night-the celebration of her entrance into adulthood-Amani is forcibly taken by Imperial droids and carted off her moon to the mother planet Andala, home of Vathek royalty. Amani grew up under Vathek occupation and knows their cruelty. She learns it was her looks that got her kidnapped; she is to serve as the hated half-Vathek Princess Maram's body double in potentially dangerous public appearances. With her life and her family's on the line, Amani sets out to perfect the role. Her new identity starts to feel too real as she begins falling for Maram's fiancé, Idris. But an encounter with the leader of the rebellion gives Amani the opportunity to take advantage of her situation and help her people. Readers are thrown right into this incredibly built world with fully developed cultures and characters. Daud expertly uses a sci-fi setting to explore issues within our own society, particularly the effects of colonization on both individuals and cultures as a whole. This poetically written novel will appeal to many, particularly fans of Cinder by Marissa Meyer and An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. The ending will leave them excited for more. VERDICT This debut novel has what it takes to be the next big thing in sci-fi/fantasy.-Jenna Friebel, Oak Park Public Library, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Daud's debut novel tells the story of 18-year-old Amani, whose planet is occupied by the Vathek empire. During a coming-of-age ceremony, she's kidnapped by the regime and smuggled into the royal palace, because she bears an uncanny resemblance to Maram, the cruel princess of the Vathek empire. Amani is to serve as Maram's body double for public events, and she must be ready to die in the princess' place, if required. Despite the beauty of the palace?and the princess' fianc�, Idris?Amani wishes to return to her family. If she's to have any chance of that, she must play the princess to perfection . . . but one wrong move could mean her death. Daud's gorgeously written novel features lush and poetic language that brings the setting into vivid color. In addition to the blend of sf and fantasy, Daud supplies a dash of forbidden romance destined to leave the reader gasping for breath. Every character is complex, and, while there is a clear demarcation between what is right and wrong, no one is beyond redemption, especially the women characters, who rarely get such a narrative arc in the genre. With an ending that is gut-wrenching yet still hopeful, this immersive, captivating series starter is sure to have fans eager for the sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)