The Forbidden Wish

November 23, 2015
In a departure from her scientific thrillers, Khoury (Kalahari) offers a vibrant reimagining of the story of Aladdin’s lamp. Zahra is a powerful jinni who has been doomed to the prison of her lamp and the whims of humans for thousands of years. Despite this—and unlike most jinni—Zahra has maintained a soft spot for humans, and when Aladdin takes possession of the lamp, their relationship evolves as they become allies: Aladdin seeks to avenge the death of his parents, and Zahra hopes to escape her imprisonment by freeing a jinn prince. Secondary characters unwittingly entwined in Aladdin’s and Zahra’s plans—such as the princess Caspida, niece of the man who killed Aladdin’s parents—are portrayed as vividly as the leads, and as the feelings between Zahra and Aladdin deepen, fulfilling their goals becomes ever more complicated. Playful chemistry (Aladdin promptly nicknames the shapeshifting Zahra “Smoky”) and Khoury’s assured storytelling should make it easy for readers to lose themselves in this rich and complex story of allegiances and betrayal. Ages 12–up. Agent: Lucy Carson, Friedrich Agency.

December 15, 2015
A Middle East-inspired fantasy version of "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp." Jinni Zahra, long imprisoned in her lamp, has languished for hundreds of years in a dead city as punishment for a mysterious transgression against her kind, one that also resulted in the betrayal of the warrior queen who last held the lamp, whom Zahra still mourns with the term of endearment "Habiba." A young thief guided by a magic ring finds the city and lamp, freeing her. Other jinn quickly offer her a bargain from their ruler: he will free her from the lamp if she rescues his son, imprisoned in Aladdin's home city--a deal with a strict time limit. Zahra uses Aladdin's desire for vengeance against the drug-addled king's brother--the sadistic power behind the throne--for his revolutionary parents' deaths and the ill treatment of the peasantry. Aladdin's audacious and bold but unable to kill, so Zahra offers an alternative revenge: he will seduce and marry the crown princess, become king, and expel his enemies--bringing them to the palace and supporting her mission. But iron-willed Caspida is no typical princess, and Zahra's feelings for Aladdin steadily grow--despite the taboo against jinni-human love that destroyed her Habiba. Khoury allows Zahra to narrate in the first person, placing her in a distinct fantasy world that draws on Middle Eastern tropes but is no cognate of real-world geography. Though the dynamic ending fully concludes their story, readers will likely long for more stories--say, 1,000 of them. Dripping in magic, strong women, and forbidden love. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-Lyrically written, this work is a twist on the familiar tale of Aladdin. Seventeen-year-old Aladdin finds the lamp in a cave, and the story is told from the point of view of the Jinni of Ambadya, a girl named Zahra. She must shift shape in order to remain discreet among the humans. Eventually she is given a deal: she is to free the jinn prince before the moon cycles. If she fails, the human race in the city will perish. If she succeeds, then she will return to Ambadya as a free jinni and no longer be a slave to the lamp. Aladdin and Zahra become allies. As she works to free herself, she falls in love with him only to find that if she is to claim her freedom, then she must betray him. Readers, knowing that she can't have it both ways, will want to know what she will do to solve her problem. Other characters involved in the story add to the drama, making it even harder for Aladdin and Zahra. Khoury's writing is evenly paced and well done, making this a good selection. VERDICT A solid choice for anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings and light romance with magic and hope.-Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2016
Grades 7-10 *Starred Review* In this lushly romantic Arabian Nights retelling, clever thief Aladdin finds a magical lamp and releases a jinni who has been imprisoned within for 500 years. Zahra, the jinni, may look like a 17-year-old girl, but she is really a powerful, 4,000-year-old shaitan, able to shape-shift into any form. Vilified for starting a 500-year war after betraying her previous master, Queen Roshana, who attempted to bring peace between humans and jinn, Zahra now emerges from the lamp into a world where magic has become illegal. Aladdin wants revenge against the king's vizier for executing his parents, who led a rebellion against the king's unjust rule. Zahra persuades him to pose as a prince from a faraway land to gain entrance into the palace. But she has her own reasons for helping Aladdin exact his revenge, and she is willing to betray him if it means saving herself. Thus begins an exciting tale of deception, forbidden love, and dangerous magic, starring a cheeky thief and a powerful but vulnerable jinni. Fans of fairy-tale retellings set in faraway lands and full of romance, derring-do, and pulse-pounding action will fall for this swoon-worthy tale where even a thief may have honor, and even a jinni may have a heart. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)