Becoming Jinn

April 27, 2015
In debut author Goldstein's genre-bending cross between urban fantasy and dystopia, genies secretly live among the human population, but they must keep their true nature secret or be punished by the despotic Afrit. Sixteen-year-old Azra hates her destiny as a jinn, forced to grant wishes and obey the Afrit's rules. Moreover, she is haunted by the death of her human best friend in a childhood accidentâa crucial piece of backstory that lacks depth and power. As Azra and her jinn sisterhood come into their powers and begin granting wishes, Azra finds herself enmeshed in the lives of two boys: her deceased friend's brother, Henry, and Nate, an intimidatingly attractive, secretly sweet lifeguard. When Henry finds out about Azra's identity, life gets even more complicated. Azra's resentment of her situation is vivid and realistic, but it can border on whiny, and secondary characters are largely underdeveloped. Unfortunately, the plot tends toward the cliché, as Azra discovers that she has more power than most jinn and that there are secrets in her heritage. Ages 12âup. Agent: Lucy Carson, Friedrich Agency.

February 15, 2015
"[W]hen genies are involved, there's always a trick."Azra Nadira awakes on her 16th birthday to a magical makeover and a silver wrist bangle. She views these more as punishments than gifts, as they signify that Azra is now a full-fledged genie (properly, Jinn), with all the arts and powers (and responsibilities and restrictions) of the species. Since a childhood tragedy, Azra has fought against her heritage, rejecting her "model Jinn" mother's example and pushing away her Zar-her cohort of "sisters." But the tyrannical Afrit won't permit her to escape the duty to grant wishes, even if the results are unexpected, disastrous...or reveal secrets Azra isn't ready to learn. Through Azra's first-person, present-tense narration, the act of "becoming Jinn" provides a rich metaphor for the potency and frustration of adolescence. Bonds between women and girls are celebrated, while such tired teen-lit tropes as romantic triangles and mean cheerleaders are subtly subverted. Unfortunately, Azra herself is the worst sort of wish-fulfillment cliche. She's covertly desired by all the boys and envied by all the girls; she has superspecial talents, an angst-y back story and mysterious parentage; and above all, she's infuriatingly self-centered-even the narrative's climactic cliffhanger depends less upon the catastrophic events than on how very sad it makes Azra feel. Those who can get past the protagonist's tiresome pity party will be eager for further exploration of her Zar family and the subterranean intrigues of Jinn society. (Fantasy. 12 & up)