I feel super bad that I’m placing The Jinn Daughter in my DNF column. Because I really don’t think it belongs there.
You know what? It doesn’t belong there. There are a lot of things about this book that I really enjoyed.
I just didn’t enjoy them enough. **cringe**
What’s The Jinn Daughter about?
The Jinn Daughter embraces Middle Eastern mythology and folklore to tell us a story about a jinn – a genie tasked with helping souls cross over into death, although it places her under the persecution of her people.
When the doors to the afterlife become mysteriously closed, Death herself asks the jinn for help – and not-so-secretly plans for the jinn’s daughter to take over as Death.
What I liked about The Jinn Daughter
First of all, that book cover. ALL THE HEART EYES. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?
The cover for The Jinn Daughter is the first thing that prompted me to request an ARC from Kaye Publicity.
The second thing is my macabre interest in all things death-related. I know a teensy bit about about jinns, but I’m largely ignorant when it comes to Middle Eastern mythology.
Author Rania Hanna delivers on immersing the reader in all things Middle Eastern mythology, folklore, food, and customs. I loved learning about the afterlife, the beliefs, and the history – both magical and real – relayed by the characters. I was plunged into a world that’s mystical and new, and I loved that.
Why I DNF’d The Jinn Daughter
Ultimately, I DNF’d The Jinn Daughter because the story didn’t move along quickly enough to maintain my interest. I read 130 pages, but it was over several weeks. Maybe even a month or two. I kept putting the book down and pushing myself to pick it up again. I kept giving it one more chance to enrapture me.
And it just never happened. It’s not because Hanna’s bad writer (she’s not!) and it’s not because the story isn’t interesting (it is!). It’s because the novel and its characters just didn’t come alive for me. Simply put, The Jinn Daughter feels like a debut fiction novel by someone who usually writes nonfiction – which, based on Hanna’s author bio, seems to be accurate.
Should you read The Jinn Daughter ?
Yes, you should absolutely give The Jinn Daughter a try if you love mythology and folklore-based stories, fairy tales and ancient magic, beastly danger and all things mystical. I’m sure many people will enjoy Hanna’s story of the jinn’s love for her daughter and how she tries to cheat Death.
If you’re familiar with Middle Eastern mythology already, I think you’ll have an easier time with this novel than I did. Many customs, beliefs, and even words were given little background, and I felt like I missed the significance of certain moments because I didn’t understand what was happening. These foreign-to-me elements led to more questions than answers while I was reading.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for The Jinn Daughter?
I was still inspired enough by The Jinn Daughter to create a bookish recipe for it, so be sure to check out my Mushroom Shawarma Grain Bowls with Simple Shepherd’s Salad.
Although I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from Kaye Publicity, all opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
