Kamran, on the other hand, is just as poorly developed, if not worse. She, as educated as she is and as much as she was raised to be the rightful Queen, doesn’t even know how to observe quietly before voicing out her opinions. She runs her mouth the moment she feels a little comfortable (for which, she can be declared enemy of the empire because those comments are treacherous). But, despite the hardships she has faced, Alizeh has little common sense and is poorly developed as a character. Alizeh, our female protagonist is destined to be Queen, a jinn and hiding as a servant for her own safety.
Everything else in this book is a Cinderella story all over again.Īnd, I’m sorry, but it’s not even a good Cinderella story. And, the Persian mythology part? Why, it’s only the presence of Iblees (also known as Iblis, a well-known supernatural entity found the Quran and a few other manuscripts) and jinn, and that’s it. But, boy oh boy, the clashing empires and Persian mythology aspects? Misleading AF because the reality is that the empires aren’t clashing yet but they will start after 400+ pages. The majority of the cast is olive-skinned.As someone who loves mythology and retellings, I was very excited for This Woven Kingdom as it’s marketed as “Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people-bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology”. Mafi’s exposition-heavy style won’t appeal to all readers while her writing is beautiful, it does weigh down the pacing as much as it amplifies the angst-filled romance. The setting grapples with themes of discrimination and equity versus equality as the Jinn are forced to make themselves less in order to keep from outshining their human neighbors. Mafi’s intricate worldbuilding sets high stakes for the trilogy. Even knowing the dangers they face can’t make them ignore the pull of their hearts, setting the stage for a violent upheaval not just of their lives, but of the world.
When Kamran and Alizeh run into each other, they’re immediately captivated. Kamran, the crown prince, has dedicated his life to the empire and becoming a just ruler, trying to parse the prophecies about the death of the king.
Any use of a Jinn’s innate magic earns them a death sentence, but Alizeh’s magic is especially treacherous: in her veins runs the ice of the royal line, marking her the queen of their lost kingdom. A treaty has ended the brutal wars between Jinn and humankind, but it leaves the Jinn persecuted and oppressed. Gr 9 Up–Mafi’s new high fantasy series has roots in Islamic tradition and the Persian epic Shahnameh, giving fairy-tale vibes to a star-crossed romance.
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