Mirage (Book Review)

Title: Mirage

Author: Somaiya Daud

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 320 pages

 

 

 

 

In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.

 

 

First of all, I would like to say thank you to Kaleena of  Reader Voracious for creating the Flapping Pages and Heather for passing her copy. Again, my deepest thank you to Kaleena and Heather.

 

In a world full of science fiction novels, Mirage is the only sci-fi fantasy book that hooked me for the year of 2018. Hooked in a way that there are times that I want to continue finishing it. And sometimes it frustrate me that I just don’t want to continue reading it. 

It has the elements of surprise where you seem to enjoy reading it as it gives as  the pleasure to be mesmerized on how the world was built. The story line is interesting as well as the character also.

What I like about the characters is how they are developed. How strong they where and it let you feel what they are feeling in the story.

The relationship between Amani and Idris is amazing. The love story on their part is not just like others where they feel in love with each other immediately. But it is where it let them grow and learn to know each other first.

With how rich the world building is the reason why you will also be bored about reading it. With this, you will be confused how many cultures, religions, plot lines are there in the story. That in reading it you just want to get a pen and paper and jot down all the info you are learning every time you are reading so that you will not forget it. And be confused on what is happening on the latter part of the story.

In general, I could say that Mirage is just a well balance book where you will definitely torn between enjoying it and not enjoying it. Because of this, I can’t seem to decide whether I should read the next book. But you can never can tell……

 

MY RATING:

3/5 STARS

FLAPPINGPAGES PROGRAM

As I said below, I received the ARC from Heather through the use of FlappingPages Program which Kaleena build.

For those who didn’t know, the FlappingPages is where you can donate ARCs that you don’t want anymore or simply you want to share for our International friends who don’t have much access with it. The program also supported Intl. bloggers who want to receive books for review.

Attached here is where you can find more about FlappingPages Program.