I’ve been an avid reader of fantasy, and after a while, it really does all blend in to the same thing. It’s usually some blend of European, set in the medieval era. Sure, fantasy is a genre, it does have a very set formula, and sometimes that’s exactly what I’m looking for….but after a while, it can get stale.
So what makes a fantasy novel different?
Alif the Unseen is definitely a different kind of fantasy novel. As a friend put it, it’s about hackers and jinn. Literally. Now that was a riveting read. G. Willow Wilson wove a story based in an imaginary Middle Eastern city, with the backdrop of the Arab Spring. Her characters are flawed, compelling, and the non-human ones are particularly riveting!
I haven’t read Throne of The Crescent Moon, but the reviews look amazing! I’m liking this new trend of Arabian-inspired fantasy novels…looking forward to seeing what else is coming up!
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Published by Raidah Shah Idil
Raidah Shah Idil is a student counsellor, poet, writer, and creative instructor with a passion for YA (young adult), fantasy, sci-fi and detective fiction. She was born in Singapore and moved to Australia at the age of 12. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (English) and Bachelor of Science (Psychology) from the University of New South Wales in 2005.
After working as a marketing copywriter and studying the Islamic Sciences in Amman, Jordan for nearly two years, she returned to Sydney, got married, then moved to Malaysia. While working as a part-time tutor at Axiom Learning, she works as an online counsellor for Seekershub Global. She has completed her Diploma of Counselling through the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. Her full-time job is raising her baby daughter. Everything else is squeezed in between. Literally. Her writing has been published in The Feminist Wire, SISTERS magazine, Daily Life, Lip Mag and Venture Beat. Raidah’s poetry was recently published in the ‘Armed With Only Our Souls’ online DDFS chapbook by New York poet Caits Meissner. Her debut double-featured novel, “Finding Jamilah and the Story of Yusuf” was published by MyLegacy publications in early 2014.
In her spare time (ha), she reads, listens to audiobooks, goes on walks, and is always on the lookout for tasty noodle soup. She currently lives in a green, leafy suburb in Kuala Lumpur with her husband, three small children and mother-in-law.
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Raidah Shah Idil 