Intriguing story with a neat mix of sci-fi and fantasy. Great mythology. Couldn’t always quite follow the characters’ decision making process or reasoning, but am still engaged to want to read more. Good start to a series.

Such an interesting and unique book. The main character is taken from her home planet to be the body double of an unkind princess. No family, no friends, and treated so unfairly, she slowly begins to find people she can trust. I couldn’t put this book down and I can’t wait for the next installment.

Mirage is a story about Amani, an 18 year old girl who is getting ready to go to her coming of age ceremony.  At the ceremony girls get a face tattoo (daan) which shows that they have matured. While she is at the ceremony, her village is ambushed and Amani is abducted by droids to become a body double for the cruel Princess Maram. The story follows Amani’s journey to learn how to be exactly like Princess Maram.

I loved the sci-fi elements that were sprinkled throughout the story. For example, Amani lives in a small village on a moon. The characters were well developed and I loved how emotionally-attached I was to Amani, Maram, and Amani’s love interest. There was not an overwhelming amount of romance, and I appreciated that it wasn’t the center of the plot. The world is beautiful and brutal. Daud did a wonderful job creating such a lush world saturated with Morrocan culture.

This book is a must-read, and I need the sequel in my hands ASAP!

Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: I really thought I was going to DNF this one because to start out it reminded me of another book called Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter. But the only thing that was the same was that the princess and the main character looked alike. That was it. So after I got done with that the story took off and I couldn't put it down.

Do I Recommend this book? YES, this book has it all forbidden romance, danger, action, suspense, heartbreak, and so much more.

Notes and Opinions: In short this book was beautifully written the style in which the author told this story worked so well to make it flow like poetry. This has become one of my favorites of the year for sure! It was a knock out debut and I can not wait to see what the author does with the next title. The author with this one did a wonderful job giving us a heartbreaking story of a girl stolen from her family one night to serve those who rule over them. This is one book about strength and never giving up even when things look their darkest. It is full of myth, religion, sacrifice, and tradition of the Moroccan people which this book is inspired from.

The world building in this one was really good. It was light in some places and very descriptive in others and it worked so well. This setting really reminded me of other space books such as The Diabolic (The Diabolic, 1) by S.J. Kincaid. That although this book is set in space in some parts it's on another planet and for this one moons, along with all the future tech you could ask for. I wish we would have gotten more looks at the droids but hopefully, that will come in the books that we will see going forward. The author did a great job giving us bits of the traditions and poetry of the people. I really loved that this was Moroccan-inspired. It gave the book a real authentic and fresh feel that the young adult community really needs.

The story for this one gave me the gasps and the tears and just really ripped out my heart in places. Yet we also get a well-rounded view of how this world works and how the people of this world are being oppressed as well as seeing through the eyes of the oppressors. It was another step to make this title stand out from the rest. The characters in this one were also so alive. We got to see so many people in this world from the lowest people to the highest. I don't want to give anything away but each character was thought out in full and you just can't help but feel for each and every one of them. This also includes the princess. You can just tell when people are full of fear or happiness however small. Each character leaps off the page and into your heart.

When this book came to a close I was screaming no that I wanted more. So now I am in a bookhole of the deepest kind and I can't even wallow in it because I have other books to read.

Go Into This One Knowing: Forbidden Romance, Danger, Space, No Cliffhanger, No Love Triangle

I loved this book!! The characters were so well developed! The story setting was so atmospheric! I am a huge fan of fantasy and this author nailed it! I loved all the words she used throughout the book. I can not wait for the next installment!

Amani lives on one of the planets ruled by the Vathek empire. She and her family try to stay under the radar of the empire but her days of tranquility ends when she is kidnapped by the cruel Princess Maram for the purpose of becoming her stand-in. Amani must now learn to become the princess while trying to figure out how to survive and ultimately escape. Amani and the other characters go through a lot of growth throughout the novel. Amani starts out wondering what's her place in the world but through the course of travels she realizes the extent of the cruelty of the Vathek empire as well as the way they use ethnic hatred to enable their rule. Daud uses her interplanetary setting to look at ethnic hatred and she does a remarkable job at making her message clear. Especially interesting is the relationship between doppelgangers Amani and Princess Maram. As Amani gets into her role she starts to understand the princess and she starts to wonder whether such cruelty resides in herself. Highly recommended for fantasy fans who want some court intrigue with their fantasy.

Fans of Red Queen will absolutely love this book. I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to the next installment. My only qualm is that throughout the book, the author introduces A LOT of new vocabulary. It often takes me out of the story as I try to figure out what a particular word means. Other than that, it was a fast-paced read that constantly kept my attention. I would recommend.

Rating: 4,3 stars

Mirage is a wonderfully written sci-fi story, with amazing characters and a rich setting, that provides a message about the importance of culture and traditions, especially for communities that have had a lot taken from them, that it’s really important in the times we are living in.

This is definitely a character driven story, the plot moves really slowly, not a lot of things happen and there’s no that much action. So if you prefer plot drive, action packed books, this may not be for you. BUT if you are like me and prefer character focused books, you’ll really enjoyed this one. I was absolutely captivated by the characters, especially Maram and Amani, the princess and the body double. In one hand, Amani is a relatable and likable character; she isn’t trained to be a fighter, she isn’t great at strategy, she is just a girl that is put in a difficult situation and manages to survive. On the other hand, Maram is cruel and arrogant, but as the story unfolds, her backstory is revealed and it’s easy to see that she is conflicted by a lot of the things that have happened and it’s trapped between what it’s expected of her and who she wants to be. Honestly, she is such a complex character and probably my favorite in this book.

The romance is very prominent in this story and, at the beginning, I didn’t know how to feel about it because I thought it was gonna be insta-love, but then as the story progresses, I realized there’s instant attraction, but then there’s enought moments and conversations between the two characters to show why they fell in love. They have a lot in common and they are in similar situations, so they understand each other.

Now, going back to the plot, it was not the most original and unique plot. It follow the line of a girl from a lower class taken to the palace to perform some kind of task that put her life in risk to protect the conquering queen or king and then becoming friends with people in the palace and later on joining the rebelion. BUT the fact that it is Moroccan inspired, added the uniqueness that was missing from the plot, there were so many elements of this wolrd, in term of history, religion and traditions that felt new and interesting and especial, because they haven’t been portrait in sci-fi before and that defintely made me enjoy this book more.

Another thing that I think it’s worth mentioning is that this felt a lot more like a fantasy than a Sci-fi book. I think that has to do with the fact that the plot has elements that are common in YA fantasy books and that maybe aren’t as common in Sci-fi. Also, there are mythological creatures and gods in this story and they are given a lot more attention than things like space travel and the technology behind the androids that serve as guards.

Mirage is beautifully written, it has complex and fascinating characters, Moroccan inspired setting and traditions that give it a unique touch, and a mix between sci-fi and fantasy elements that also make it seem new and exciting. For those reasons I enjoyed my time reading it inmensly.

"Hope might have set fire to all things, but out of those ashes the resistance to the Vath would rise. I would make sure of it."

This book has been receiving much hype in the YA community. Before its release, Mirage was compared to The Diabolic, which also follows a girl forced to impersonate an endangered royal. I haven't read the latter, so I was fortunately spared from jadedness or disappointment. In my honest opinion, this book mostly lives up to the hype, particularly in the cultural diversity department.

This book started with a captivating prologue. An unidentified boy aimed his gun at Maram, the infamous Vathek princess whose father had colonized Andalaan. Basically, from the very beginning, I was encouraged to dislike Maram. So when she had Amani kidnapped and abused, my feelings evolved into complete annoyance. It came to a point that I wanted to call her a female dog. Ahem. Spoiled princesses are all the more irritating when they have a penchant for unnecessary violence. I shall never forget how Maram ordered her giant bird to maul Amani. During that scene, I was like What the heck is wrong with you, girl?

Little did I know that my opinion of Maram would suddenly change (a little). A significant portion of the book focused on Amani and Maram's interactions, which were not always friendly. After a few months of functioning as a body double (human shield), Amani realized that she couldn't entirely blame Maram for being so despicable. After all, Maram was a half-blood, neither Vathek nor Andalaan. In other words, no one in the galaxy—not even her wicked father—really loved her. I myself began to sympathize with Maram once I grasped the severity of her upbringing. Nonetheless, I couldn't disregard my conviction that we are also products of our choices. If our parents raised us in a certain way, we can choose to be different. Sorry, Maram! xD

When I reached the penultimate chapters, I neither hated nor liked Maram. I understood her potential to be a "benevolent" queen, but I thought that Amani should've been more...critical toward her. Because if they had been in a "romantic" situation, I would have deducted points for Stockholm Syndrome. Is it okay for someone to willingly befriend and protect a kidnapper? (To be fair, Amani did so for ethical reasons.)

It's funny that I've talked so much about Maram when she's not even the main protagonist! Her impact was much more significant than Amani's. I did like Amani since she was a headstrong girl who treasured her family more than anything (including her partner in instalove named Idris). Still, her character arc was too familiar, perhaps even unremarkable. In this case, it's probably the genre's fault. Hahaha.

Overall, Mirage doesn't deserve a perfect rating, but it's still a noteworthy debut novel. Maram, who was such a multifaceted antagonist, tested my patience and made the story very interesting. I just hope that she'll have a permanent change of heart in the sequel.

this was pretty good. the world was really interesting, and it was a unique science-fiction that read like a fantasy. unfortunately i didn’t particularly care about the romance, but i found the relationship between the antagonist and the main character very interesting and i am excited for the sequel.

This book was so beautiful and I couldn't believe it was a debut novel!! It does feel. though, that I am reading the long-lost-princess-doppelganger trope more and more lately. I think there are worse tropes out there but this isn't becoming my favorite in a hurry. Anyway, aside from that, the world-building and the family/relationship dynamics were so great and I loved just the general flow and pacing. I can't wait to see where this story goes and how it ends.

Mirage was one of these books I had heard of, but wasn’t certain that it would be my cup of tea. See, even if book blogging has made me way more into fantasy books than I ever thought I would be, made me dabble into sci-fi just as well, I wasn’t sure that I would love this world. Yet I am thrilled to say that this book was a beautiful surprise for me.

INTRIGUING (BUT A BIT CONFUSING) WORLD

Mirage is a story about oppression, where a young girl, Amani, living with her family on a moon, poorly and facing oppression every day, is kidnapped by imperial droids and taken to the royal empire, only to realize she is the exact body-double of the princess and future heir of the throne. I have to admit that I was really nervous about the setting and world-building of this story, not being too familiar with sci-fi overall and, in the end, that’s what confused me the most. I could appreciate the world-building a whole lot, intricate and detailed, with North African and Moroccan inspirations (this is an #ownvoices Moroccan story) and some of it was quite fascinating. Yet, I felt more often than once a bit confused by it just as well, by the politics overall.

GREAT CHARACTERS CARRYING THE STORY TO ANOTHER LEVEL

Despite this confusion at times, I ended up appreciating Mirage way more than I thought I would and it’s all because of the characters. If the story is a bit slow-paced, the characters won me over more than once and they were the shining stars in this story. Mirage is definitely a character-driven book and I am ALL here for this.

Amani, our main character, is forced to take the princess’ place, to learn how to be her, to act and speak just like her in order to fool everyone. Amani struggles to find her own place and sense of identity in it all, yet as the story goes on, she manages to find herself and her cause, her will to fight and everything else. She is passionate and fierce, I had such a great time with her.

Yet, the shining star in the story really was… well, strangely, the Princess Maram. Her character arc was incredible, she was flawed, complex, she was mean and cruel yet she slowly grew, developed and showed who she really was as relationships with Amani developed. I loved it so, very much and she was my favorite in the entire story for sure.

CHARACTERS’ INTERACTIONS & FAMILY TIES: THE HEART AND LOVE OF THE STORY


Both the characters and their relationships to each other were really shining in this book, even more than the world-building, which is something I did not expect, but loved. I am a huge character kind of reader, as you know, so I was thrilled.

The relationships between Maram and Amani were fantastic and it was great to see them grow, change as the story went on. The romance was also great to read about: I appreciated how the two characters got to know each other and grew close to each other. The evolution of the relationship into a romance was a tad predictable, but I didn’t mind that much, because the characters were really adorable to follow together.

The family dynamics in this story were also really interesting to follow, from Amani’s ties to her own family, the separation and suffering of being far away from her home, to Maram’s complex relationship with her own father and the expectations he has for her as future heir of the kingdom…It was all really, really a great addition to the story.

OVERALL


If you’re looking for a great #ownvoices Moroccan inspired story, really focusing on character interactions and development, I’d definitely recommend Mirage. It’s a bit slow-paced, but the characters, for me, makes it all worth it. Complex, flawed and amazing overall, they shine in this story and make this a definitely promising first book to a series I’m curious to follow.

* I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

I was really excited to start this book, the summary of it really sold me. I had also seen some reviews from other authors whose work enjoyed. I will say that it felt like a little bit of a let down. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and I finished it, but it just felt like it was scratching the surface of the layers that could've been added.

This book is described as a Sci-Fi Fantasy, where space travel is possible. However, it did not feel like that in the book. It felt like the sci-fi element was literally a vehicle for people to travel quickly and that's about the extent of it. It didn't feel fleshed out and I really wish it was something that was explored more because it was honestly the thing that got me excited about it. If you remove the few flying aircrafts and holopads, you're literally left with a royal family in what seems like old Morocco. I'm bummed that this element wasn't better.

As for the characters and the storyline, it felt a little "been there, done that". I think that there was so much more Duad could've done with the characters and their stories. At times it felt like their stories were rushed or they did things out of character. But more than anything they felt very vanilla. Kind of like I mentioned earlier, it felt like Duad was barely scratching the surface with their stories and interactions. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters and found myself kinda "meh" about them all.

Throughout the book itself I kept feel like I just read the first half of a story and I was waiting to get to the middle where the action takes off or something intense happens and switches up the script. Overall, it felt predictable and I think she set the stage for a good story, just didn't follow through on it. I wanted more. I'm not sure if I'll be reading the second book, but I also didn't feel like I wasted my time. I'm glad I finished it and I think there's definitely a place for a story like this, maybe just not with me.

If I’m being totally honest, a lot of my expectations weren’t met – and I mean that in the best possible way. Somaiya Daud’s #OwnVoices, Moroccan-inspired dystopian debut novel delivered in a myriad of ways I never could have foreseen. Although I was expecting a thrillingly paced, adventure-filled narrative with incredibly high stakes and hard-hitting action, I found myself easily entranced by Daud’s wonderfully lush prose and charming cast of diverse characters.

As a science fantasy novel, Mirage had heavily emphasized fantasy elements set against a science fiction backdrop. The sci-fi aspect of the book fell a bit short as it mainly involved technology and weaponry while everything else was bathed in fantastical and cultural tones. Overall, I loved the royal atmosphere and beautifully intricate world-building.

Speaking of which, the world of Mirage was built and developed phenomenally. The incredibly rich cultures, well-established history, and endlessly fascinating religions — all perfection.

All of the characters were fleshed out and well-developed, which was great because the story was propelled forward by its characters rather than its plot. Honestly speaking, I found Maram to be an infinitely more fascinating character than Amani, the actual protagonist. Nonetheless, both of them showed excellent character growth(!!!). More importantly, I enjoyed watching their relationship develop and seeing them bring out the best in each other.

Generally, I liked all the character relationships in the story; however, personally, the romantic development between Amani and Maram’s fiancé Idris was the hugest letdown of the entire book. I really was not sold at all because they blatantly lacked chemistry and just fell pretty flat. Plus, I can’t help but feel that Idris and Amani are better off as friends and confidants instead of lovers.

On the other hand, I was totally hoping and praying for Amani and Maram to finally realize that they’d be absolutely perfect for each other! I mean, after that adorable cooking scene they had together? No doubt, no doubt, no doubt, no doubt. I stand by my opinion: Amani x Maram should have been the ship!!! This could have been the sci-fi enemies-to-lovers Sapphic romance we deserve!!! I AM ONE HELL OF A FRUSTRATED AMANI x MARAM SHIPPER, PEOPLE. I usually respect other people’s opinions, but I will immediately scoff at anyone who dares to look me in the eye and say that Amani and Idris are the better pairing compared to my Sapphic sweethearts, Amani and Maram. Idris is a temporary flame, but Amani x Maram is the one true endgame – fight me.

But I digress.

Another weak point of Mirage was definitely its very slow pacing that made it challenging for me to remain totally, consistently engaged. As I mentioned earlier, the story was very character-driven, which meant that not much transpired in terms of plot. Sluggish pacing + lacking plot = occasionally waning interest.

Political intrigue was a looming element in the story, and although I enjoyed learning the political systems and dynamics of the Vathek empire, things occasionally became too confusing for me to really appreciate. On a brighter note, I was fascinated by the exploration of faith, heritage, and pre-colonized poetry.

More than that, however, I really loved how, at its heart, Mirage is a hauntingly realistic, painfully true story about life under colonization. Throughout the story, we are shown the brutal aftermath of Vathek’s colonization and its continued effects on the Andalaan people. From living as second-class citizens in a world that used to be yours to being victims of cultural erasure, there were definitely a lot of parallels to our real world events and history. In fact, when I read that old-world Andalaan poetry and literature were banned and destroyed in order to avoid sparking rebellions and revolutionary ideas from the masses, I couldn’t help but compare this to the history of the Philippines – much of pre-colonial Filipino writings and artifacts were destroyed by our Spanish conquerors, and for centuries, my ancestors were strictly forbidden from learning Spanish.

Additionally, I loved the refreshingly honest perspective this story took. Instead of a plot where the colonizer eventually develops empathy towards the oppressed, I was shown how, at its crux, Princess Maram was simply a young girl caught in the mess of things and torn between two clashing identities that have both rejected her for different reasons. Towards the end of the story, not only did I empathize with her but also, I grew to become really fond of Maram’s character.

There were numerous important takeaways from Somaiya Daud’s stunningly lyrical debut novel. This is the kind of book I’d love to write a reaction/analysis paper on, really. Among all the little details about this story, one of my favorites would be the antagonist of the story. The true antagonist was not just one person; but rather, it’s an entire system – and I think that’s something we need to reflect more on when we’re faced with adversities and antagonism in real life.

Evocative, atmospheric and utterly spellbinding, Mirage is a culturally infused, socially relevant science fantasy novel teeming with colorful mythology and dark, gritty truths. I look forward to the sequel, and I am definitely crossing my fingers for more lovable Amani and Maram moments!

Disclosure: I received a digital ARC of Mirage from the publisher (via NetGalley) as part of my participation in a blog tour hosted by Aimee, Always. This affects neither my opinion nor the content of this review. Many thanks to the publishers and Aimee for the opportunity!

I nearly never read Scifi books, the few I’ve read haven’t been impressive but this one seemed like it might have a lot of elements I like, and it turned out to be a really enjoyable read. I’m not entirely satisfied by it, but it did deliver an engaging, well written, and surprisingly character driven, plot. The concept of this sounded like it had so much potential, and while I liked it it wasn’t as exiting as I’d expected or wanted. There was a lot of political intrigue and that’s something I always enjoy, but there wasn’t much action, I always expect a lot of action in a Scifi novel so I was surprised by what I got. I got a book that feels more like fantasy then Scifi, which was an unexpected delight since I love YA fantasy more then scifi. There was so much focus on the myths and religion of the world, and how those affect the characters and all of it was done wonderfully.

This follows a girl names Amani, a dreamer but she doesn’t feel like she can do anything to change the corrupt world she lives in, then her circumstances become even worse but she eventually get’s her chance to make a difference. Princess Maram who Amani becomes a body double for is my favorite character, she is cruel but you gradually see that there’s another side to her. Her character development is slow and wonderful, it never felt forced, and I’m really exited to see where her story will go. I also loved the relationship between Maram and Amari, they developed an unlikely friendship that I found far more compelling then the romance. At first Maram treats Amani horrible those actions are never excused or forgiven, however Amani does begin to understand Maram and sees that there is good in her.

The synopsis of this book sounded really interesting to me and I was very excited to read it since I had seen several bloggers raving about it. I am not a huge fan of science fiction, yet I continue trying to read it. I am not sure why. The story definitely has an interesting story line; the main character Amani is kidnapped by the regime, the Vathek empire she lives in and serves as a body double for Vathek Princess Maram. The story is well written and the characters are really interesting, I just wasn't a huge fan of the science fiction elements of the story.

Thank you to the publisher, Flatiron Books, for sending me an ARC of this book.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud is a beautifully written novel that is rich in detail from the world-building, to the culture, and deep thorough characterizations of the main characters of Amani, Princess Maram, and Idris.

Ms. Daud's novel is full of description and visual. I was captivated by Amani as a narrator. From the touching moment in the beginning with her brother Husnain, to the startling anxious moment the Imperial droids arrive and take Amani, and then every moment that followed after that with her future left uncertain. Throw in the cruel Princess Maram and Nadine, and then the moments with Idris that were some of my favorites, and this novel completely had me from start to the end.

I really enjoyed Ms. Daud's Mirage. It is fast-paced, well-written, and it has a strong heroine leading the way. Amani is true to herself throughout the novel and doesn't give up hope . She's a fighter and I can't wait to read what Ms. Daud has in store for her in book two.

Another character I found intriguing was Princess Maram. The relationship that Amani and her form is tenuous and unpredictable with Maram holding all the power, but it is interesting with the dynamics these two have and how their roles in this story will play out within the trilogy. I want to know what happens next.

Overall, Mirage by Somaiya Daud is a great novel that really pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. It's so richly woven with tension, romance, heartbreak and is simply just mesmerizing. I very much recommend and look forward to reading more by Ms. Daud.

(I voluntarily reviewed an advance review copy of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

This book was very cheesy and a carbon copy of every other mediocre YA book that tried, but failed, to be interesting by adding numerous unnecessary tropes. Like:

~Love triangle- Check.
~Insta Love Connection - Check
~Self-involved, overly beautiful female teenage bitch- Check
~Broken family unit-Check
~Youth/Generation being targeted- Check
~Adults Being Tyrants – Check
~Strong Female Leads Who Out Shines The Male Characters- Check
~War Torn Society -Check
~ The Chosen One concept- Check
~Added/Borrowed known “Cultures” incorporated into the futuristic plotline- Check

I swear if you have read ANY YA book this year then you will see that most of its concept and/or outline has been copied and pasted into this dreadful book. I honestly feel sorry for everyone that is getting this book in their subscription boxes next month. Tropes are not always bad if you can write them into the storyline in a tactical way, but the author just threw all of them in this book to fill pages and to sell books. Speaking of the author, she is very rude and ungrateful to possible fans that reach out to her via email ~like she asks them to do via her social media. Stay humble my friend.

<i>Mirage</i> was a thought-provoking debut novel full of intriguing characters and political machinations galore. It was very much more of a character-driven book rather than an action-oriented one, which made <i>Mirage</i> slower than I was expecting. However, I love character-driven novels and was delighted to find a YA fantasy one.

The setting was lush and vividly imagined. But there weren’t many science fiction elements to this story. In fact, I actually forgot at times that this wasn’t just a fantasy novel. I’m hoping that future installments in the series meld the two together a bit better. In terms of plot, the beginning was fantastic and the ending had me totally hooked. However, the middle was a bit lacking in tension. I loved how Daud explored the idea of what it means to become your enemy but Amani's journey just fell a bit flat for me. 

Daud does an excellent job of not painting issues as merely black or white. Maram, although the villain of this novel, is complex and unexpectedly relatable. I would have loved to have more chapters with her in them or a few from her viewpoint. As much as I loved Maram though, I found it difficult to connect with Amani. However, I love political intrigue so seeing Amani learn how to navigate the Court was a highlight of the book for me. Additionally, the interpersonal dynamics were one of my favorite parts of the novel. I loved how the relationship between Amani and Maram changed and developed over the course of time. 

Ultimately, <i>Mirage</i> was a story that I wanted to love. And there were parts that I adored. But it didn’t quite work for me as a whole. However, I was intrigued enough that I’ll definitely continue on with the series. I’d recommend this one for fans of slower, more character-driven YA fantasy. 

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 stars

Mirage has been one of my most anticipated reads for so long. Even though it fell somewhat flat for me, I do think so many people will fall in love with this novel and really treasure it.

The writing is rich and luscious and filled with all sorts of cultural details and descriptions that really immerse you in the world. It was so rich with culture and was really awesome to see an #OwnVoices debut novel showing off Moroccan culture.

Plus, the entire concept is really quite entertaining. I love reading about royalty, and the idea of a body double is so much fun that I hope it'll start a trope.

I think so many people will love this novel, and it's so well written, but I just didn't connect as well, and I think this is because of a few reasons.

1. I expected a lot of really cool sci-fi stuff, but didn't really get it. I'm a huge science fiction nerd, and when I read my sci-fi, I like it to be really sciencey. Especially space operas and things that occur on other planets.

So Mirage was definitely a surprise of sorts, because when I heard it was sci-fi and not fantasy, I got 10x more excited. But I get where the fantasy comparisons came from, because the whole structure, so to speak, is something you'd very commonly find in fantasy novels.

The colonialist themes (loved those!), the different countries, the princes and princesses and royalty. All of these are usually more common fantasy tropes, and a lot of the novel felt more like a fantasy than anything else, just because of how it was structured and the type of story it told.

Sure, some random tech was referenced from time to time--blasters, robot servants--but overall, it felt like a fantasy world that was patched up with sci-fi to fill the plot holes of removing tattoos and other things that would be hard to accomplish in a magic-less fantasy world.

And so I wasn't super into the world. Because as rich and luscious the writing and worldbuilding was, it just was not very sci-fi.

This is a book that will appeal very much to fantasy readers. If this book was actually just two continents and had some mysterious way of patching up a few plot holes, this book could have been a fantasy novel so easily.

And so, this is my biggest peeve about this novel, because I felt like it was never really sci-fi, but a fantasy novel shoved into a sci-fi format to take care of plot holes and make it potentially more marketable.

This is mostly a me-problem, but I think my overhyping and high expectations really made this aspect of the book crash and burn. If my expectations weren't so steep, I feel like I would have enjoyed this way more.

2. And honestly, I was just not in the mood for this book. It's such a luscious and rich novel, but it also was not as action packed as I expected or wanted.

A lot of this book is politics and wandering around and seeing things and standing places and learning how to be queen without the cringey fashion montage.

Things only really started speeding up till the climax and after, as this isn't your traditional "girl is trapped against her will" story.

Because the girl doesn't really try to escape. Ever. In the past, fictional protagonists in this situation try to escape, but I feel like the main character never really tried. She knew that her family would be hurt, and as admirable and true as this was, I felt like she was only passionate about the fact that she's in a cage when she needed to be for the plot.

I wanted her to be passionate and devastated about losing her daan (markings her people get when they come of age). I wanted her to be passionate about escape, passionate about her family, passionate about survival. And although she showed her passion in her actions, I didn't really feel her passion in the narration.

In any other mood, I would have loved a subversion of the "girl trapped against her will" trope, but at the moment, I just didn't really connect with the main character because I wanted something action and space heavy.

This meant I wasn't as into the romance as I could have been, but I did think Daud did a really good job with the romance and in building it and making it totally swoonworthy!

3. It's a first book. First books in general have a lot more exposition and don't wrap things up, so I feel like we didn't get to see as much of Maram as I wanted. Maram was one of my favorite characters with how interesting she was, and I feel like Daud did a marvelous job of really exposing her complexities and the ways she was more than just a cruel daughter of a cruel king.

Overall, this is a really great book, but it just ended up as not one of my favorites due to my own more personal dislikes of some elements and not being in the mood for this book. I definitely have the potential to fall completely in love with the second book or this book on a second reread, but I think this time around, it just didn't completely click with me.

This is such a well-written book and is rich with culture. I think so many people will love this, and definitely recommend you all check it out if the summary sounds interesting! I'd compare it to The Star-Touched Queen, so if you liked that, CHECK THIS OUT!