Lots of wonderful world-building though this feels more like a fantasy than science fiction, even if there are space ships and various planets.

The story flies by with some great characters and an engrossing story of colonization, betrayal and subterfuge. I enjoyed this page turner even if a few elements didn’t quite work for me. (Amani is very quick to trust and take huge risks and Maram’s character swings felt inconsistent.)

Still, it’s well-told and a refreshingly different world. The story ends with tons more to be resolved in future books so settle in for an interesting series!

Mirage is a YA fantasy novel based on a recent historical period from the author’s ancestral land of Morocco.  Known as the Years of Lead, it was a bloody episode during which dissidents were arrested or executed. In spite of the heavy subject matter, the author tells a charming story of love, friendship and being true to yourself.

In the Mizaal Galaxy there are stars and planets and moons – and rebels. A recent war has left the Imperialistic Vath in control of the region and the native tribes of the planet Andala and her terraformed moons are now their subjects. Given the Vath’s predilection for extreme violence, any resistance to their control receives a harsh and swift answer. In spite of that, small groups of Andalaan insurgents are plotting to regain control of their homelands. Known simply as the rebellion, these fighters wreak havoc on their conquerors, determined to throw off the dictatorship of Vath King Mathis and his daughter, the deeply unpopular Crown Princess Maram.

On Cadiz, a moon of Andala, it is the night of Amani’s majority and she is beyond excited. As a young girl of the Kushaila tribe, tonight’s ceremony means she will finally receive her daan, the special facial tattoos which mark out familial lineage and your parent’s hopes for your future. It has been a tough week, with rebels hiding in the fields and the Vath destroying those fields in retaliation. People wonder what the village will do for food and how many will be lost but in spite of that, tonight there will be a party.  Amani’s evening has had a fortuitous start; she has been given special gifts by her mother and brother which seem to promise a bright future. Amani practically floats to the ceremony. When all the girls who are celebrating that night have received their marks, there is feasting and laughter and music. Until the Vath show up.

All the girls having their majority are lined up as the droid soldiers of their imperial conquerors scan each face, looking, Amani assumes, for rebels. But when they scan her face, they come to a stop. Her surprised resistance leads to violence, so Amani suppresses her fears and goes quietly with her captors.

Arriving at the imperial palace, she expects to be tortured for information about the rebels who had recently hidden in her town. It’s information she doesn’t have. Instead she learns she is to be the body double for Princess Maram. Maram has the heart of her cruel father and the face of her mother, the last Kushaila queen of Andala.  The perfect blend of conqueror and conquered, Maram has no love for her mother’s people or their ways. She plans to continue her father’s violent rule – if she can survive long enough to gain power.

During their initial meeting, Amani learns firsthand that the rumors of Maram’s cruel nature are true. When Amani answers a question Maram asks with a less than desired deference, Maram has her hunting hawk grab Amani by the shoulder and drag her across the room. As Amani lays bleeding at Maram’s feet, she assures Amani that worse – far worse – awaits her and her family if she is anything but a pliable, biddable doll for the Imperial palace to mold as they see fit.  With such incentive, Amani quickly learns how to dress, talk and speak like the princess until she is an exact replica of Maram.

Then she meets Idris ibn Salih, Maram’s fiancé who, like Amani and Maram, has Andalaan heritage. But unlike Maram, Idris embraces his culture and is a kind and gentle person. Soon, time spent with him is Amani’s only joy. Which is a very dangerous thing, for he belongs to Maram and Maram tolerates no rivals.

This is a slow burn story which focuses on relationships over action. Maram, Amani and Idris all live in highly volatile and dangerous positions within a warring political system. While galactic law demands that Maram inherit the planets once under her mother’s rule, thereby turning the Vath less into conquerors and more into legitimate heirs, there is plenty of opposition to that plan. Maram is dealing with both Vathek prejudice for her mixed blood, and a possible coup as relatives on her father’s side of the family consider how best to usurp her throne. She has been raised with only survival in mind, leaving her with a cruel and vindictive nature. Kindness to her mother’s people could be seen as either weakness or treason and both would lead to her being deposed. Yet as Amani discovers, Maram longs for true friendships. As the two girls get to know each other, a gradual softening occurs, allowing them to see value in each other.

Idris is a prince with no power. His family, once rulers within the Andala system, have almost all been killed, and those that haven’t are hostage to his good behavior. He is another nod to galactic law, serving as a royal stud who will increase the Andalaan strain of blood on Maram’s side of the vak Mathis line. Having learned to navigate his position through charm and intellect, he’s gained Maram’s affection as well as the love of all the people in Andala and its satellites. His precarious position is made even more vulnerable by his growing affection for Amani. She, not Maram, seems to understand his dreams, wishes and hopes for the future, but Amani’s life doesn’t belong to her and any relationship could see them, and their families killed and the people of Andala punished for the betrayal.

The prose here is smooth and the well-drawn characters are reminiscent of Western teens (and perhaps teens everywhere) in that they are searching for themselves and for where they fit into the world. That they lean more towards introspection than action makes sense given the nature of the story. Embedded into the prose are some images that are perhaps not easily accessible to Westerners such as the warrior queen Dihya, (also called Kahina) a Berber who fought against the Muslim invasion of Maghreb and the use of the term Vathek for the invaders, which refers to an eighteenth century French Orientalist novel which featured an Arabian caliph who denounces Islam and after a series of misadventures, winds up in hell. The themes they represent, though, - of female leadership, of the evils of colonial rule – are easily understood from the text.

Mirage is very much a first book which sets up the world and characters of which our adventure will be made. Perfectly designed to appeal to fans of Sabaa Tahir and Renee Ahdieh, this tale will make an excellent addition to any YA library.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

Very good world building and well written book. The narrator is kind of naive and not the fierce heroine I like my protagonists to be, but still a fun and entertaining book.

Mirage was a stunning, character-driven story that was chock full of impressive females. Having to impersonate a cruel princess is a tall order, but Amani was a fascinating character. I loved seeing her go through this story, the interactions that she had with the other characters was intense and just left me blown away. The romance in the story is not lacking, but is a bit trope-y, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The character depth that Amani has is also rich, and so perfect for the story. I love heroines that are multi-dimensional. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to pick this book up!

This has to be one of my favorite reads of 2018. Mirage is superbly written and it was just an absolute thrill to read! Can't wait to share my full review on my blog!

I enjoyed Mirage. I thought it was a good read and will definitely recommend it to customers in my store. It reminded me a little bit of Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard

What made this so unique to me was the Morrocan-inspired culture this story drew upon, but set in the greater universe. This takes place on a planet in space, and beautifully blends culture and sci-fi fantasy. I believe this will develop into a series, as the end does not cleanly resolve, and there are strong hints of the plot developing into another book. This was suspenseful, had high-stakes, had romance with depth, and friendship that developed against all expectations.

Here is my review- which I posted on Good Reads and Twitter.
It will be on my Blog shortly! ::) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2452389153

** spoiler alert ** Thank you to FlatIron Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Mirage will be available in August of 2018 and is the first novel by Somaiya Daud.

After the first three chapters of Mirage, I was set-up to be thrilled by this book. I thought it was going to go in a very different direction. The set-up of the feather and the importance of literacy in Amani's culture, with the conquering Vath trying to strip it away, seemed a brilliant path to blaze. Putting that aside, and letting the story take me on its chosen course, I still found some parts wondrous and some falling flat.

There was so much effort and build-up put into the different worlds, families, and dynamics between each. Idris and Maram, Maram and the warring bloodlines within her veins, Maram and Amani, Amani the rebels, Amani and Idris, Nadine and Amani/Maram (hints at Nadine's own intentions) and with no real conclusions to any of them EXCEPT two predictable ones: Amani and Maram, Amani and Idris.

All the build-up and suspense leading up to Amani taking Maram's place at the Inheritance Ceremony and then despite risking her life all the obvious plot points avalanche into each other. Maram assumes the worse, Nadine tortures Amani's family, Idris comes to get her Amani to run away with him but of course, not really. Amani left alone but with hints of a possible sequel book due to the appearance of the fated Tesleet bird.

Should there be a second book, I would surely hope that some of the poignant and hinted at complicated factions that were just dropped (Maram's mixed bloodlines, her own battle to do good as Queen within herself and complicated upbringing etc...) will be brought back into focus. I would also hope that the rebels will be addressed, the doomed future of Idris and what might happen if Amani is able to authentically be a "sister" to Maram? Could she be a bridge between the rebels and the Vath?

Here is to hoping another book in the series brings these plot points together and gives them there full due.

Mirage is a lush YA sci-fi/fantasy hybrid inspired by Middle Eastern mythology and culture that is full of political intrigue, friendship, and a swoon-worthy forbidden romance. It is also a thoughtful commentary on issues of faith, identity, and colonization. The story follows 18-year-old Amani who is ripped from her village and family by the conquering Vathek to become the body double of half-Vathek Princess Maram with whom she shares a face.

I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but this was a beautifully written book that seamlessly integrates Middle Eastern language and mythology, with nods to the imperial period of colonization in the region. Daud's writing is full of vivid imagery and sometimes poetic language. The story kept me turning the pages and I am excited to see where the rest of the series goes. I loved the way that the romance progressed and appreciated the complexity of characters who could have been one-dimensional.

The world-building seems pretty solid, especially for a debut author. We see bits and pieces of a rich mythology that I hope to see more of in future books. I'm excited to see how that intersects with Amani's character arc! There are also small touches woven in to the story that I really appreciated, like how Amani's approach to playing a board game becomes emblematic of her later choices. I have so many thoughts on this book, but I worry about saying too much so I'll end it there. Suffice to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to being immersed in this world again in future books! I agreed to review an early copy of this book received via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This. Book. Completely. Utterly. Totally. Destroyed me and I loved every single second of it. Mirage is a MUST read and my favourite book so far this year! I first became interested in reading it after it appeared everywhere on Twitter. So many bloggers were raving about it. I loved the cover and synopsis, but to be completely honest was a bit skeptical. I've been burnt multiple times by books that have been overly hyped on Twitter. However, this wasn't the case with Mirage. This book is the real deal and I can't stop recommending it to people. YOU REALLY NEED TO READ IT!

The story focuses on a teenaged girl named Amani. She begins the story living on a small forgotten about moon with her family. On her eigthteeth birthday she is kidnapped by imperial droids and taken to the residence of the Vathek royal family. Why? Because Amani looks very similar to the heartless and cruel Princess Maram. The royal family are constantly under threat from rebel groups who want to stop the Vathek's galactic expansion and the obliteration of cultures, religions and unique ways of life that accompanies a take over. So, since Princess Maram fears for her life, she forces Amani to become her body double or face execution.

The main themes of the novel were cultural identity, family and suppression. From the moment Amani was taken by the Vathek she was constantly challenged. They wanted to strip her of her cultural identity, which is what shaped her into the person that was she. They forced her to leave behind everything she knew and become someone else. She had to learn their mannerisms, etiquette and traditions in order to pretend to be Princess Maram. Failure to do so would result in physical and verbal abuse.

The world building in Mirage was very well done. The blending of science fiction (droids, space travel and advanced technology) with Moroccan culture and traditions made it very unique. I appreciated how the author didn't dump information on the reader. Aspects of the world, its complex cultures, traditions, peoples, etc. was revealed as time went on. It actually made me feel like Amani...I was trying to learn and navigate a world I knew nothing about. The slow reveal of information made me want to read on and on. For some people this may be a turn-off, but I love it when books do this. Also, the way the author writes was so magical. I could perfectly imagine what was described, how a character was feeling, etc.

The romance was a a tiny bit rushed at the beginning. Amani and Princess Maram's fiancé, Idris, kind of fell for each other to quickly and easily. However, I can completely forgive it because their relationship was so fascinating and dangerous. Let me just say that I totally adored Idris. Besides being a character that you can't help but fall in love with, my heart hurt for him and his backstory. It was like he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders and the pain of thousands of people. Him and Amani had so much in common and I couldn't help but route for them as I read through the story. They are now one of my favourite book couples!

This is seriously one of the best releases of 2018! I'm so happy that I received an early copy, but also so sad because now I'll have to wait even longer for the sequel. I WANT MORE! Anyway, I can't recommend this wonderful book enough. GO GET YOUR COPY RIGHT NOW!! I can guarantee you'll be just as addicted as I was.

This book was not what I expected. I thought it would be full of magic but instead I found myself in a sci-if adventure on a distant planet. This isn’t a bad thing, my expectations were just way off and I found myself caught off guard. Mirage follows a girl who is taken from her home and forced to act as a body double for the princess who is a target for rebel groups. I did enjoy this story but it didn’t really stand out to me, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t anything amazing either. It got better towards the end but for the most part, it just didn’t feel like anything was really happening. I’m sure there will be more if this ends up being a longer series but for this first book, I wanted more from the story and the plot.

What an amazing book! I love the plot and the characters, it was such a fast, engaging read that I enjoyed reading every single word.

[Review will be posted on Reader Voracious Blog on 8/21/2018 as part of the Blog Tour.]

Mirage is such a beautifully written debut novel from Somaiya Daud and I cannot wait for the rest of you to experience it! Poetically written and instantly captivating, this book draws you into a new world so vivid you feel as if you could walk the streets. This is a powerful own-voices Moroccan inspired SFF tale of culture, family, oppression, and rebellion with a diverse cast of complex characters that you cannot help but adore.

Through the perspective of eighteen year old Amani, we are brought into the world of a star system that has been conquered by an alien race known as the Vath after they destroyed their own home, Vaxor. All Amani has known in her life is the oppression of the Vath and their slow erasure of the indigenous cultures, especially the Kushaila poetry that has been used as a rallying cry for rebellion. But for her older siblings and the older generations they remember what it used to be like, which in my opinion is way worse.

"The occupation is cruel. Its heirs crueler still."

"[T]he Vath seemed determined to beat our language out of all of us, and the Kushaila in particular, no matter the cost."

The novel begins with Amani's coming of age celebration with her family and friends in the village, where she was given her long-awaited daan - the traditional face markings depicting her lineage as well as her parents hopes for her in life - and transitioning to adulthood. She has been waiting for this day, but unfortunately Vathek droids descend upon the ceremony. Amari is kidnapped and brought to the Ziyaana where she learns why she was taken from her family and village on Cadiz: she is nearly identical to Princess Maram. Due to Maram's unpopularity and rebel activity, it has become necessary to have a stand-in at public activities... and Amani must learn to perfectly mirror Maram to survive (and perhaps see her family again).

"The crown of Dihya had been stripped from me, my face changed, my body broken. But I was not a slave and I was not a spare. I was my mother's daughter, and I would survive and endure. I would find my way back home."

Mirage is at its core a character-driven story and I found the various friendships - especially female friendships - to be powerful and captivating. Each of the characters are complex with rich backstories that shape who they are as we get to know them, and I loved the way that Daud exposes them bit by bit as they get to know one another.

➡️ Amani is our main character, and I absolutely love her to pieces. She is strong and compassionate with an intense love for Massinia and the ancient poetry of her culture. her trusting and poetry loving. "You do not kneel or bend, I told myself. To anyone. You continue."
➡️ Maram is our main antagonist, but she is much more complex than a simple villain and quite possibly is my favorite character in the book. I love villains that are more than just evil and are given a backstory. Maram is the heir apparent for the Vath empire as outlined in the peace treaty, but her position is all but secure. As the daughter of the cruel emperor Mathis and the former Andalaan queen she is between regimes and cultures, and hated by both side for her heritage. To the Andalaans she is a symbol of the oppressors and to the Vath she is impure. She doesn't remember the before, and her life has lead her to be hard and mistrusting. "Fear and hatred are good deterrents against murderers."
➡️ Idris is Maram's fiance, as was decreed as part of the peace treaty that gave Mathis control of the planet. He is from the former aristocracy, and was 10 during the war, old enough to remember what it was like before but young enough to have lost the bits of his culture in the after. While we learn a lot about the backstory of Idris' family, there is a lot about him that is still cloaked in mystery. "His heritage [is] bound up in blood and misery."

Everyone seems to be a pawn for something in this world or an instrument of someone else's will and a running theme is whether or not the characters are responsible for the actions of their parents. Are they able to forge their own destinies? Or are they doomed on the path set for them without their input?

"My life had been a series of events happening to me, and I wanted so desperately to be able to exert the control Massinia managed on my own life."

The story is crafted so well and depicts the measures that occupying groups employ to exert and maintain control over their conquered land. What I found bizarre though was the treaty itself. I just don't see Mathis accepting a peace treaty, let alone agreeing to its terms after those who signed it were dead. I was the only person that found this odd in my buddy read though, so I won't hold this odd character reversal against him (although Maram does seem to agree with me)!

"It is not the Vathek way to let those conquered rule themselves, and with my Andalaan fiance - people say...things"

The descriptive language that I adored during the first 20% of the book I unfortunately came to find overwhelming and borderline excessive in parts, to the point of detracting from the plot progression. There were chunks of the book that I felt all I was reading was beautifully written descriptions and nothing else. There is so little dialogue in parts and I think that is why I struggled at times: it is lyrically written but the narrative drags for me when all it does is describe. I was craving more interaction and is the reason that I rated this 4 instead of 5 stars, but I know that not everyone will feel the same way.

Overall I found Mirage to be an absolute treasure. In my opinion this is the best feminist SFF book that I have read so far in 2018, and I cherish the characters and world. This was a great start to what I am sure will be an amazing series, and I cannot wait to see what is next for Amani, Idris, and Maram! I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to see it out in the world!

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an electronic advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Amani is identical in looks to Princess Maram, the only daughter of a cruel King and who is rumored to be just as nasty as her father. Amani is torn from her family to be Maram's stand in. She needs to fake Maram's attitude and fool everyone in order to save herself. There is much more to the story and would definitely appeal to young fantasy fans.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved how Moroccan culture and sci-fi were mixed beautifully. I enjoyed all the political intrigues and the sweet romance brewing between Amani and Idris. I feel sorry Maram and I sort of understand why she is so mean. I will be reading the next book in the series when it's released.

I have greatly been anticipating this book, especially after actually meeting Somaiya Daud while she was in conversation with Veronica Roth on The Fates Divide tour. Daud is an amazingly fun, friendly, exuberant person who also loves Star Wars. Mirage is her debut novel, and boy what a fantastic novel it is! I was already planning on buying it, having it pre-ordered since April 2018, but listening to Daud talk about the novel (not giving too much away, of course), I just couldn't wait!

And I am still sold on this novel and am extremely excited to add it to my collection. I would like to thank NetGalley, Somaiya Daud, and Flatiron books for the opportunity to read this book in advance for an honest review. Did I mention I am definitely buying this book?

I love space novels and romance. Some of my favorites include These Broken Stars, Illuminae, and Zenith (among others), and this fits right in! When I first heard about this book, I was like "Huh, sounds somewhat like one of the subplots of Turn A Gundam," which is likewise sci-fi. For those who don't know, one of the plots in the anime involves a moon princess trading places with a girl on Earth who looks just like her. They do it for fun at first, then it becomes an act of political safety and scandal to keep the princess safe.

Mirage is similar in that eighteen-year-old Amani is taken from her home moon to its mother planet where the royal family lives. The planet was taken over by the Vath and aims to hold its power over the planet and its moons. Amani doesn't know why she was taken from her home until she sees her own face reflected in that of Maram, the princess. Maram uses Amani as a political double, training her to be and act like Maram in every way so that Amani can be her body double for various events, in case of assassination attempts and the like.

In the process, Maram's fiance, Idris, sees right through Amani's guise. A romance buds between the two, but how far can they go without getting caught? And what happens to their relationship when it comes time for Maram and Idris to marry?

This novel is beautifully written and full of both romance and political intrigue. It's a page-turner from start to finish. And...it appears there will be a second book (and a third?)! I am disappointed that I have to wait, but I am so excited that there is going to be more to Amani's story and the world of Mirage by such a fantastic new writer in the world of young adult literature!

The book has an interesting premise as a culturally rich fantasy set in outer space. The story provides a needed diversity that is enriching the expanding young adult genre. However, I was not personally invested in the main protagonist or what might happen in future installments.

Wow, I am truly blown away by this book. Mirage is one of the best YA novels I've read in some time. Though it did fall into the genre's trademark "insta-love" trap, Daud's writing is so entrancing, beautiful, and utterly devastating that I couldn't find myself too mad about it. This is a book that needs to be on the top of everyone's TBR list. It's evocative, heartbreaking, chilling, and the worldbuilding is so rich and culturally astounding that it feels as if you're living and breathing the story along with the characters.

A young woman named Amani is ripped from her home because she bears striking resemblance to a cruel princess and for that she is forced to become a body double, to take Princess Maram's place in any situation where her life could be threatened. The character's are all full of depth, even the seemingly shallow and antagonistic Maram. Relationships are developed with care, not one iota of this book is underdeveloped or rushed. The precision and expertise of Daud's craft makes for an impeccable story and I cannot wait to see the follow-up to this story because the ending left me breathless.

Mirage is an #OwnVoices Moroccan inspired story. It is truly a wonderful and lyrical tale, about preserving one's culture, family and love. Our main character is Amani, a village farm girl, who gets kidnapped on the night she becomes of age while celebrating with her friends and family.

Like the blurb says Amani is a dreamer, who despite her life circumstances, the oppression her community faces since the Vathek invaded and conquered the planet. The Vathek being a race who are invading and conquering various Moons? Planets? in their galaxy. Embedding their beliefs and culture on the lands they conquered as they wipe out or try to banish the norms, tradition, cultures and religions known on the planet before their invasion. Amani never loses hope or forgets her roots. 

Bring in Maram, the half princess and heir to the Vathek throne on their planet. Maram is cruel, and it is so clear that she is an afraid human, who has suffered so much emotional trauma, that she can't help but trust anyone but herself, because to her everyone else has an ulterior motive when it comes to her.

She fears she's going to get murdered, and when she realizes she has a body double in Amani, she, of course, kidnaps her so Amani can take her place in risky situations, where she may be assassinated, by the people she is to rule over. Maram is that character you want to hate but can't help but sympathize for, even if I do find her very annoying.

Amani in Maram shoes gets to understand Maram a lot better and sees that she just needs a push in the right direction, even if she has to be very cautious because Maram's temper is one to be wary about.

I love Idris. My newest book boyfriend. He is completely a sweetheart, I was suspicious of him, but he's a good one, and the romantic parts in this book, made my romance junkie heart happy and my cheeks swell up with glee. Idris has his own tribulations in the story and I can't wait to read more about it in future.

Of course, when people are oppressed there is always going to be rebellion. When Amani situation is found out, the rebels seek her out, because is in such a high position, to give information back to the rebels. She agrees to be an insider and she pays the ultimate price in their time of war.

I love how the books portray the various characters. Because there are so many to meet, all with important roles within the tale. I love how Kindness is a thing in this book, how it highlights the importance and need for kindness, especially in trying times, it goes a long way. It also has a wonderful take on building friendships, with all kinds of people.

That is to say, I can't wait to read Mirage again. I can't wait to get my hands on the final/finished copy of this book. It's a book worth reading twice or even more, because I know once I read this the second time, I'll better understand the world in which this book is set, as for right now I have a pretty good idea of how the world works, and what is what, but there are a lot of details I need to go back and read, to comprehend better.

Somaiya Daud is a captivating author. She is a beautiful writer, with a way with words, she sucked me in and I didn't want to stop reading until I got to the very last page. I believe Somaiya's book is one we should all support, especially as she is a debut #OwnVoices author, who still has so much to give us.

I received a free ebook copy of Mirage from NetGalley in exchange for feedback and an honest review.

3.5 stars.

Mirage is well written, with gorgeous, imaginative settings in the faraway Vathek empire. Amani is kidnapped on her majority night, an event in which she receives facial tattoos significant to her Kushailla culture, because she is identical to the king's daughter Maram. Maram, who is hated for being of mixed blood and having a very harsh personality, requires a body double -- Amani. As time passes, Amani learns to act as Maram.

This is a book I really wanted to like, but it missed the mark in a few spots for me. I could not understand Amani's soft spot for Maram, or the romance between her and Maram's fiance, and these elements left me rolling my eyes at a number of points. On the other hand, I loved the lush descriptions of a Moroccan inspired setting and Amani's intrinsic appreciation for poetry. Mirage is absolutely worth a read, if not precisely my cup of tea.