I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested a review copy of Somaiya Daud's debut novel Mirage, but I'm glad I submitted that request! This books is quite unique, and I loved it a lot!

Mirage is a very unique blend of science fiction, fantasy, and cultural fiction tied up in a beautiful and immersive young adult novel. I've not seen many books like this one before, and I haven't seen these genres combined as Daud has done.

The imagery and world-building in Mirage are the strongest elements in this story, and both are gorgeously constructed and described. Buildings and clothing reflect the aesthetic and values of Amani's culture, and the ruling culture (the Vathek) that steals her away. Architecture is very arabesque and styled in a traditionally Middle Eastern/Moroccan fashion, and attest to the strength of the Vathek. Daud spends a lot of time crafting atmospheric as integral to the three-dimensional feel of this world. An example of Daud's skill at description is as follows:

"This portion of the palace somehow surpassed the beauty of the old queen's wing. Gleaming stone walls were carved with arabesque arches and inlaid with bright blue and orange tiles. Many of the walkways opened up onto gardens and courtyards, and birdsong twined with the sound of babbling water. True sunlight streamed through glass ceilings. I was led through porticoes and lovers' alcoves, passed through clouds of perfume and air filled with the trill of music."

It's as if the world itself--the cultures--is just as much a character as Amani or the princess.

Daud's focus adds a layer of realism to the overall reading experience. Readers will recognize elements of the real world. and I loved seeing a bit of the Middle East in my mind as I read--mixed with this new and exciting universe. I don't think I would have been as nearly as immersed in this book as I was without that deep and rich world-building. It's not common in YA as usually romantic story arch or action take a front seat to crafting living worlds. As an aside, I couldn't help but picture Tatooine from Star Wars, since it was a desert-like planet with a rich culture--and Daud's world felt like visiting Tatooine in some respects. If this was an intentional nod or inspiration, it's quite creative.

As much as the world surrounding Amani drives the story, character development is actually the focus here. Amani is an interesting character, the native captured by the colonizer and forced into serving her oppressors--so we have clear themes of colonialism and native oppression driving this story. This comes with some interesting back and forth between her and Maram--the princess to whom she is to serve as a body double and navigate the culture of her oppressors. Both women begin as distinctly separate people. Amani is someone who values family, community, and poetry, evident by her reproach of the prince in his poor translations of her people's folklore. Maram is the princess who comes from both Vathek and Kushaila (Amani's culture), and her mother's Kushaila roots is something she tries to suppress. She goes through life with an iron will and heart of stone. Maram has no love or respect for Kushaila culture and works to bully this out of Amani.

Over time, however, Amani is subtly able to rebel by reconnecting to her Kushaila roots through Idris, and the two come together over these shared interests. As Amani notes,

"And this, poetry like this, was all we had to preserve our stories, our music, our history."

At the same time, the wealth, power, and sparkle of Maram's life seduces Amani in many ways. This draws on themes of assimilation and acculturation and Amani struggles to retain her sense of self and identity. Ultimately, readers will find her strong, and her position will only strengthen her resolve. On the other hand, we have Maram, who is not wholly villainous and is also a victim of her world. She is not good enough for either of her cultures, so her brutality is her last attempt at power. She is the "hyphenated" the "inbetween" and she becomes one who has no identity because of her position. While not an excuse for being brutal and cruel (as there is no excuse for the brutality of colonialism), we can sympathize with her position. The women are two representations of the sad consequences of imperialism and colonialism on the Other. Moreover, Daud crafts a quite feminist novel as well, as both women can be seen as victims of the violent, patriarchal societies that have created them and keep them as they are. Further, Daud expertly draws subtle context from Morocco's history with French colonialism and its brutalities. Through it all, there is push for hope, for freedom from cruelty and oppression--from those in power and from that we create ourselves. As Amani wonders:

"those who witnessed the consecration of the ground would leave with hope. Would think of our endurance and our survival. More than that, I hoped that Maram would think back on the words she'd helped me craft, and envision a world without the cruelties of her father's reign. It was a small hope, I thought...but an important one--if Maram could be the ruler that her father had failed to be, that her mother had wanted her to be, then there was hope for us--for all of us."

Again, these interweavings make Mirage a living, breathing, immersive world.

Daud's novel is definitely character-driven, and the story focuses on conversation and character narrative for its progression. We aren't stuck with incessant action scenes, battles, or quests. We are presented with characters who are deeply flawed, multi-faceted, and all too human. Likewise, we are given a look into a world riddled with cruelty, brutality, but one that is also full of love and beauty. This kind of sums up this entire novel--this books is gorgeous, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second in this stunning duology.

There is so much more in this novel that I could talk about, dissect, analyze, but then I'd leave you with nothing, no surprises to look forward to. Because, ultimately, reading this book is an experience, and is one you should take for yourself. It's utterly brilliant and is worthy of the praise and hype it's getting. It may be one of the most important releases of the year.

In a world ruled by the Vath, Amani and her family try to make the best of it. She enjoys the poetry from before the Vathek took over and often wonder what it would have been like before.

On Amani's majority night, she is kidnapped in front of her family and brought to the royal palace. She then discovers that she looks just like the princess Miram, who is half-Vathek. And that, because Miram's advisors believe there will be an attempt on her life, the princess must have a body double. Amani is taught to become the princess, and then eventually is able to step into her life.

But trying to reconcile her new life with her anti-Vath beliefs is difficult. She must, though, because her life, her family's lives, and the lives of so many others depend on it.

This was such a great book and I'm excited for the next one! The world-building is awesome, the characters are fleshed out well, and the culture is fascinating. I'm going to be waiting impatiently for book two! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mirage was everything I had hoped it would be. With dynamic characters, beautiful writing, and an important message, I was completely captivated from the beginning and there wasn’t much I didn’t enjoy. This is such a wonderful debut novel and I can’t wait for more from this author.

Mirage is Moroccan-inspired sci-fi story that reads like a fantasy. The elements of the two genres blend seamlessly together. From the lush writing to the vivid descriptions, Somaiya Daud has created an intriguing world that I couldn’t get enough of. It was so easy to sit down and become immersed in the story I was reading.

The characters in Mirage were very well-developed and interesting. Amani was a wonderful protagonist with admiring inner strength and values. Maram is a complex character, with many different layers to her. She was so fascinating and I was surprised to find myself really liking her. The author gave her character a lot of depth which made the story so much more exciting. I loved watching how the interactions between Maram and Amani changed over time, and the reluctant friendship that began to develop. In regards to the romance; it did feel a little fast, but I didn’t mind it that much since it was subtle and there was so many other wonderful things happening in the story.

Mirage was a pleasant surprise, and I’m still in awe that this is Somaiya Daud’s debut. Her writing, world-building, plot, and characters all came together perfectly to create an intricate, engaging story. I would definitely recommend giving this book a read as soon as it releases!

“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.”

Stars (Out of 10): 9/10 Stars

Favorite Character: Amani

I was approved for this ARC months ago, and I hate that I only just now got to it! It beat all of my expectations, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the series.

From the beginning, Mirage hooked me. Something about Amani, our main character, felt so genuine and real, yet she was still an incredibly kind and likable person. She’s the type of main character I haven’t seen in a while, as most YA Fantasy narrators seem to all be “stubborn” and “strong” lately, so it was really refreshing to read something new. Additionally, Amani was quite a layered character. She had a heart of gold that truly cared about those hurting around her, regardless of their race, but she was also still a strong character, making decisions for herself and her own happiness. At the same time, she was still touched by the influence of power, and this led to some great inner monologue as Amani struggled between the identity of her past and the girl she was forced to become.

Not only does Mirage have a fantastic main character, the supporting cast is extremely fleshed out as well. The love interest is more than just his looks/love for the main character, but is also seen grieving for his family, and also struggling between his childhood identity and the one first upon him by the conquerors and his need to stay alive. (Also, I must say that this romance feels really well done, as it isn’t the main focus of the novel/does not define either of the characters, but rather adds and builds upon the characters and story that is already there). Additionally, we also have the cruel princess that Amani is a body double for, and while at first she gives off the impression of your standard evil princess, she ends up being so much more. She faces an internal struggle just like everyone else, and reading that was one of my favorite parts of the book.

All of this leads to a book that is rather character driven. The effects of colonialism in this world is explored through the personal effects on the characters, as well as the overarching effects on the native culture of the planet. It gives a new perspective on this topic, compared to recent YA Fantasy novels that deal with this topic, as it aims to show us the pain of the conquered through less overtly violent means. While there is still action and violence, it is mainly kept in the beginning of the tale, and the story seems to move towards a different way of losing yourself in a world conquered.

I also really loved the world and culture built into this book. While we don’t learn a lot at all about the conquerors, the Vath, we do learn a lot about Amani’s own culture and religion. Amani specifically is an extremely religious character, and the stories and poetry built into her culture and religion is a large driving force in the personal narrative of Amani, and even some of the other stories taking place in the book. It adds a whole other layer to Mirage, and works to fully immerse you in both the world and the story, since it is so well intertwined.

The only reason I dropped my rating a little was due to certain aspects of the plot and the pacing of the story. The plot itself was wonderful and interesting, but just occurred rather passively. Most of the events in the story are enacted by others around Amani, rather than herself, and she mainly seems to be reacting towards everything and following the actions and plans of others. However, this is the most realistic option, as Amani is in no position to be making her own plans and choices for most the book. My other issue was pacing. In terms of that, this book felt almost like a flat line. It was an incredible read nonetheless, but there weren’t really moments of surprise or increased intensity, and even the ending had me reading at the same speed and pace as the beginning of the book.

All in all, I absolutely loved this debut, and am so lucky to have gotten the chance to read it early! I highly recommend this novel to those that have found some YA Fantasy novels falling short lately, and want to be reminded what makes the genre so great.

Mirage by Somiaya Daud is an excellent novel. I find her writing to be refreshing in a genre that is overrun with writing of a dystopian nature. Amani is different type of heroine. Taken on the night of an important ceremony in her culture, she rises to the occasion, reluctantly. She is outspoken, but then learns to be less so to survive the nightmare of her captors.  I found myself cheering for her and the maturity she shows in order to achieve this survival. Without spoiling the novel for you, Mirage is a worthy read. I would read it if you are looking for a great read. 

In all honesty, I found myself finding parallels to other events in our human history. To many times an alien race comes to overthrow an established people to take their resources and their land. I am sure Somaiya didn't write this to be political but the novel speaks of these and other issues that itself is a mirage of us. Not everything is what it seems. 

Thank you Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the advanced copies.

I set aside time today to finish this book because I just wanted it to be over. I had heard such hype about it and was looking forward to an exciting sci fi adventure but instead it just dragged along. The main sci fi thing about it is that the Vath are from somewhere else in the solar system. But other than that knowledge about them, they basically act like humans (or like whatever the original people are on the planets where Amani lives), except meaner, so there's not much of a sci fi element. The world that was built was fine but the mythology of the culture was not explained clearly enough for me to embrace it or even understand some of it at times. I wasn't 100% sure what a tesleet was until at least half to three quarters of the way into the book. The love scenes were long, particularly the actual consummation scene, without drawing me in with the descriptions of how Idris didn't speak the language but he could read what she was feeling, etc. On a side note, that poem about ploughing and flushing - OH MY!

Plot-wise, not a whole lot happened. Once Amani got the knack of being Maram, there was the romance and some pretty clothes and a bunch of scenes where Amani met people are fooled them or confessed to them. Even the spying was pretty lackluster. I needed more political intrigue or action. Finally, I expected some sort of revelation about why the two girls looked so much alike, especially since Maram is only half Andalaan (I think that's the ethnicity...) and all the Vathek look very much alike in coloring. I assumed we'd find out they were sisters and then Amani would have to deal with her own tie to her oppressors, but no explanation was offered for the resemblance. It's clear this is book one in a series so maybe that will come up later. For now I have to assume that they're "cousins, identical cousins...".

Somaiya Daud as a debut author displays a deft hand at her craft with this Moroccan-inspired story. Aside from the visual appeal, from the first page the reader is drawn in with the descriptions of Andalaan culture, the people, and what the Vathek colonization and continuing effects thereof has meant for them, more specifically for Amani and her story in Mirage. As I was reading this novel, I felt so much: love, terror, empathy, dread. It was so intense, reading this book.

Immediately drawn into the story of Amani, growing up under the Vathek occupation, I was interested in the detail of everything. Somaiya wove so much in descriptions of events (such as the majority ceremony) stories of deities, and continued to build upon these foundations with her characters.

Amani is the person through whom the story is told and whose perspective we learn things through. Her memories, her history, and most importantly to the events of the book, what life is like because of the Vath, the people that colonized her planet and ultimately kidnap her for their own purposes. There are many instances throughout the book that demonstrate colonialism, the attempts to obliterate the Andalaan culture, so much harshness that draws many parallels to real world events that make some scenes alternately sad, heartbreaking, and stomach churning-ly terrifying.

Mirage was also, I found, a nice blend of character and plot driven narrative. It neither relied too heavily on one or the other. There was much to learn and to derive from the narrative, and rich as it was, you then saw it flow through the characters, influencing their evolution. Early on it was easy to think that they might be one dimensional, but there were subtle moments, a flinch or a comment, that built upon one another until you realized that everyone was either changing or not entirely who they were to begin with. It was confusing, but in a fun, Chesire Cat grin spreading sort of way where you are so happy to realize that there's a new discovery to be made about the people you're reading about.

I liked how, even though Amani had a lot of work to do in order to be prepared as Maram's body double, the necessary elements of this preparation were not conveyed to the reader in excruciating detail. The progress was evident, as shown through tests Amani was put to, and small scenes to training with Nadine, a High Vath secretary of the King. That was enough and it kept the plot moving along, a much appreciated thing where it could easily have been bogged down with text that ran to minutiae that was unnecessary.

Mirage has much to offer its readers from political intrigue to historical threads and more. There's a lot it can teach, a lot it can give, and I think it changes each time you pick it up because there are facets in the magic of reading this book. It's possible to understand something new each time you read a certain passage, like watching a movie over and over again and noticing something new in a familiar scene. Somaiya Daud in her debut has hit a level of exquisite quality and more from her, and from the world of Mirage, will be much anticipated from me.

I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like Mirage before. It’s young adult for sure, though the character ages fall on the cusp, but the world itself feels like a lush mix of fantasy and science fiction that immediately caught my attention. After finishing this book, I don’t remember the characters so much as the world.

This Moroccan-inspired novel follows Amani as she’s dragged away from her home on a distant moon to become the body double for a princess. Talk about a shock. You can’t help but feel for her as she’s stripped of everything that connected her to her people and forced to become brutal and cold like Princess Maram. All around I expected great things here because the premise alone was intriguing. But Mirage fell a bit flat at times.

It’s slow. There’s no other way around it. The action is dulled by the intense focus on Amani and her feelings, her relationship with Maram, with Maram’s fiancé Idris, and how she’s handling the entire situation. While not a bad thing, it just didn’t appeal to me as a reader. I definitely needed more to stay engaged. Especially when the romance was introduced.

For the record, this book was by no means bad but the romance is what knocked a star off my rating. I can get behind insta-love and love triangles in the right situations, but this romance was too much of a whirlwind to buy into it. Almost immediately after meeting each other, Amani and Idris have chemistry (or we’re supposed to believe they do because I wasn’t feeling it). And from that point on, the romance consumed the story. All of which I don’t understand because there’s such a strong focus on the characters’ internal decisions that you’d think the romance would excel.

I. Love. Romances. I do. But not when I don’t ship it and it just wasn’t there. Amani became lovestruck and I lost interest in her.

It’s a shame because her and Maram’s relationship was my favorite. Enemies-to-friends, each questioning their opinions of the other, they showed growth. There wasn’t an easy way out for them. I wanted more of that. They showed such strength of character, especially Amani and what she endures, how she continues pushing forward no matter what. . . it’s inspiring. When we talk about strong female characters, this is what I’m talking about. It’s not about being physically strong (though there’s nothing wrong with that) but a mental strength.

But the characters didn’t sell it for me.

I breezed through this book and that’s largely in part to the world-building. I wasn’t so interested in the writing style but the actual world–this combination of droids and moons and intricate cultures and faith–sold me from page one. I would read the sequel simply for more of that world. Mirage hits on some tough topics too, spanning colonialism from its overall impact to other cultures down to its effect on the everyday person. It’s not a perspective I often see (generally it seems to be the flip side where a colonizer develops sympathy). We need this book and Amani’s story. We need this perspective.

I think Mirage is going to be a smash hit when it comes out. I had issues with it, primarily with the romance and pacing, but it’s a solid debut and I definitely plan to read the sequel.

I feel so honored that you allowed me to review this book. Without giving anything away I will say this was absolutely incredible! One of the best books of the year!

This book was such a shame, it had every potential to be my newest addition to my all-time favorite shelf. It has all the factors/tropes I ever loved, princes, secret identity, fantasy/sci-fi, royalty, and even the idea of being a princess' doppelganger and posing in replacement as her body double seems really promising. So what went wrong?

I try to not pin all the problem I have with this book on the fact that this book didn't have a slow-burn/hate-love relationship (which is SUCH a missed opportunity by the way. Definitely was the first huge blow I got and a big disappointment for me personally). I also know it's not the story's problem, because like I said previously, the story of this book was one of the things that drew me in because it seems so interesting. Maram also proved herself to be a very well-written and in-depth villain that is not "pure" evil, and despite never going into her head once, we still can sense her inner pain of being so hated, stuck "in-between" due to her heritage, and it makes her a very intriguing antagonist.

So back to my point, what ruined this book for me?

The narration.

My alarm bells started ringing like crazy the moment immediately after the first few pages, because several adjectives popped into my head when I'm describing this narration to myself that immediately got me realized how this is going to be a problem for me: soft, kind of weak, slow, gentle...and almost boring.

This reminded me, again, how important it is to make sure your book's narrative interesting to read. Because we are viewing the story al from one pair of eyes (usually), so no matter how good your story is, if your main character is...boring, your narrative is boring, it's going to do some serious damage to one's reading experience.

~ I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~

I did not know what to expect from this book. The blurb read a lot like Aimee Carter's Pawn, so I was hesitant to pick it up. Miss Daud's story although it may have some similar features (the rebellion aspect), weaves a unique tale with a dense cultural background. I loved the distinct cultures of the Kushaila and the Vathekaar, and how the characters navigate these two worlds. I enjoyed the imperfections of Maram's character and how her story line developed over the course of the book. I think this book is a good start to an entertaining series. I can't wait to see what happens next.

4.5! This book is just so beautiful, inside and out. The writing style was incredibly lush and beautiful - it drew me in right from the first page and I was entranced throughout the entirety of it. My favorite part of this book, hands down, is the relationship between Amani and Maram. Admittedly, when I started this, I was expecting the relationship to follow simple tropes, but thank god it didn't. Instead we get a complicated relationship between these two girls and it's beautiful. I'm so looking forward to how that's going to play out in the series. The relationship between Idris and Amani did happen a little too fast for me - particularly since this is a trilogy and I feel like it could've been drawn out a lot more. Saying that, I still desperately wanted them to kiss. Daud's writing style is just so lovely and I could <i>feel</i> the UST. My only other complaint is the pacing - it felt like parts of the story were missing at times. I'm never really a fan of time jumps that are casually like "two days later" or "three weeks later" and that's employed a couple times throughout the book. My love of the writing style and the characters and their relationships more than made up for that small complaint though. I highly recommend this one and I can't wait to continue the series.

Also, if you're not that interested in sci-fi, I would still definitely recommend checking this one out, as it's kind of like a fantasy disguised as a sci-fi. There's not that much science involved with the plot of the book and it definitely has a more fantasy feel to me.

I was intrigued about this story with being able to find a perfect body double. I kept waiting for the “surprise” that they were actually related, sisters or cousins and to my own surprise that piece never materialized. I think all the characters have a lot more to say and the sequel will be waited with baited breath.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 August 15

BOOK REPORT for Mirage (Book 1) by Somaiya Daud

Cover Story: Fantasy-tastic
BFF Charm: Fox Mulder
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away (No, Not That One)
Bonus Factors: Intragalactic Worldbuilding, Body Double
Relationship Status: Slow Burn

Cover Story: Fantasy-tastic

Hot dang, this is a stunner. Although it has the lewk of a fantasy and downplays the book's sci-fi aspects. (I don't know; throw a drone on it? Except don't do that at all.) BUT WHATEVS, IT'S GORGEOUS.

The Deal:

How would you like to get whisked away from your poor existence in a farming village, and into the life of a princess at the imperial palace? Sounds too good to be true, right? (Perhaps even like a mirage, if you'd like. And I'm incorrigible, so I would like.)

All you'd have to do is be forcibly separated from everybody you've ever known and taken off of the moon you've grown up on. Because it's not actually a choice; you've been kidnapped! Which is Amani's fate for looking identical to the cruel Princess Maram, who needs a body double on account of all the people who'd like to see her dead aka LOTS OF 'EM.

Sure, it's not the worst gig in the galaxy — the palatial life is pretty swanky, and hanging out with Maram's fiancé ain't too shabby, either — but there's just the constant threat of Amani never getting to see her own family again and not surviving any possible attempts on Maram's life. So, no pressure.

BFF Charm: Fox Mulder

For all that she's been through, Amani's generous heart still has the capacity for so much trust, kindness, and forgiveness. Whereas I, on the other hand, am deeply suspicious and paranoid of everyone around her. It might be a byproduct of watching far too much Game of Thrones that I'm seeing potential enemies and conspiracies everywhere in a royal court, whether it's warranted or not. TRUST NO ONE, GIRL. (That's an X-Files thing, right? I may or may not get scolded for my ignorance at FYA HQ.)

Swoonworthy Scale: 8

As it so happens, Maram isn't actually in love with her bethrothed, Idris, and the feeling is mutual. Idris and Amani, though, bring about a case of the MAKE OUT MAKE OUT MAKE OUT. Heck, they made me understand why people used to share poetry during courtship 'n shizz.

(Yes, that means this is a non-triangle involving two people with the same face. So, like a very extreme case of dating an identical twin... while being engaged to the other one.)

Talky Talk: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away (No, Not That One)

With a book about a royal body double taking place on different moons and planets, my mind immediately went to Star Wars. But there's not as much stars nor wars; in fact, it mostly feels like an elaborate fantasy with real-world Moroccan influences and then OH YEAH there's fancy space tech — and this combination fits really well together.

One other way that Mirage is similar to Star Wars, though, is how it's making me speculate about future installments. (Slightly spoiler-y, in that this doesn't get addressed, so skip ahead if you're averse.) How was it known that there's someone who looks exactly like Maram? Did someone betray Amani? Are Amani and Maram actually related? Is Maram a secret robot and Amani the real princess?!?! SOMEONE STOP THE MADNESS BEFORE I SPECULATE FURTHER.

(See, this is how the book made me so distrustful.)

Bonus Factor: Intragalactic Worldbuilding

This is the kind of book I desperately want to be adapted just to see these spectacular settings from Amani's tantalizing descriptions. As well as meet the people, especially the badass Tazalghit horsewomen whom I've totally pictured as a cross between the Amazons from Themyscira and the Vuvalini from Fury Road, i.e., ULTIMATE SHEROES.

Also, my kingdom for a map of the star system to satiate my inner astronomy nerd. (I don't ask for much, other than, y'know, everything.)

Bonus Factor: Body Double

In the grand fashion of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Monte Carlo, or some other example without a Disney teen star, Amani must pose as her mean and privileged doppelganger*.

Maram herself is such a complex character, and the relationship between her and Amani so fraught. If danger and treachery weren't enough justification to get a body double, Maram sometimes just doesn't feel like being social. (Introvert fam, y'all get it.) Despite her getting off to a disastrous start with Amani, I can't help empathizing with Maram and hoping that she can still be redeemed — even though she's holding Amani captive, even though she's robbing Amani of her life.

... OK, when I put it like that, I'm a little less inclined to hype up Maram. But I have to believe that she isn't beyond saving — because Amani believes it, too. Or maybe her judgment's being clouded by Stockholm syndrome.

Like I said: FRAUGHT.

*I see you, fellow recovering fans of The Vampire Diaries.

Relationship Status: Slow Burn

Real talk: I'm a bit of apprehensive about getting together with series books. (It's just, like, a lot of commitment!) After finishing Mirage, I'm still in the excited, trying-to-figure-you-out stage — and not knowing where it wants to take me on our next date definitely has me intrigued. Only time will tell if this spark can ignite a fiery passion, but I'm down with returning to its galaxy to find out.

I received a review copy from the publisher for an honest review.
I love the fact that Daud wrote a YA sci-fi, more voices and perspectives are needed in this very traditionally white author genre.
I loved the lush descriptions of setting, and clothing in this book. I could visualize the setting really well.
Critique: I don’t know that I was as driven to push and turn the page to read to completion. Some of the plot development and reversal of feelings about certain characters could’ve happened, but I don’t know that I fully believed it.

This will definitely have a sequel and I’d like to see where this story goes.

First of all, I loved the world! I've been longing for a space fantasy - and there are so few. The writing is so imaginative and the characterization was done so well. The author did a great job of getting us on the main character's level, especially with the transition she underwent in the palace - and even sympathizing for the real princess.

While I loved the world, I think the world building was just a tad confusing, though it didn't deter me much as a reader - I just pressed on. The pacing was a little slow at times, though it seems that was fitting for the story - but I found myself waiting for something more to happen. Either way, I really enjoyed the book and am grateful to have read it!

That’s the ending???

Oh boy, I don’t think I was in any way prepared for this book. It started slow for me because I didn’t realize it was sci-fi but as Maram was introduced and the intersections between characters developed I got more and more invested until I didn’t want to put this book down. And the ending! My heart cannot take it and I cannot wait to see what the future will be for Amani, Idris, and Maram.

I loved the ways Maram grew and how Amani grew to care for her, started seeing her as a nuanced individual rather than simply the cruel future-queen of her people’s conquers.

Amani is a wonderful character, so strong and so full of hope. I loved her so much, and I am just in awe of her.

The writing style is absolutely stunning and the world building is phenomenal. The mythology felt so visceral and the ways it was important and influenced Amani was so delicately and wonderfully executed. The world absolutely drew me in, leaving me wanting more.

Just, beautiful story and I’m so glad it exists. I hope more people read this and fall in love with these nuanced characters and this stunning world.

The book is slow-moving and the character is not very original. Though I appreciate the non-western culture and the emotional depth of the protagonist, she was boring. There was little dialogue and not enough interaction with others: too much takes place just in her head, and she's not even funny. The only interesting thing about the book is the non-western culture and coloured author.

When I picked up Mirage a few days ago, I expected to enjoy it. It was a such a highly anticipated book for me, and with its incredibly gripping synopsis, it was hard for me to imagine myself not enjoying the story. But wow, I definitely did not expect to fall in love with it and the characters as much as I have, and something I expected way less was for this book to become one of my top favorite books of all time in such a short period of time (and after only the first book nonetheless).

One of the things I loved the most about this book was the writing. Somaiya really knows how to write a compelling and magical world. The worldbuilding was absolutely incredible (and normally the thing I love the least in books, so you can imagine how surprised I was that it was one of my favorite parts of this one), and every page transported me into this rich and gorgeous world.

The characters were absolutely incredible as well. Amani, our main character, finds herself in a terrifying situation when she is taken by Princess Maram to be her body double. But through all the hard things she goes through in the palace, she manages to also find her voice and purpose. I thought she was an absolutely inspiring character. Even with the constant suffering she goes through in the hands of the princess, she still manages to find hope within her culture, like with the poems and stories she was taught, as well as her religion. Another thing that about Amani that made me love her so much was how she sees the good in people; she is mistreated in the worst of ways by Maram from the moment she steps foot on the palace, but she still manages to see something broken in her, and soon they develop an actual friendship.

Maram is first introduced as the evil and cruel Princess. She is raised without her mother, by an even crueler king who clearly resents her because of who her mother was. She is desperate for approval, and one of the most compelling and complex characters in this entire story. Its hard to truly know what to make of her, and to know either or not she truly is as terrible as she is, or if all she does is in pursue of her father's approval (or anyone else's love, really). Although she does terrible things throughout the book, that are definitely not excused, I loved discovering all of these layers within her personality. Complex characters always catch my attention, and she was definitely an interesting character that I cannot wait to find out more about and see evolve.

This is a very personal trait of mine, but I can never fully enjoy a book without a swoony romance, and the one in this book definitely delivered the perfect amount of cuteness levels that I was needing. While impersonating Princess Maram, Amani meets the Princess' fiancé, Idris. Without spoiling much of the book, they definitely get close. And in a short period of time, Idris became one of my favorite characters ever .
He is just the perfect amount of soft and cute that I am always looking for in a male character, and his interactions with Amani made me smile like a fool several times (seriously, if I read this in public people would've thought I was the weirdest person EVER). All I want is to wrap him up in a blanket and keep him safe forever.

Overall, this was such an incredible read that exceeded all of the expectations I had. It was so much more than I could have ever dreamed of, and I cannot wait to read the second book.

Holy wow, we loved this book - it’s so pretty and we are both preordering physical copies as we speak! Mirage is the diverse fantasy adventure we needed and gave us the complex female characters we wanted. The Moroccan inspired setting and culture mixed with the science fiction element of space travel and conquest made this YA fantasy stand out from the mold. We couldn’t put this captivating book down and hope you all give this book a chance.

What We Liked
The Writing and Worldbuilding - We find it hard to believe that this is Duad’s debut novel because she crafts a magical world for her readers. Mirage isn’t your typical mindless fantasy - it’s full of rich cultural descriptions about the different tribes of Andala and life under colonial rule. There is a focus on poetry and folklore in this story that weaves their history. Amani and many of the native Andalans grasp onto this as their culture is slowly eradicated by the Vathek. The detail that Duad put into creating a rich history and world is heartbreaking and breathtaking at the same time.

The Villainous Maram - We loved watching the evolution of Maram, the evil princess who kidnaps Amani as she develops into a character that you want to like despite her past actions. Maram is a complex villain than what we usually see in YA and watching her struggle with hating pieces of herself and her heritage was compelling to read. Maram made us feel things we weren’t prepared to feel and we liked it.

Amani’s Character Growth - The journey of Amani from a terrified kidnapped girl into a strong force that fights her captors every step of the way was one of my favorite parts of this book. At times Amani seemed naive, but overall she developed into a realistic and sensible character who fights for her agency and her people. The difference in her maturity from the beginning to the end of the book is vast and we are excited to see her further development.

Maram and Amani’s Friendship - Their friendship was unexpected and at times made us feel uncomfortable but together they challenged prejudices and really acted like sisters. We found ourselves rooting for this friendship over the romance because they had such a wonderful dynamic. Their bickering was fantastic to read.

The Romance - The romance that peaked throughout this story was perfect. The novel isn’t driven by the romantic plot line, but the romance is sweet, slow burning and the perfect amount of happiness and love peeking through a brutal story. Idris was a little too perfect to be believed at times, so we are interested to see who he turns out to be.

What We Disliked
The Vathek - The Vathek are pure evil and having to read the descriptions of their oppressive rule and how they seek to erase all cultures and beliefs that are not their own was difficult.

There just wasn’t much to not like in this book. It was a great fantasy read without the book hangover. Give it a try!