Although the writing style was absolutely gorgeous, this sadly wasn’t the book for me. That being said, I would be happy to return to the Author to try another story!

This a gorgeously written fantasy that follows two Fatima and Hassan as the flee the fall of Grenada. Faith of multiple types is handled with grace and kindness. The next to final scene seemed a bit abrupt and it felt hard to feel for what happens but the actually ending is lovely. I have seen others reviews which called the plot slow, but I really do not see it as most of the book is running for their lives. The cover is also lovely.

The Bird King is the story of two friends in the last sultanate of Spain. Fatima is a strong-willed concubine to the Sultan, and Hassan is a mapmaker with a secret talent. With the Spanish Inquisition on their heels, Fatima and Hassan must run from the world they know on an adventure full of myths and magic.

This story and the beautiful writing captured my heart. It is historical fiction/fantasy, with a very mythical feel to it. I don't know this period of history very well, but the setting and legends are really interesting. I loved Fatima and Hassan and their friendship. They're flawed but I was rooting so hard for them. The themes of faith and religion are also really well woven throughout the story.

It is a pretty long book, and while I did not get bored, there were a few parts that I thought dragged unnecessarily. I also had trouble picturing and understanding some of the mythical creatures that came into the story. Perhaps it's just because I'm not too familiar with this particular mythology. Overall, I just enjoyed this adventure so much and highly recommend for historical fiction and fantasy fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I received an arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Bird King is a very atmospheric read, from the very beginning you are plunged into a fantasy world set in Grenada during the Muslin reign. In this story you follow the tribulations of Fatima, a royal concubin who has only know life in the sultan harem, and her very best friend, Hassan.

I don't want to say much more because you have to live and experience for yourself the story but I reallyenjoyed the writing style, G. Will Wilson has a very flowery, fluid style with beautiful imagery. I enjoyed very much the setting since I absolutely love reading about the Moorish Spain. So I very much liked the first part of the book.

The second part of the book was a little for difficult to enjoy for me. Though Fatima and Hassan's journey could have been interesting,I found that it dragged a little and it was difficult to keep being invested. It lost me a little bit and I resurfaced from it feeling a little discontented.

I still recommend this book to people who like reading about long journeys and self-reflection. The setting and the beautiful description will not let you down!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

It was really different, confusing at times, yet oddly entertaining.. I am.not sure how I feel about the ending yet..

Detailed review coming soon!

I liked this and really became attached to some of the characters by the end but some of the pacing was a little off and that made the reading experience less smooth than it could have been. I definitely want to read more of this author’s worth, though, as this book was quite imaginative and fresh.

The opening scenes of this book were beautiful - lush descriptions of the Granada court, a mapmaker with the power to open doors to anywhere by drawing them, the domestic politics of the concubines of the sultan... I thought I was going to adore this. I thought it would be in a similar vein to 'The Golden Key', which is one of my favourite books.

However, the story quickly removes itself from this setting when the Spanish Inquisition arrives at Granada, and our main characters, Fatima the concubine and Hassan the mapmaker, go on the run. This part of the story I found extremely repetitive and tedious, and it stripped everything I was excited about from the narrative, leaving the reader to follow two highly incompetent people as they follow a dog-demon across a bunch of desert and scrubland. It gets into philosophical territory as the characters search for the mythical island of the Bird King, but hardly strays past magical realism in terms of the fantasy elements, which I was hoping would be much more prominent. I think people looking for a quiet historical story with a tiny bit of magic may enjoy this much more than I did, but if you're looking for a fantasy novel about life in the Granada court, you'll be disappointed.

This is the definition of a slow-burn novel. It's set in Grenada in 1491, during the Spanish Inquistion. Fatima is a the concubine to the sultan. Her friend Hassan is a cartographer who can make magical maps that change the layout of places and open doorways to the Other. Here comes the slow burn.... The book slowly transforms from a historical novel to a fantasy. They are seeking refuge in Mount Qaf, the lands of the Bird King.

The novel is slow-paced, I almost gave up so many times in the beginning. The writing is simply beautiful, the atmosphere of the book is fantastic, the message wonderful. I liked it.

My only complaint is how hard I had to struggle to stay in the book because of the drag.

Worth the read!
3.5/4 Stars.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review**

What a big adventure this book is! I don't typically love fantasy, but the aspects in The Bird King were enticing and not overdone. The ending had me a little confused, but I think that was intentional, and I'm okay with that.

Granada, the last Muslim emirate of Spain, is living its last days before surrendering to Catholic Spain. Fatima is a concubine to the Sultan, and has lived all her life in the palace. Her only real friend has always been Hassan, the royal mapmaker with the extraordinary ability to create maps of places that never existed before. When the Catholics finally arrive, they'll plan to take Hassan to the Spanish Inquisition. And Fatima is not about to let that happen.

This is a fantastic story of wild chasing, desserts, sea battles, and magical lands. Fatima and Hassan will embark on a special journey. One that's a matter of life and death. In their paths they'll find Jinns, magical places, and strange animals. Some of them will help, some will try to stop them; but none of them ever becomes a greater threat than the evilness of human beings.

Willow Wilson's writing immediately transports the reader to a new, magical place. The descriptions are so vivid, it's easy for the palace of Granada to come alive before your eyes. Fatima and Hassan are two very different people. But, by the end of the book, you won't help feeling very attached to both of them.

Embark on a special adventure with a strong-minded woman that's fighting for her freedom and a wise, magical man who's fighting for his life. This isn't only a journey of different places. It's also a personal adventure, one that will transform the heroes internally and leave them changed forever. Where will life lead them? Will they finally find the land of the Bird King?

The Bird King is an exceptional book, one that all fans of fantasy will adore.

My Summary:
The Bird King is a lush historical fantasy that uses the context of the end of the European Muslim Empire and the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition to examine the balance between religion, power dynamics, and what it means to belong. In a similar vein to C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia and Phillip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials,” though decidedly more adult, The Bird King has a fairytale-like quality that blends reality and the fantastic to discuss big ideas in an intimate way. G. Willow Wilson sends her protagonists, Fatima, the last Circassian concubine to the Sultan, and Hassan, the royal mapmaker with a magical gift, on a journey to discover a truer understanding of faith, love, and how belief can shape the world around us. With the reluctant help of the jinn, Vikram the Vampire, Fatima and Hassan traverse the Iberian Peninsula, pursued by the Inquisition and the darker forces that drive it, to find refuge on the mythical island of the Bird King.

MY REVIEW: 4 STARS

I chose to read The Bird King for a few reasons: 1) I adore G. Willow Wilson's run on Ms. Marvel, 2) The Setting/Time period was new and interesting to me, 3) I have a personal goal to read more diverse authors and gain a greater perspective on different cultures, and 4) Full Disclosure: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

After reading The Bird King and thinking about it for a couple weeks (because boy this is a "Book of BIG IDEAS"), I've concluded that this book is SO MUCH MORE than any summation could possibly prepare you for! I will do my best to stay out of the weeds, but there is a lot to unpack here:

Overview:
Overall, I enjoyed reading The Bird King. Pacing is an issue with this book as the actual adventure starts off slow, dragging to the midpoint, but gets more intense after that, terrifying at some point because, well, the Inquisition, and fantastic at others with trickster jinn and terrifying dragons living on the edges of maps. The character relationships are especially complex and are really the driving force for the narrative. I can’t say the two main characters, Fatima and Hassan, start out likable because that would be a disservice to the amount of character development this book throws at you. Their growth relates specifically to the people around them and helps to demonstrate the bigger ideas, specifically around love, faith, and freedom where G. Willow Wilson really goes all out. At the end of the day it was tackling the more abstract portions of the book that I enjoyed the most. This might be because I love to torture myself. Honestly, this has been a hard review to write because I keep going into “Book Report” mode wanting to write a thesis instead of a review! There are so many lenses you can view The Bird King though: Historically, culturally, philosophically, as a hero’s journey, and as a coming of age story. The best part is that G. Willow Wilson’s prose is so lovely that you experience many of these simultaneously. It all weaves together beautifully, and rewards both the over-thinker (me) and the casual reader alike.

Cons:
The Bird King is not a perfect book, but I certainly appreciated it. It tends to get bogged down when the journey begins, reminiscent of The Fellowship of the Ring where there’s just a whole lot of walking and talking. Oddly enough, the next pacing issue is whiplash where there would be a paragraph describing one thing and then the next would jump to something completely unrelated, causing me to re-read sections to see if I missed something. This was even more annoying as it happened more frequently at the end of the book, which was already confusing due to the more fantastic setting. This led the ending to feel a bit overwhelming and rushed. I was a little let down by the ending, which tried to be both ambiguous and relatable, but not enough to undo my overall enjoyment of reading The Bird King.

Pros:
Everything else really. The setting is vivid, the time period unique in the world of fantasy. I feel like I learned a lot about the transition from a Muslim Europe to the Spanish Inquisition. I enjoyed the characters, especially because they do grow and evolve, and who doesn’t love mischievous jinn? Fatima and Hassan’s relationship is like nothing I have personally read before, and I really appreciated every exploration, from the view of a gay man in that time period to all the examples of female leadership. The places where reality and fantasy met each other were atmospheric and tense, making me want to read more so that by the time you get to the end, you certainly feel like you’ve been transported into the book.
My favorite parts were how the abstract themes tied into the characters themselves. This made sense in retrospect as The Bird King (title and everything) is a reference to the real Persian poem, The Conference of the Birds, by Attar of Nishapur. The poem is about how the birds of the world had no ruler and, led by the wisest the hoopoe, they go on a journey to find the legendary bird king, Simorgh, to lead them. I haven’t read the actual poem, but from what I gather, each bird represents a part of human nature, like possession or pride, and they each learn a lesson like in Aesop fables. I imagine that reading it would give me a whole other level of understanding. However, I feel like Wilson gives you more than enough history and explanation to make it unnecessary for enjoyment. As a gateway to a piece of renown Persian text, I love how much I’ve learned about Middle Eastern Mythology from just this book. It feels like such a powerful piece of fantasy.

Conclusion:
When I started reading The Bird King, I had no idea how BIG a book it really was. I’m glad I read it and plan to tuck it on my shelf with His Dark Materials and The Chronicles of Narnia. Like them, this is an excellent adventure with a lot of abstract ideas woven in. I really enjoyed The Bird King on so many levels. It sent my academic brain into a spin cycle. I really hope more people pick up this beautiful book and I can’t wait to read more G. Willow Wilson in the future!

The Bird King was a gorgeous, breath-taking read. While the story itself was slow-paced, I didn't mind and wanted to savor every word.

Fatima, a royal concubine, learns of a threat to one of her dearest friends, Hassan (who happens to be a gay mapmaker) and has them run away to save his life.

The story is intertwined with stories of a mythical bird king and flows beautifully into the narrative of Fatima and Hassan's quest for freedom.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

While it was a slower read, ultimately, than I had been expecting, that same strength in writing and the unexpected depth of thought given to the historical events, religious interactions, and cultures of the time period ultimately drew me in.

Fatima and her friend Hassan have built a quiet life for themselves in the circumstances they have found themselves in: she a concubine to the sultan and he a mapmaker. But Hassan is much more than your ordinary mapmaker and possess the incredible gift of not only drawing up intricate maps of the places he’s never been, but also, through these maps, interrupting the weave of reality itself. But when Hassan suddenly falls under the eyes of those who would see his gift as more of a threat than a blessing, he and Fatima must go on the run, seeking out a mystical island as their one port of harbor for a safe life going forward.

I haven’t read too many books set in this time period or within these combinations of cultures. The book is tackling a lot: the persecution under the Spanish Inquisition, the clashes between religious forces taking place in that time, plus a healthy dose of magic realism to differentiate it from a purely historical fiction work. But I think it is this last portion, the interweaving of the fantastical elements that really made this book sing for me. There are a lot of big ideas being tossed around throughout the story, but many of these are explored from a bit of an angle, with the author approaching them almost from the side, using fairytale-like elements to draw readers into a deceptively complicated, real-world issue. Metaphor and stylized writing are also used to great effect to, again, almost backwards-walk readers into topics that can get pretty dicey pretty quickly. Of course, I’m always going to love anything that reads like a fairytale, but I appreciate it all the more when an author is able to use this writing style to get at deeper topics that can often be challenging to get across.

I also very much liked the two main characters in Fatima and Hassan. At first, I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to feel about Fatima, but as the story progressed, I found myself becoming more and more invested in their platonic friendship and love. It’s a rare read to find a story that focuses on this type of strong relationship, one that isn’t based on romantic love (Hassan is gay, another factor that leads to his persecution), but that still highlights the extent to which each party will go for the other. The fact that they aren’t romantically involved never feels like it detracts from what they would do for each other, and, instead, in some ways it feels that their bond is even stronger by being freed from that element. It’s a unique relationship to see explored so thoroughly in this type of book.

I will say, however, that the story is pretty slow going. It takes quite a bit for them to even get started on their journey, and then once they do, it doesn’t speed up much. There’s a lot of travel, camping, small moments of action, and then more travel and camping. The writing was still captivating, which was enough to get me through these slower elements, but I can see how this could be off-putting to many readers, especially ones who may not be as interested in the greater themes being explored at the heart of the story. I do think more could have been done to tighten up this middle portion of the book, as the fact that it ultimately worked for me seems to speak more to my own preference than to the general quality of the story structure.

Overall, “The Bird King” was a surprisingly deep and satisfying read for me. There were, however, some stumbling blocks with the pacing and writing speed, which is what knocks it back a few points for me. It’s a lengthy story, and while it is trying to cover a lot of different things, I do think it could have been tightened up to increase its general appeal. If you like historical fiction blended with magical realism, especially dealing with a unique set of characters and a time period that isn’t often explored in this way, definitely give “The Bird King” a try. Just know that you might need to push through in the beginning before really getting to the good stuff.

Rating 7: A beautifully written story that covers a complicated time with two wonderful characters at its heart. Only lowered by being a bit too slow for my taste.

Willow has managed to weave a multi colored rich tapestry in beautiful jewel tones of ideas and characters in this fairy tale with [as usual] under tones of morality to make you think. The entrancing tale centers on a born slave girl turned concubine to the sultan by the name of Fatima and her very unusual best friend Hassain. Set in Spain right when the Spanish were taking areas back over from the Moors using Chrisitianity as their badge of merit. It is one of the darkest times of Europe in particular Spain with the onset of the so called Inquisition that murdered more people by torture than will ever be known.. They did this imo for the patriarchy and enslavement of peoples under the guise of Christianity mainly going after healers and cunning women with knowledge to hand down for greed as it allowed the theft of land and property as well as the attempted destruction of anything of cultural belif systems that would get in the way of their heavy handed new ideal of control. They payed dear for this afterward with the plagues created by the deaths of so many cats during that period that killed the rats. The hand of the church involved in this was brutal against anyone different and when ready to take over the sultans fortress there is the issue of handing it over to the Spanish but more their intent of purging it as well as all other areas under the guise of religion. Hassain has unique supernatural gifts on top of being gay which would be two strikes automatically against him either one that could be used as an excuse for torturous death. The sultan is forced to turn him over or else and thus starts a remarkable journey. I really loved this book and the beauty it evoked as well as the darkness and perseverance of justice versus dogma.

I am kind of bored reading fantasy books set in pseudo-European medieval setting. I've tried to diversity my reads (and authors) this year. So far, I've read 12 of non-pseudo Euro medieval setting out of the total 19 fantasy novels/novella/graphic novels. Yet, I feel I still need to challenge myself to read more of it.

G. Willow Wilson has dazzled me since I read Alif the Unseen. She scored high in everything I want: characters, plots, worldbuilding (!) and dialogues. The scores remain high with this book. The setting was Granada, during the last days of the sultanate in Spain, when Isabella and Ferdinand were close in completing the reconquista. It was lush, it was magical. We even got to meet some characters in Alif the Unseen, though this is not a prequel.

The main character was Fatima, a favored concubine of the sultan, who was a good example of a strong female character without having to know martial arts or swing a sword or even using the so-called feminine 'wiles'. Her assertiveness and resoluteness made me care. I adored her relationship with her gay best friend who's a magical cartographer, they loved each other but also capable in breaking each other's hearts. Who said such relationship only applies to cis characters?
Their tale of survival - seeking this mythical island of The Bird King - was fascinating, and I enjoyed each page till the very end, leaving me wanting more.

Thanks Netgalley and Grove Press for the opportunity to be immersed in this enchanting book.

Fatima lives an unusual life as a concubine to the sultan. While her body and decisions are not her own, she does live a life of privilege in the palace and has plenty of time to spend with her best friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker. Hassan is gay and Fatima is the only Circassian who lives in the palace, so they don't fit in with the rest of the court. They spend their free time exploring the world through the magic doors Hassan can draw onto his maps. When the Spanish Inquisition arrives at the palace, things change very quickly. The sultan is willing to make sacrifices to keep the peace, starting with his mapmaker who is seen as a sorcerer by the Inquisitors. Fatima and Hassan escape the palace, searching for a place where they will be safe and accepted.

The Bird King is unlike anything I have read before. The magic in this story is apparent on every page, but its true focus is the friendship between Fatima and Hassan. While both of them will have romance in this story, their relationship is the heart of this story. It's wonderful to read about friends and see how the two of them support and fail each other in new and dangerous circumstances. There is a push and pull throughout between a blind faith and the work of putting one foot in front of the other, between kindness at your own expense and the expectation of pain and betrayal.

Every few chapters, I could point out another place where the story could have diverted and revealed the history of a relationship or a certain kind of magic. But the 440 pages are devoted instead to Fatima and Hassan's search for a mythical island where they will finally be free from the Inquisition. Fatima is certain that with Hassan's gift for creating places and helping them to get there, they can reach the island they have read about and live under the protection of the Bird King.

When I knew the end of the story was coming, I found that I was sad that my time with Fatima, Hassan, and all of the other characters was coming to an end. Surely this is the mark of a well-told tale, but G. Willow Wilson can also take this as my suggestion that she write another book set in this world!

The Bird King
By G. Willow Wilson
Grove Press March 2019
440 pages
Read via Netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press for providing me a copy to review. This in no way affected my opinions in any way. 

TW: torture, attempted rape

In retrospect, I loved this book. It was witty, sensitive, historical, and full of faith. Wilson wrote a poetic story that allowed me to learn about the Spanish Inquisition and Alhambra while breaking stereotypes about what a woman should be. 

"You're always so angry," he said. "I don't understand. You have pretty clothes, entertainments, food when others go hungry. You have the love of a sultan. What else could you possibly want?"

"To be sultan."

Fatima is one of the best female characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. She is gentle to though who have less than her but she also isn't afraid to take what she needs or piss people off because they deserve it. Like the time that she pushed a serving plater with her feet to one of the members of the Inquisition, it was hilarious and he totally deserved it. Hassan was the perfect counterpart to her. He made up in the places that she was weak. Not to mention he has a really cool ability that allows him to make passages and places that don't exist. Because of this power, he is hunted by the Inquisition which is why he and Fatima go and on a quest to find the Bird King, a fantasy of their's since they were children. Side note: The story of the Bird King is an actual story called The Conference of the Birds. Oh, and did I mention that their relationship was completely platonic. Though in all seriousness, I wish that more books had this kind of deep platonic love. 

There were three other supporting characters and they helped to round out the story.

First, Luz is the antagonist of the story. She is a major figure of the Inquisition and all around religious fanatic. Though she is a terrible person, I loved the way Wilson wrote her. Luz and Margaery Tyrell would get along so well, as they both are devious women who know how to be sweet but at the same time can kill you while smiling. 

Vikram is Fatima's jinn friend and is the definition of eccentric. He can shapeshift. Also, he is the type of character that would say that he hates his fellow compatriots but on the inside really does love them. I wish that Wilson gave a bit more detail on how the jinn exist and the full extent of their powers. 

Then there is Gwennec, the monk that Fatima and Hassan, errr, kidnapped??? took as a stowaway?? when they were running from Luz. He doesn't have any super powers though he did bounce around in the story in a way that I was not expecting. 

Now the ending. *spoilers*

My biggest question is: How can everyone be the Bird King? To give you some context, Fatima and Hassan do find the island of the Bird King, thanks to Hassan and his abilities. Then when Fatima washes up on the island with Vikram, their jinn friend, where he tells her that she is the Bird King. At this point, I was pretty pissed because I was hoping for them to find like an actual bird (like Ivan and the Firebird). Then towards the end of the book, it is revealed that everyone is the Bird King and then I was super confused because what makes someone the Bird King? Can literally anyone be the Bird King? 

Then there is Luz. So this was when I kind of hit the wall in terms of being confused because all of a sudden Luz is on the island of the Bird King(s) and she has a LEVIATHAN.  I believe that she was washed up on shore after her ship capsized but it wasn't super clear. The Leviathan was apparently possessing her and making her think that she was speaking to God. Wilson doesn't really go into the whole bit with the leviathan which makes the story feel rushed. 

Oh and speaking of feeling rushed, there is a big battle at the end of the book with the Inquisition that I would really care for some context about. Also, again with the Leviathan, did it choose to help Fatima with the battle or did it go and escape and in turn leave a path of destruction that just happened to help Fatima. 

All in all, I loved this book until the ending. It felt rushed and took away from an overall beautiful book.

2.5 stars
This story is set in 1491 Grenada at the time of the Spanish Inquisition.
Fatima is the last concubine. Her friend Hassan is a mapmaker. Not a normal mapmaker, as his maps lead to Other places.
When Fatima learns that an Inquisitor has figured out Hassan's abilities, she knows they must flee or he will die.
This book was very slow. I liked Fatima and Hassan as characters, otherwise the rating would have been lower. This just wasn't for me.

What an inventive story! I really enjoyed the way the author used imaginative characterization to convey little nuances about the people, and the way that emotions are so vivid and strong - It really makes for a great reading experience! I would definitely recommend everyone read this book :)

I initially rated this 3.5 stars but as I write the review, I realized I don't have that much of a complaint.

The book is set in 1491 Granada and tells the story of Fatima who is a Circassian concubine. She fled from the palace along with her friend, Hassan, who could make magical maps. They were fleeing from the Spanish Inquisition that wanted Hassan dead because they see him as a sorcerer. Because of Hassan, this book just turned from a Historical fiction to Fantasy.

And I liked it.

Fatima is a compelling character. Sure, she can be annoying sometimes, but overall, I like her. And I absolutely loved her character arc. She really grew to become such a fierce woman. Same with Hassan. At first, both of them seemed to be too innocent to be on the outside world but they really made me get through the story even though it is very slow-paced.

And that's my main problem. The story is TOO slow-paced. I almost DNF this book but like I said, because of Hassan and Fatima, I kept going. I just hoped that the pace was faster. The writing is good though. Very good, actually. I love this writer's technique. I might try reading her other works. I just hope they're not as slow-paced as this.

And hopefully, all her books have like moral lessons such as this one. The lesson at the end is so GOOD.

Overall, I highly recommend this book, if you can ignore the pacing, I promise it's worth it. :) :)