This novel begins as a historical novel but before you know it you are in the middle of a fantasy story. But it is not fantasy fantasy but the mythical elements of the Arab, Jewish and Christian traditions of the era the story is set in. I will come back to that later. Let me start with giving you a glimpse of the novel.

Fatima is the concubine of the sultan of Ibero-Arab Granada. The Muslims conquered what is now Spain in the 8th century but in the 15th century the combined Christian kingdoms are on the verge of even conquering the last Muslim town on the peninsula. This ere is called the Reconquista (re- conquering). It is just before Columbus will go and discover America. It is also the time that the Catholic church was very harsh against everybody who seemed not to believe mainstream Catholicism and its secret police and judges, the Inquisition, persecuted those people.

Fatima is 18 years old and born and raised in the harem of the palace. A very silent harem as it contains only the Sultan's family and her because due to the siege everyone else is evacuated to /fled to Morocco. Her best friend since early childhood is Hassan the cartographer. They are allowed to fraternise because everyone knows he is a homosexual (and pretends not to know). When a Spanish emissary enters the harem lonely Fatima longs to be her friend

At the beginning Fatima is still a very naive girl. She has never left the palace and knows nothing about the world behind the walls. One can notice it because she does not realise that her mistress, the sultan-mother, does love her. The sultan is a very handsome man who is kind to her (she is even allowed to call him by his given name and not his title during orgasm - oh my) but who only sees her as an object to have sex with. When he takes her to his bed when she is 15 she blurts out she loves him and he just laughs. However during the last days of the siege there grows a deeper connection between them. Fatima realises that she could have loved him very much if he only had allowed her the freedom to initiate or refuse her affection instead of deciding when he wanted it. When she then embraces him in reflex, for the first time he allows her to take the lead and they start to make love. Only to be interrupted by a messenger.

When Fatima realises her friend Hassan is in mortal danger she runs off to save him and they have to leave all that is familiar behind.

Like I said there are a lot of mythical elements in this novel what makes it a fantasy story. Some I did recognise with my Christian background like the splinter in the eye and the Leviathan and I know what Arab jinns are supposed to be but that was it. A lot of the other things were a complete mystery to me and I only found out about their origin when I googled myself silly after I finished the book and I wondered if there was more to it then I thought. I did not know that the story Fatima and Hassan tell each other "the conference of the birds" is a Persian poem in which all kind of birds who represent human flaws go to look for the king of the birds. Nor did I know that the legend of the Christian bishops fleeing before the Muslim invaders to the island Antillia was a story told in the 15th century and maybe found its origin in pre-Columbian discoveries of America. I am sure I still missed other references. Like the bones and the boot? That what is regarded Satan in myths?

Exactly that fact that some legends are a bit familiar made me wonder while I was reading the novel what it was really about. Hence the Google session afterwards. Those who have read Umberto Eco "The Island of the Day Before" might recognise that feeling. I also wondered if like the play by Jean-Paul Sartre the people were really in hell or a kind of afterlife.

Like Umberto Eco books some parts of this novel is a bit slow. But the prose is beautiful. This rang a bell with me as an immigration lawyer: "The real struggle on this earth is not between those who want peace and those who want war. It's between those who want peace and those who want justice. If justice is what you want, then you may often be right, but you will rarely be happy."

I would recommend the writer to write a short introduction to the book explaining the historical setting. I can imagine some of the American readers not even knowing where Spain is let alone Granada (saw a reviewer here write Morocco). And explain that the Inquisition is not the Reconquista (another thing I see here mixed by the reviewers) And maybe a kind of Afterword (what is the proper word in English for that?) explaining the origins of the mythical elements in the book. Because I see a lot of the reviewers on NetGalley get lost and also underestimate the complexity of the story.

The novel will be published in March 2019. I received an ARC from Netgalley providing I would write an honest review.

I had a funny experience with this one. I requested a review copy shortly after it appeared on NetGalley and was promptly rejected. I requested it because I had read ALIF THE UNSEEN and found it passable. It was no masterpiece but I read it to the end and enjoyed the premise and plot enough to remember that I liked it (even though I couldn't tell you today what it was about). I enjoy genie stories but they don't always work out and that's OK.

When THE BIRD KING review copy was suddenly approved a month after it was rejected, I was mildly surprised but figured I had a chance to give it a go. I didn't just get the stock NetGalley approval email - I got a long, oblique email from the publisher about reviewer responsibilities and whatnot, which I couldn't make it through it was so obtuse and unnecessary. I mean, we all know why we're here.

So, after all that, the book itself is poorly plotted and poorly written. I didn't like it but maybe someone will. Perhaps younger, inexperienced readers who want to read a ready-made fantasy? I understand Wilson also writes comics so she ought to know how to proceed with a story like this. That leaves me surprised at the result but maybe it's just me.

3 stars for "Average", since 2 stars feels mean.

I enjoyed the idea of this story but the execution was terrible. I spent the majority of the book not understanding what was real and what was not and quite frankly, I rarely understood what was going on period. It seems like a historical fiction but really it’s more of a fairy tale of sorts. I liked Fatima but I never understood why everyone called her selfish so much when she was just doing what she was told and then trying to save people? Her relationship with Hassan was extremely bizarre and I didn’t understand a lot of the tension the author created.

What an absolutely beautiful book, not only is the cover stunning but the story itself is as visually stunning as its exterior. From the exotic setting in Morocco to the fabled shores of the isle of Avalon the story is told in such splendid detail you can’t help being swept along throughout.

The characters are as colourful as their surroundings weaving together humans and mythical creatures alike all culminating in the quest to find the fabled Bird King.

I loved this book to the point I’m struggling to review it without spoilers and to do the story justice. If you enjoyed books such as Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers or Katherine Arden’s The Bear and The Nightingale then you won’t want to miss this one.

The Bird King will be published in the UK on March 12 2019 and can be pre-ordered now

A proper review to follow!

Thank you to G. Willow Wilson, the publishers Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I might have to wait for the finished copy to arrive. I had some difficulty with some words and that may be cause I don’t know the historical context of this time period. I will do my research so that I can be able to fully understand and enjoy the story.

I did enjoy what I was reading though and would like to continue on with it.

"I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC in return of an honest review."
I am at a loss of words.

This is the kind of writing that deserves all the awards in the world. There were so many lines and passages that made me stop and just soak the words in. I was awed by the details and nuances of the writing. The research that went into this must be applauded.

Before I go into the story, I'd like to take some time to commend the author for giving us a glimpse of what the Islamic empires were indeed like back in the day. There's a lot of misconception about Islam in the present time. And a lot of that is owed to the fact that it's linked with all things conservative and unprogressive, in many spheres. But back in the days, the Islamic empires were known for their richness in cultures and tolerance, be it in the Middle east, West or the Indian Sub-continent. I could go into details about how Muslims at large were far more progressive and accepting back then than they are now, but this is not the post for that. I'd just like to applaud Wilson for showcasing a culture the details of which have faded over time.

I was overcome with sadness as I read through the beginning. We start with an empire that is about to be lost. Thinking of the realness and the actuality of that part of the story made me melancholic as reading about history generally does. After all, there's always someone that loses in history. Never a happy thing to read about.

"Let me tell you something important. The real struggle on this earth is not between those who want peace and those who want war. It's between those who want peace and those who want justice. If justice is what you want, then you may often be right, but you will rarely be happy."

I love that although this book is a high fantasy, the backdrop is a real historical event. It makes me appreciate the nuances even more. The author blends historical fiction with high magical fantasy in an effortless manner.

There is a wonderful cast of characters each of which had richly stood on its own. But it was Fatima and Hassan who were the heart of the book.

Fatima is a not a character made of goodness. She's selfish and spoiled. There's vanity in her. But what I loved about her were her vulnerabilities. Beneath it all, she is a character that just wanted to be loved. The concept of consent that played out in her mind was beautiful to see. The part where she says that she would have perhaps fallen in loved the Sultan if she could have the freedom to initiate her affection, spoke volumes.

"Yes, you were taught to waste your anger. It's convenient for girls to be angry about nothing. Girls who are angry about something are dangerous. If you want to live, you must learn to use your anger for your own benefit, not the benefit of those who would turn it against you."

Hassan is the palace mapmaker. From the very first scene, I felt so much affection and adoration for him. He had this naivete that was unexpected. His and Fatima's friendship is EVERYTHING. And the author rightfully explores it compellingly.

Theirs is a love story without any romance. The love these two have for each other is complex and inexplicable. Fatima feels the closest to him because he is the only one who doesn't desire her. He's the sodomite between the two, but he's also the one with more faith than Fatima. They have a complicated relationship because there is jealousy and bitterness along with affection and love with no happy resolution in sight. This book is the journey of these two to make a story for themselves, for once, that's not made up.

"What if our stories are like my maps? What is a story but the map of an idea?"

This was a fantasy story but that was by no means the main focus of the book. Amidst all the actions and adventure, the themes that play out are characters' search for love, happiness and freedom. The character growth and evolution that we witness is the real winner for me.

"Happiness, she decided, came only in pauses, neither regularly nor predictably."

The writer excels in world-building and is outstanding in her prose. Because of that, the pace might feel uneven at places, but I didn't mind it. The ending was bittersweet and I kinda ended up wanting more. But I guess this isn't a book that can be tied neatly with a bow. The feelings it invoked me deserve as many stars as I can give it.

Highly recommended!

People often seem to call the latest book a “lush fantasy”, but until now it just seemed cliche. The Bird King, however, is another thing altogether.

Fatima is the last sultan’s concubine in a kingdom falling down to the Spanish Inquisition. When she discovers her friend Hassan is in danger for his ability to create paths and places by drawing maps, Fatima runs away with him and a clever jinn.

The world-building in this book is incredible. It is realistic enough that for much of the tale you forget you’re actually reading fantasy — until a jinn comes along, of course.

The characters are relatable and diverse; the book in general is refreshingly open-minded. There is no 'woe is me' attitude from Fatima while she's not free and I found her attitude towards being a concubine quite educational, as well as the entire palace's attitude towards Hassan's map-making and sexuality in this time of history.

The only reason I gave it four instead of five stars is because I would have preferred more action - so much space was taken up with character-building and world-building that it became a bit heavy from a third through the book.

--Shorter form of review also published in October edition of Style Magazine Toowoomba.--

With nuanced prose, multilayered characters, and a colorful world; The Bird King is full of delicious twists. I devoured it in a day. I recommend this for fans of historical fantasy, G. Willow Wilson is a masterful writer. She has created a phenomenon of a book.

This novel is a mix of both historical fiction and magical realism, two great genres that the author manages to seamlessly blend together.

It took me a few chapters to really get into this book but once i did i could not put it down! The pacing of this story is fantastic and the imagery was mesmerizing.
There is a beautifully diverse cast of characters and I really enjoyed reading about the friendship between Fatima and Hassan, it was poignant and explored nicely.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for an evocative, captivating story. This book left me wanted to read more of G Willow Wilson's works and i can't wait to do so!

I received this galley from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This story starts with Fatima, who is a slave in the harem of the sultan of Granada during the Spanish Inquisition. Her only real friend is Hassan, the royal mapmaker. Hassan has a gift, he can make maps of places he has never been and make small changes to places that are nearby if he draws it.
Granada is losing the war with Spain and has sent people to negotiate surrender. One of the terms of surrender is that they turn Hassan over to the Inquisition for being a sorcerer. Fatima finds out and tries to help him escape. They are helped in their escape by Vikram, the Jinn. They have adventures and meet other interesting people and beings.
I felt the story started a little slow, but if you are patient, you will be rewarded by a very imaginative story that you won't want to put down. The characters are well thought out and believable. The imagery is beautiful.

Fatima is the last concubine in a kingdom quickly falling to the Spanish Inquisition. Her best friend Hassan has magical powers to create and edit maps, and when inquisitors label him a sorcerer and threaten his life, they run away together, beginning an epic adventure across land and sea in search of the island of The Bird King.

I really enjoyed this novel. It reads like a grown-up YA or even J-level adventure along the lines of The Glass Sentence, one of my very favorite novels (and series). The plot moves quickly and the characters are diverse and entirely believable, so I was hooked from the very beginning. This is a book I'll buy so I can reread every so often. It's really that good.

(The Bird King hasn't been released yet. I got a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review, though that had absolutely no bearing on my opinion of the book. Y'all know me better than that.)