Sabrena Swept Away

Sabrena’s father has always claimed their family is descended from the legendary sailor Sinbad. But when the sea calls Sabrena to a whole new world, she’ll have to fight to claim her own story. From the author of the acclaimed A Bit of Earth, this reimagining of the classic characters from One Thousand and One Nights is perfect for fans of The Last Mapmaker and Mañanaland.

Any other story would begin with “once upon a time.” But Sabrena’s story is different. “Fulfilling all my worst fears,” her mother says, “you were born by the sea.” And it’s true that the sea has always seemed to call to Sabrena. Her father reminds her that they are, of course, descended from the legendary sailor Sinbad. So it’s basically qadr—fate—that Sabrena has an affinity toward the sea.

Even so, Sabrena has had a truly ordinary life: trying to be an exemplary daughter, meeting all of her parents’ high expectations. Despite, maybe, wanting something more interesting for herself. At least she can escape into the family’s favorite book—One Thousand and One Nights—and all the adventures and magic found there.

But one day, the sea’s call will not be denied. It sweeps her away to be fished out of an ocean both strange and oddly familiar. It only takes her a moment to realize that she’s in the stories spun by the legendary queen Scheherazade. Yet no one here has ever heard of Sinbad, a frightening jinn is terrorizing the kingdoms, and nothing seems to be going quite as it does in the stories.

Inspired by the classic One Thousand and One Nights, acclaimed author Karuna Riazi has crafted a tantalizing tale about fate, choice, and being torn between them both. Sabrena Swept Away is a thematically rich story that will resonate with fans of Christina Soontornvat’s The Last Mapmaker and Kiyash Monsef’s Once There Was.