The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

Amina al-Sirafi is a legend: as one of the Indian Ocean’s most infamous pirates, she has out battled and outlasted rogues, merchants, and even faced down (okay, also married) a demon. So settling into her home with her family, living the rest of her years in quiet, should have been the easiest thing to do. But legends last, and when a wealthy woman tracks Amina down to make an offer—recover a kidnapped child for an easy fortune—Amina decides that one last escapade with her crew and a fortune are worth coming out of retirement. Amina, however, discovers that there is a lot more to the girl’s disappearance than she has been told, and her quest involves scholarly texts, dangerous talismans, and power-seeking sorcerers. All told, the search for one last chance at glory could truly be her last. Chakraborty creates a world of high stakes and action, enhanced by its excellent representation of Southwest Asian and North African culture, as well as its challenge to gender roles.