altlovesbooks
Certainly different than what I was expecting from the title/description. Not in a bad way, I don't think, but anyone picking this up and expecting a djinn in the story may be disappointed at how historical fiction-y it is.
A great mansion sits on the coast of South Africa. Sana and her father are tenants in this mansion, currently subdivided awkwardly into different apartments and occupied by a colorful cast of characters. We get to know these neighbors well, as Sana gets used to her new surroundings and starts exploring the unused parts of the mansion. The East Wing is where she finds discarded furniture, a locked door, and a mystery to unravel about the history of the house surrounding Meena. Meena was a lover and second wife of the previous owner of the house, and we're introduced to her tragic story, and the story of the house, through Sana's investigations.
Right off the bat, there is a djinn in this book, but the djinn is just a...idk...unseen being witnessing what's going on with Sana and Meena. We don't get the djinn as a viewpoint exactly, and neither Sana nor Meena ever know it's there, but we get its impressions, and those of the house, occasionally. It's unique, the djinn is clearly upset by what has happened and what is happening, but can't do anything about it. The book itself is more of a family drama or historical fiction than it is a fantasy/magical realism book.
I thought Sana's viewpoint in present day South Africa wasn't quite as compelling as Meena's, but we needed Sana's sleuthing to understand Meena's story and its ramifications. Sana's neighbors are all a bit crazy in their own way, and we get to know them too alongside the story of the house. Meena's story is tragic (but kind of predictable), but anyone looking for justice in what happens to her may not enjoy the ending. But maybe that was sort of the point.
I did love the writing of this book, it was very lyrical, very compelling, very descriptive. I wanted to keep reading to figure out the story of the house and its inhabitants. Just, in short, an unexpectedly enjoyable historical fiction, despite the lack of a djinn.
Certainly different than what I was expecting from the title/description. Not in a bad way, I don't think, but anyone picking this up and expecting a djinn in the story may be disappointed at how historical fiction-y it is.
A great mansion sits on the coast of South Africa. Sana and her father are tenants in this mansion, currently subdivided awkwardly into different apartments and occupied by a colorful cast of characters. We get to know these neighbors well, as Sana gets used to her new surroundings and starts exploring the unused parts of the mansion. The East Wing is where she finds discarded furniture, a locked door, and a mystery to unravel about the history of the house surrounding Meena. Meena was a lover and second wife of the previous owner of the house, and we're introduced to her tragic story, and the story of the house, through Sana's investigations.
Right off the bat, there is a djinn in this book, but the djinn is just a...idk...unseen being witnessing what's going on with Sana and Meena. We don't get the djinn as a viewpoint exactly, and neither Sana nor Meena ever know it's there, but we get its impressions, and those of the house, occasionally. It's unique, the djinn is clearly upset by what has happened and what is happening, but can't do anything about it. The book itself is more of a family drama or historical fiction than it is a fantasy/magical realism book.
I thought Sana's viewpoint in present day South Africa wasn't quite as compelling as Meena's, but we needed Sana's sleuthing to understand Meena's story and its ramifications. Sana's neighbors are all a bit crazy in their own way, and we get to know them too alongside the story of the house. Meena's story is tragic (but kind of predictable), but anyone looking for justice in what happens to her may not enjoy the ending. But maybe that was sort of the point.
I did love the writing of this book, it was very lyrical, very compelling, very descriptive. I wanted to keep reading to figure out the story of the house and its inhabitants. Just, in short, an unexpectedly enjoyable historical fiction, despite the lack of a djinn.