Razorbill, 2016. 352 pages. Young Adult Romantasy
When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. Is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?
This was a great retelling of Aladdin, and I had my doubts considering it was billed as a YA romance. The romance was a part of the story, but not the main focus, and it built up so organically that it didn't seem forced in any way. The powerful, smart, flawed women in this work were a breath of fresh air, especially seeing them work together instead of tear each other down: a far cry from the typical fairy tale stereotype of a damsel in distress. Khoury strikes a good balance of familiarity from the original folktale and freshness of an original storyline with intricate and lavish descriptions. While I generally shy away from comparing retellings to their originals, I think it's safe to say I enjoyed this significantly more than the 1992 animated Aladdin (Sorry, Robin Williams. RIP).