This book was such a delight! Zohra Nabi’s writing is just beautiful: it’s so evocative and it flows so smoothly, and I loved being in the world she had created! It’s loosely Middle Eastern-inspired, and you can just *feel* the colours and flavours of it all!

The idea of a portal fantasy where our world is the alternative was so fun - almost a reverse-changeling type story - and I loved how it was Yara’s real-world campaigning experience that gave her the skills she needed to succeed in her home world!

Yara herself was my favourite kind of ‘I will do the right thing if it kills me’ kind of main character, and her determination and resourcefulness drew me in right away! The trio of friends she collects was also so charming, and I really appreciated the way they all balance each other’s impulses.

The story is propulsive and engrossing; one could argue that it’s a little rushed at the end, but I didn’t really mind it! The ending definitely does felt a bit inconclusive though - it definitely feels like it’s setting up for a sequel, though I can’t find any mention of one upcoming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.