Nura and the Immortal Palace

Product Information

In this follow-up to 2020’s The One and Only Bob, Ruby the elephant is still living at Wildworld Zoological Park and Sanctuary. I really liked how the Sijj palace mirrored our own world. I won’t get into spoilers so the only thing I will say is that a lot of the circumstances are very similar to our world. overall, it was incredibly entertaining. something is always happening and i’m always finding out new things about the realm. in nura and the immortal palace, the author emphasised on child labor and education. nura and the rest of the kids in the mica mines risk their lives everyday to earn a little bit so that they can provide extra for the family. because of this, they aren’t attending school and are exploited instead. Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan | Hachette Book Group Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan | Hachette Book Group

Nura is 12 years old and has worked all her life in the mica mines, hoping to someday find a legendary buried treasure: the Demon's Tongue. As a child, I was blessed with a loving family, a roof over my head,and access to education that could hone my mind. But once I realizednot every kid shared the same privileges, I started to wonder: what wouldan adventure from their perspective look like? That idea is at the heart ofNura and the Immortal Palace – a story about forgotten children, never seenand never represented, never the protagonists of their own stories. The characters were also adorable. Nura was a bit irritating at times, but it was exactly the kind of stubbornness and slight egotism that would be realistic for a 12-year old forced to take on too much responsibility too early, and I loved that she ultimately was driven by love and care for her family and friends. Her best friend Faisal was such a sweetheart too, and their bond was so precious! Nura is such a delightful voice to read through the book! I was impressed with how determined she was to earn for her family even if it meant grappling with the mica mining. And later on, I appreciated how she absorbed the lessons from different encounters, she always has her family as her priority. She’s a protective elder sister and daughter but also a caring friend.

When Nura digs too deep, or too carelessly, in the mica mines one day, the tunnels collapse and the children are horrifyingly trapped under mounds of dirt and stone. Nura's best friend, Faisal, is among them. Nura will not rest until she finds him but her search leads her through the tunnels and through the entry to another world altogether with a dazzling pink sea and violet sky. A world inhabited by jinn; creatures with fangs, horns, jagged nails and the ability to conjure up fireballs in their hands. Trapped in the grim workers' quarters of the luxury jinn hotel, Nura must face up to these twisted-hearted demons and her own inner demons to save herself and the many other stolen children she finds.

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan | Waterstones

The time and effort the author spent are directly reflected within the world. Throughout the world, there is Desi culture sprinkled in through the clothing, food, and childhood stories of the Jinn. It’s a celebration of M.T Khan’s culture and allows those who aren’t of the same to feel a connection to it. It creates a truly memorizing world for the reader to engross themselves in. I loved the role Islam played! Whenever Nura would feel helpless she always thought about her religion. Ayat al-Kursi was actually written in the novel and it made my day when I read it. It was a delight to adventure with Nura into the magical and luminous world of the jinn. -- Jasbinder Bilan * author of Asha and the Spirit Bird *History repeats itself. Once again, we fall to chaos. But we’ll rise again. And again. And once more.” This line from the book really encapsulates the most central message of Nura and the Immortal Palace. It’s one that I take dearly to heart.