The Adventures of Amina Al-SirafiThe Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
What it's about
Amina al-Sirafi was once a notorious pirate captain of the Indian Ocean. Now she's retired, raising her daughter in peace. Then the rich, ruthless grandmother of a former crewmate offers her a fortune to rescue the kidnapped granddaughter, and Amina gathers her old crew for one last voyage, full of sorcerers, sea monsters and a treasure that could cost her soul.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Hugo finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a swashbuckling, funny fantasy with a middle-aged heroine, inspired by medieval Arab and Indian Ocean stories.
You'll love it if you liked
The Tainted Cup
Babel
The HobbitGood to know
Amina narrates, with occasional notes from the scribe recording her story. It's the first of a planned trilogy.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller39 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz51 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #74 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #105 of the 481 new books we rank
- #589 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
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Quick answers
Is The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi worth reading?
Yes. It was a Hugo finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #589 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi about?
Amina al-Sirafi was once a notorious pirate captain of the Indian Ocean. Now she's retired, raising her daughter in peace. Then the rich, ruthless grandmother of a former crewmate offers her a fortune to rescue the kidnapped granddaughter, and Amina gathers her old crew for one last voyage, full of sorcerers, sea monsters and a treasure that could cost her soul.
How long does it take to read The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi?
About 12 hours (496 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi?
If you liked it, try The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, Babel by R. F. Kuang or The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien.