Review – Mirage (Mirage, Book 1) by Somaiya Daud (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: August 28, 2018
ISBN-13: 978-1250126429
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Mirage series
Source: Owlcrate
Rating: 4/5 stars

“In a world dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated home.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty―and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.”

This is the first book in the Mirage series and was pretty standard YA sci-fi/fantasy fare. It’s beautifully written but the story itself isn’t all the unique. This is a science fiction story but the planet the story is set on has a very Middle Eastern feel to it.

The main heroine, Amani, is kidnapped because of her similarity in appearance to the Princess Maram and forced to become the princess’s double. Of course, then sparks fly between our heroine and the princess’s fiance’. Additionally Amani finds herself dealing with the rebels who would seek to overthrow Princess Maram and her father. It’s all very predictable.

The world building is interesting. The whole book is set in a sci-fi world, however it’s not built out very well beyond the immediate world where Amani lives. The story itself has a very typical YA fantasy feel to it. Lots of intrigue, rebellion, and romance.

I wasn’t all that pleased with the ending. The book ends on a cliffhanger and doesn’t really resolve anything. Again, I expected this but was a bit disappointed that my expectations were met here.

Overall this was a beautifully written book and I enjoyed the writing style, but the predictability of the story offset that some for me. I probably won’t continue with the series because my main reaction at the end was; “Huh, I thought that was what was going to happen…on to the next book.” This book is a YA novel that is very much focused on intrigue and romance in a setting that is lightly science fiction.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– New Release Reading Challenge
– Goodreads Reading Challenge