Of not wanting to fall into another trap of servitude which preys on children, their naivety, their hope, and their love.

Her plan ends up going haywire when the mine collapses on four kids and her best friend, Faisal, turns out to be dead. However, one day, she gets too carried away while digging and ends up triggering a collapse in the mines, resulting in some of the child labourers, including her best friend Faisal, being declared dead.

I’m so glad that I decided to pick this one up, it was an absolute joy to read this brilliant story! Disclaimer: I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and this blog tour post.

Although Nura dismisses this offhand to begin with as the story progresses she quickly realises that actually education is important. But her experiences in the djinn realms made her think otherwise and I’m very sure everyone reading this book would be so proud of her once the reach the end.

And the Studio Ghibli comparisons are completely apt: I can absolutely see this as a fantastic animated film! This is a great fantasy tale by MT Khan with an important life message for all 9-13 year olds, and adults too. She currently resides in Toronto, Canada, with a hyperactive cat and an increasing selection of fantasy video games. I did feel like one part of the story with the character Dura was a little bit of an anticlimax given how something goes, but it was good and I really enjoy what happens in the end to everyone.