Nura and the Immortal Palace

This is a story that combines the modern world of Mica mining in Pakistan with the mystical and magical world of the Jinn.  The heroine, Nura struggles to make a living working in the mines, in order to support her mother and brother.  She has no time for things such as education and can only envisage a life of danger and hard work.  When she digs too far into the mine one day, she sets off a rockfall, trapping her best friend Faisal and several other children.  In her attempt to rescue them she finds herself crossing into the realm of the Jinn, from which there seems to be little chance of escape.  What follows, tests her to the limit and helps her understand that she has an inner strength that will help her if she ever manages to return to the world she knows.

The author has given us a fantastic story based on the mythologies found in Islam and which emphasize the conflicts between good and evil.  She has also given us a window into the horrific work and living conditions suffered by the workers in the mines.  It is a reminder that across the world there are young people who’s only option seems to be working in these terrible environments.  In this story we see how Nura has to expand her knowledge of the world and to begin to understand that she does not need to be limited by her circumstances.  Her interaction with characters such as ‘the Craftsman’ shows her that you cannot judge people solely on their background and heritage and that there are good and bad to be found everywhere.  This is a story that is full of action and adventure and which features a really strong and feisty female lead; it is also a story about friendship, family and finding that working together is the way to make things happen.