Title: The Balloon Thief
Author: Aneesa Marufu
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Chicken House Books
Pages: 400
Release Date: 3 March 2022
Today I’m sharing my review for Aneesa Marufu’s stunning debut, The Balloon Thief a spellbinding YA fantasy about friendship, forbidden magic, stolen hot air balloons and one girls’ choice to seek her own destiny.
By now you‘re probably already familiar with this lovely book’s title as I’ve mentioned it a twice before (Must Read Debuts of 2022 and 16 Must Read Books of March 2022) so was super excited when I got to read an early copy and found myself swept into a dangerously thrilling world of magic, peri and jinn I never wanted to leave.
Synopsis
Burn the flame. Seek the night.
For Khadija, the only escape from her father’s arranged betrothal is the sky.
When she spots a rogue hot air balloon fighting against its ropes, she leaps at the chance for adventure. Khadija soon finds an unlikely ally in a poor glassmaker’s apprentice, Jacob.
But Jacob is a hāri, and Khadija a Ghadaean. The hāri are oppressed and restless – their infamous terrorist group, the Hāreef, have a new fearsome leader. And the ruling Ghadaeans are brutal in their repression.
Soon, a deadly revolution threatens their friendship and their world. The Hāreef use forbidden magic, summoning jinn – wicked spirits made of fire – to enact their revenge, forcing Jacob and Khadija to choose what kind of a world they want to save …
Review
An absolutely stunning debut that I literally devoured—I was utterly immersed in the dazzlingly worldbuilding with lush and colourful detail (I loved the descriptions of Qasrah and Intalyabad.) But, Aneesa Marufu also doesn’t shy away from heavier themes such as racism, misogyny and extremism which, though emotionally evocative (especially in regards to many of the characters’ personal experiences), still manages to keep the tone rather uplifting.
The characters were all expertly written, and full of complexity and depth that I found fascinating. Khadija was a phenomenal protagonist and her journey into finding her place in the world,realising the privilege she held and using it to help make the world better for everyone was absolutely inspiring. As were the backstories for Anam and Darian who were also really well crafted and evocative.
Using grief to connect so many of the characters we encounter was really thought provoking; seeing the various methods each character devised to cope—and how it changed, motivated or influenced their actions (and in some cases moral reasoning.)
I also enjoyed how the initial perceptions Khadija and Jacob have about one another are slowly disproven, as they get to know one another and realise their similarities far outweigh their differences. It’s an inspiring message about not judging people based on generalisations or stereotypes that is certain to encourage many young (and old) readers to challenge their own personal biases—and choose to spread love and kindness instead of hatred and division.
Overall, The Balloon Thief is a beautifully written YA fantasy that seamlessly weaves social commentary, islamic folklore and gorgeous imagery into a thought provoking and spellbindingly riveting tale, that fans of Majorie Blackman and Hafsah Faisal are bound to enjoy.
Also, thank you to Nina Douglas and Chicken House Books for the digital arc.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
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