The two things that I appreciated on a more personal level with this book though were the big sister figure that Nura embodied because as an eldest child myself I saw my younger self in her, and also the depiction of day to day life in a Muslim community. From the prep and excitement for Eid, to the jinn stories told by families and the mention of stories from the Quran and praying Ayat al-Kursi for protection, it just warmed my heart seeing such wholesome representation. Child Poverty is an underlying theme of the book, and the Author’s note in the book touches on that. The story was so beautiful and sad at the time. I wasn't expecting a middle grade to touch on so many sensitive and important topics. This book advocates the importance of education at every chance it gets along with the opposition to child labor. The world-building of the palace was magical and can easily transport a reader, on the other hand, the way Meera bagh was portrayed transported me to a calm and small village in Pakistan. It made me think that sometimes simple is enough if done brilliantly. Nura and the Immortal Palace is about Nura who is after a fabled treasure buried in the mine to help support her family experiencing financial troubles. Her plan ends up going haywire when the mine collapses on four kids and her best friend, Faisal, turns out to be dead. Nura doesn’t believe this and shovels through the dirt to find him. While digging, she ends up in the world of the Jinn and is invited to their luxury hotel. But this world hides more than meets the eye and hides much darker forces at stake.

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M.T. Khan | Goodreads

Nura and the Immortal Palace is a middle grade fantasy set in a rural town in Pakistan. The book follows our protagonist, Nura, who works in the mica mines to help provide for her family. Her life changes one day, when the mines collapse and four children, including her best friend Faisal are said to be dead. And it was all her fault. Reluctant to believe that her best friend is now dead, she digs deeper in hopes of finding him, but instead discovers a magical real home to the djinn. Author MT Khan takes us on a magical journey through the contrasting worlds of a mica miner to the bountiful world of the jinn palace. Her main character clearly wants what she can't have and her journey to claim it is fraught with problems for her to overcome, until ultimately, she discovers that what she needs is not what she thought that she wanted. As a child, I was blessed with a loving family, a roof over my head,and access to education that could hone my mind. But once I realizednot every kid shared the same privileges, I started to wonder: what wouldan adventure from their perspective look like? That idea is at the heart ofNura and the Immortal Palace – a story about forgotten children, never seenand never represented, never the protagonists of their own stories. All in all, a fabulous magical adventure with ‘desi’ vibes and an important message as well. Definitely a yes. I’d love to read more books by this young Pakistani author. You’ve earned yourself a fan in India. 💕

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I'm glad I decided to make this one of my API Heritage Month 2022 reads. Can't wait for this to come out so I can get myself a finished copy! My thanks to Walker Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Nura and the Immortal Palace”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. But sometimes,” he sighs, ruffling my hair, “if you dig hard enough, you can find sparkles in the dirt, can’t you?” But sometimes,” he sighs, ruffling my hair, “if you dig hard enough, you can find sparkles in the dirt, can’t you?“ overall, it was incredibly entertaining. something is always happening and i’m always finding out new things about the realm. in nura and the immortal palace, the author emphasised on child labor and education. nura and the rest of the kids in the mica mines risk their lives everyday to earn a little bit so that they can provide extra for the family. because of this, they aren’t attending school and are exploited instead.

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan | Waterstones

Sparkling with magic, Nura whisks you from the mica mines of Pakistan to the dreamy and dangerous realm of the Jinn. A twisty, atmospheric tale with a fierce protagonist, whose voice lingered in my mind long after I'd finished reading. -- Jennifer Bell - author of Wonderscape Disclaimer: I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and this blog tour post. Beginning with immediate action, Nura and the Immortal Palace is sure to sweep readers off their feet. It balances adventures and riddles to be solved with real conversations about child labor and about poverty. Of not wanting to fall into another trap of servitude which preys on children, their naivety, their hope, and their love. At the same time, Nura and the Immortal Palace examines generalizations. How we can believe we know everything there is about people and really know nothing at all.Nura is exactly the kind of fiercely protective eldest sister main character that I adore soooo much Then a terrible accident in the mine buries her best friend below ground. Desperate to save him, Nura digs too deep and passes over into the magical and terrible world of the jinn. Across a pink sea and under a purple sky, she finds her way to a palace, where great riches and a whole new life are on offer. Aru Shah and the End of Time meets Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away in this mesmerizing portal fantasy that takes readers into the little-known world of Jinn. The emphasis on the cycle of exploitation and how the wealthy pit the powerless against each other so they won't realize the effectivity of banding together and rising up against their oppressors Nura wants what she can't have: money, wealth and power. Her days are long and difficult, mining for mica; it's a dirty and dangerous job but she does it to help her mum, to bring some extra money into the family, to help give her younger siblings a little extra. But what she really wants is to find The Demon's Tongue. Some say it's a myth, but for Nura and the other child miners, it's the ultimate goal: if they find it, they will want for nothing for the rest of their lives. But Nura takes too many risks and when her digging causes a mine to collapse and her best friend to get trapped, Nura takes it upon herself to save him.