This book is a perfect remedy for anyone who is suffering from Studio Ghibli withdrawal and needs to be immersed in a spectacularly detail-rich world immediately. personally, i wish the theme of education was tackled with more nuance and framed a bit differently (with the onus being more on government/structural failures rather than the protagonist's individual choice) but i understand that's unfair to expect from a short middle grade book. While she can act first, and think about the consequences afterwards, Nura is a middle grade heroine I would have loved as a child. Education is not an option for these kids, they spent their day in a struggle to collect the most mica to earn more. after the 3 days of eid celebration, if the kids still can’t escape this immortal palace, nura and the rest will find themselves stuck forever.

Most of the children’s books I have read in my childhood had some or all of the following: Magical adventures; Best friends and squabbling but sweet siblings; Excitement for Christmas; biblical values; cakes and pies; pretty dresses for parties; elves/gnomes. 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. My final thought when turning the last page is that I wish there’d been a book like this when I was younger. T. Khan—be it the food competitions, the glamour or the liveliness through which Nura is lured into the faux sense of security. It’s not often I see my religion or culture celebrated in a such a beautiful way so I recommend this to everyone.

I’ve said this before, and I will say it again, I am soo grateful to be living in an era where diversity is finally being given the importance it deserves. An enchanting portal fantasy full of hope but one that also brings to light the harsh realities of poverty that are present around the world. Despite being for a younger audience I found myself absolutely captivated by this adventure that not only transports you to a world rich in South Asian culture but also imparts significant commentary on child labour and the cycle of exploitation that many families face in the real world. Nura has worked all her life in the mica mines, earning just enough to keep her family afloat – and enjoy the odd delicious gulab jamun from the market. 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.

If you are under 16, please obtain your parent/guardian’s permission before submitting or ask your parent/guardian to submit on your behalf. Khan has done a brilliant job in capturing both her boldness and the naivety she has about the world and I really valued the subtler message on the importance of education that is brought into the narrative as we follow her on her journey in this story too. And the Studio Ghibli comparisons are completely apt: I can absolutely see this as a fantastic animated film! This is such a brilliant and interesting read which I couldn’t help but want to read when I saw the beautiful golden cover which expands on the next page (see photo). But once I saw the cover of Nura and the Immortal Palace and read the premise, I just knew that I needed to read this story.Jinns are essentially spirits and tricksters but as Nura finds out that not all jinns are scary and some are good. But sometimes,” he sighs, ruffling my hair, “if you dig hard enough, you can find sparkles in the dirt, can’t you? Nura’s family life at the start with her mother and brother and sisters is lovely to see, and her friendship with Faisal is one I really liked too.

The atmosphere is bright and colourful but the realistic undertones are not to be missed among the glitters. But when a terrible accident traps her best friend Faisal underground, she determines to save him - and crosses over into the magical and treacherous realm of the jinn. The author doesn’t take her little readers for granted nor does she spoonfeed them – that’s for sure. because of her actions, the mine collapsed, her friends buried under, going missing and landing up at the jinn hotel. Nura and her friend Faisal put up with the physical danger and exhaustion of the mica mine as their brothers and sisters need what they can provide to avoid going hungry.

T. Khan whisks her readers to the dark and magical world of a luxury Jinn hotel in a cinematic and captivating way. Nura is determined to find a special treasure known as the Demon’s Tongue which is rumoured to be hidden in the mines. 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.

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. Of not wanting to fall into another trap of servitude which preys on children, their naivety, their hope, and their love. Her motives and the importance she places on materialism are questioned directly causing her to rethink her previous ideals when problems start to confront her. It’s a compelling read and interesting with how colourful and amazing the jinn world seems at first, and it’s a story I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading again. Nura and the Immortal Palace is magical, atmospheric and fun - whilst never losing sight of its important themes of child poverty and exploitation.The Sijj Palace sounded absolutely fascinating because although it was full of jinn it was colourful, bright and full of so many possibilities. I wish I had this book growing up, because this is exactly the kind of magical read that fuels imaginations. 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. From revolting against going to school to acknowledging the benefits of being a capable literate, Nura’s growth arc develops subtly but strongly.