Twelve year old Nura works in a mica mine for long hours. She is determined to find a legendary treasure known as ‘The Demon’s Tongue’, and thus provide respite to her widowed mother and four younger siblings from the drudgery of poverty and struggle. 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. Nura is determined to save her friend, but in attempting this rescue, she lands up through a portal in the world of the jinn. Is Faisal here? Is the ‘Demon’s Tongue’ here? Can Nura save herself and her friend from the evil jinn? The atmosphere is cozy and daunting, colourful yet dark + explores family, faith, and fear (of jinn). It feels like the stories we all remember being told as a child... the same stories that linger and creep in our shadows as we get older. I am so, so excited for people to read this. Our young heroine Nura works hard in the mica mines to earn a little money, for a great deal of effort, to help support her family in this enthralling new fantasy series. Nura has heard tales all her life about the amazing Demon’s Tongue – a piece of mica that would make her so rich her family would never need to work again. She digs and digs, deeper and deeper, until her efforts contribute to a mine collapse in which her friend Faisal is missing.

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

But sometimes,” he sighs, ruffling my hair, “if you dig hard enough, you can find sparkles in the dirt, can’t you?”In a Nutshell: A children’s fantasy from the Indian subcontinent – what a welcome change and a novel experience! Disclaimer: I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and this blog tour post. Meticulous plotting and layered lore elevate Khan’s debut, while Nura and Faisal’s friendship grounds the high-stakes story about burgeoning labor consciousness."— Publishers Weekly, starred review 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! Little does she know that her efforts will lead her to another world, the realm of the jinn. Here she is met with wealth and splendour beyond her wildest dreams. But all that glitters is not gold and Nura learns that wealth and happiness do not necessarily come from the things she thought. When faced with a bleak reality, she realises too late what is important to her.

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan, Hardcover Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan, Hardcover

Nura struggles to protect her mother and younger siblings by working in the mines. When there's a cave-in, she pushes forward to rescue children and finds herself in a magical land. Nura is courageous, compassionate, and resourceful. She isn't afraid to face off against the queen. Alternatively, we suggest that you visit your local library and request to borrow a copy from a friendly librarian. A stunning debut.Khan weaves a uniquely magical tale taking the tropes of jinn and presenting them as tragic, selfish, and all together untrustworthy. Nura, despite her humble origin, rises up to take on all the illusions and deceits of the immortal mischief-makers, and through her trials Khan presents a powerful view of the world we live in, where injustice and subjugationof the poor and powerless is as cruel and destructive as anything a djinni could conjure up. A uniquely powerful tale."— Sarwat Chadda, author of City of the Plague God Review: It was amazing to read a book featuring Pakistani characters. 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. Growing up, we did not have the luxury to read about characters who we could relate to in terms of tradition and culture. So, I am lapping it all in now 🤣This is a stunning, colourful story, vividly created for the reader. The world of the jinn feels frantic, frenzied and dangerous to be part of. There are grotesque characters with uncontrollable emotions and no morals who keep children - human and jinn alike - to do all their bidding. Nura is a fabulous heroine; a determined young girl who undergoes her own transformation as she realizes the true priorities in life are not what you have but who you have in your life. From the very beginning, we are introduced to Nura as, first and foremost, an older sister. Eldest sisters occupy a very significant position in most ethnic groups, particularly Asians.(You ever hear that joke about eldest daughter in an Asian family syndrome? Yeah. It’s not really a joke.) Nura really typifies this stereotype. Not only is she loving and protective of her siblings and mother, she also extends her nurturing demeanor to Faisal and later on, to the rest of the children trapped with her in the Sijj Palace.

Nura and the Immortal Palace Kid’s Book Review: Nura and the Immortal Palace

the theme of poverty as a vicious cycle impressed me the most, especially how easily it's conveyed through a middle-grade story. rtc. It was a delight to adventure with Nura into the magical and luminous world of the jinn. -- Jasbinder Bilan * author of Asha and the Spirit Bird *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. The first two elements remain the same in this book but the rest transform into an experience closer to home: excitement for Eid; Islamic values; gulab jamuns, lehengas and jinn! I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to read a children's book with the protagonist drooling for gulab jamuns. The fact that this was set in a rural village in Pakistan made its freshness even more appealing. with mouthwatering foods and fascinating lore, M.T. Khan spins a magical story that is rich in themes of friendship, family, and hope. it’s incredibly imaginative, funny, heartwarming, and full of characters to root for. a magical and enthralling adventure rooted in muslim culture and tradition is just exactly what i need right now. nura & faisal my bffs forever! But there’s a dark truth lurking beneath all that glitter and gold, and when Nura crosses the owner’s son and is banished to the working quarters, she realizes she isn’t the only human who’s ended up in the hotel’s clutches. Faisal and the other missing children are there, too, and if Nura can’t find a way to help them all escape, they’ll be bound to work for the hotel forever. History repeats itself. Once again, we fall to chaos. But we'll rise again. And again. And once more."

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan - digital pack

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 With gorgeous, atmospheric writing, M.T. Khan tells a bold tale that challenges greed and inequality as the tough and clever Nura fights the odds from the mica mines of rural Pakistan to a realm of jinn and magic."— Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Widow and Zachary Ying series History repeats itself. Once again, we fall to chaos. But we’ll rise again. And again. And once more.” This line from the book really encapsulates the most central message of Nura and the Immortal Palace. It’s one that I take dearly to heart. 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 *A magical adventure rooted in Muslim culture and tradition, Nura and the Immortal Palace follows a young girl's journey from modern-day Pakistan into the world of the jinn. 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. Some day she's going to find the Demon's Tongue, a legendary treasure buried deep in the mines, and her family will never have to worry about money again. History repeats itself. Once again, we fall to chaos… but we’ll rise again. And again. An once more.” 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. Khan’s Nura and the Immortal Palace is rooted in Muslim culture and folklore. Khan is from Pakistan and now lives in Canada, where she is studying mechanical engineering. The book follows two children who work in a mica mine, and find themselves transported to a world of jinn.