Story: 6.5 / 10
Characters: 7
Setting: 8.5
Prose: 6.5

I learned a substantial amount about Islamic culture from this book. Compare this to a piece of literary fiction, which will predominantly focus on cultural exploration without a plot and you'll understand why Alif the Unseen is so unique.

Nevertheless, I had generally mixed feelings about the book. Very slow start, picking up only when the urban fantasy elements were introduced. Note also that this is a different type of fantasy novel, opposed to traditional Tolkien worlds, making it more interesting than most other books in this same genre. Not recommending it, but not warning others away from it either. ( )

This book had its problems, especially with the women characters. Some of those are highlighted well here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/758951337

As an Arabic speaker, I enjoyed reading the English translations of Arabic phrases. Whenever someone said, "My eyes," when asked a favor always got me. And "alhamdulillah," every time someone was asked how they were doing... I enjoyed that part a lot.

It took me a long time to put together the cover art with the story. Not the circuitry among the calligraphy (Molly pointed that out to me), but on the back, there's a hand that wards off the evil eye. Just made me think of The Hand that fought Alif. Interesting.

Minor spoiler: I wish she hadn't used Alif's given name, Mohammad. It was a funny quirk throughout the book to avoid saying his name, like the convert's.

I lived in Egypt a while back, and it was nostalgic to see the similarities between The City's culture and Egyptian culture. I also wondered if The City was Medina... Maybe so, maybe not.

The story was enough to keep me coming back and wanting to finish. Supernatural Arab story... I haven't read too many of those outside of Alf Layla wa Layla.

A fun story marred by a few problems. ( )

Alif the Unseen is something truly unique -- an urban fantasy spin on djinns and the Arabian Nights from a Muslim author, set in the the modern Middle East/Arab world. It sits on the edge between the genres of urban fantasy and cyberpunk in a delightful way, with computer code invoking imagery of the worlds of djinn and fantastical creatures. Like good speculative fiction, Wilson uses the speculative elements to cast a light on aspects of "real life" in the modern world, namely surveillance and suppression of the populace as the true scourge of the Arab world, oppressive to both the religious and the secular.

In the praise column here is also Wilson's beautiful, nuanced, discussion of religion, belief and faith. She contrasts the beliefs of several characters who do and don't believe in religion and/or djinn to various degrees of literalism. This exploration is fascinating. Many of the ideas, such as how to believe in the fantastic are generalizable across religions. It also was fascinating as a discourse on Islam.

Usually, any truly unique book on my shelf gets four stars, and this is truly unique and well-done. However, there is a major drawback that I would feel remise if I didn't address, which is the female characters. I know that Wilson is much believed for her work on the Miss Marvel series, which I had not read. However, there is not a shred of evidence of feminism in this book. The female characters have no agency at all and exist largely to be sexualized/romanticized by the male characters who do have agency. No book needs to be perfect in every respect, but the extent to which female characters exist only for male gaze here is beyond just failing the Bechdel test and borders on disturbing. ( )

Revolution, Love, Religion, Hackers, & Jinn. All the right ingredients for a contemporary look at life in an unnamed middle eastern city.
This novel is fantastically written and accessible for all readers, not just those well informed in current events.
G. Willow Wilson takes you on a whirlwind adventure of a young hacker embroiled in more than just his secluded computer life.
Alif's world is wonderfully described, from the dictatorial society to the invisible city of the Jinn. We see the beauty and also "the desperate, fearful, and claustrophobic conditions in which the citizens of the city live." -RR
The first time I read it I was taken in by the thrill of the chase, the second time I was able to appreciate the details more. ( )

I love this book. With the excitement of intrigue, the imagination of sci-fi, Wilson has woven a fabulous story. This is a page turner. ( )