Forget what you know about Jinn because this is a modern twist of a tale about Jinn & the magic surrounding this mythical entity.
Title: Becoming Jinn
Author: Lori Goldstein
Genres: Fantasy > Paranormal > Mythology – Jinn
Read Format: Kindle Edition
Total Pages: 843
Reading Date: 04th October 2024 – 11th October 2024
The reading order – How to Read Becoming Jinn Series by Lori Goldstein
- 0.5 The Genius of Jinn
- 1 Becoming Jinn
- 2 Circle of Jinn
The Genius of Jinn
Thirteen-year-old Azra and her nemesis Yasmin are whisked away to a mysterious land with a special language, awe-inspiring architecture, and quirky France.
As the enchanting French Jinn Tayma guides them through the streets of Paris, they discover not only a book of spells, but a truth neither of them is prepared that in their inevitable transition to becoming Jinn, their shared genie ancestry may just make them stronger together than they are apart.
My thoughts…
I haven’t yet read the first book, Becoming Jinn, but I’ve completed the short story, Genius of Jinn. To be honest, I felt a bit confused at the start with all the character introductions; it was difficult to keep track of their names.
Nevertheless, I took note of their little adventure in Paris involving teleportation, the talk about the Afrit council, the usage of the talisman, and spell book, the importance of the sisterhood, and the state of the relationship between Azra and Yasmin when they were thirteen.
I think I’ll have a better understanding once I start reading the first book and appreciate the significance of the story I’ve just read.
Becoming Jinn
Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!
Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.
To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.
Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters”, Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.
My thoughts…
By the conclusion of the story in this first book, I am still puzzled about the purpose of the short story, the Genius of Jinn. There is no reference to what transpired thirteen years ago in this first book, leaving me questioning why bother.
Regarding this first book, while I would like to claim that the story is one-of-a-kind, I also find it rather dull. This mainly stems from the fact that a large part of the plot focuses on Azra’s difficulty in connecting with her Zar sisters, her internal conflict over her best friend’s death, and her reluctance to embrace the power she possesses.
The more interesting moments are when Azra grants wishes and the idea of resisting the Afrit. I hope that in the next book, we can expect more action and less conflict, as well as teamwork from the Zar sisters, minus any more secrets, please.
Circle of Jinn
Being Jinn is Azra’s new reality. As she grants wishes under the watchful eye of the Afrit council, she remains torn between her two worlds–human and Jinn. Soon secrets spill, and rumors of an uprising become real as the Afrit’s reach extends beyond the underground world of Janna.
Straddling the line becomes impossible. Aware of her unique abilities, Azra must not just face but embrace her destiny. But when the role she must play and those she must protect expand to include a circle of Jinn greater than her own, Azra will be forced to risk everything. A risk that means there’s everything to lose, and at the same time, everything to gain-for herself and her entire Jinn race.
My thoughts…
Azra’s mixed heritage endows her with significantly greater power than her fellow Zar sisters, and in this book, we observe her developing her strengths and embracing her fate.
I found myself enjoying Circle of Jinn more than Becoming Jinn. This instalment featured several twists that added to its entertainment value compared to the first. However, it takes quite a while to reach the fun parts.
Mainly due to the abundance of dialogues and numerous subplots, it often seems that these elements are intended to increase the book’s length rather than contribute meaningfully to the plot. There are also times when I believe the issue is urgent, but the subsequent actions do not reflect that urgency.
If I had the opportunity to suggest improvements for the storyline, I would prefer to delve deeper into Jinn-related themes instead of concentrating on the love triangle and the mundane activities.
Engaging in training or sharing joyful moments with the Zar sisters would be a nice touch. Regarding the final battle, instead of highlighting an individual display of strength, I would prefer to see the Zar sisters in action! Isn’t that the purpose behind portraying the importance of the Zar sisterhood?
This unique Jinn story leaves me wondering about the religion they follow. At least based on Azra’s families, they celebrate all the religious holidays, drink alcoholic drinks, and have antique Turkish prayer rugs🤔. But I guess I’ll never find out😄.
