THE DJINN WAITS A HUNDRED YEARS BY SHUBNUM KHAN

-

BOOK NAME: THE DJINN WAITS A HUNDRED YEARS

AUTHOR NAME: SHUBNUM KHAN

GENRE: MYSTERY THRILLER 

PUBLISHER: MAGPIE BOOKS - ONE WORLD PUBLICATIONS  

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/Djinn-Waits-Hundred-Years/dp/0861546245



BOOK COVER IMAGE




BOOK REVIEW

For people struggling with finding time to read or going through a slump, here comes your rescue: a book of love, loss, grief and mystery with supernatural elements. Shubnum Khan's skilfully blended story spans centuries across nations between India and Durban. In a picturesque town in Durban, an old manor is left behind in ruins after the ill fate that haunted its predecessors. The manor now houses multiple families with troubled individuals who have come seeking answers. 


Sana, a 15-year-old girl grieving the loss of her mother and her long-lost twin, moves in reluctantly in Akbar Manzil along with her father. Sana finds comfort in exploring the forbidden parts of the manzil and tumbles upon treasures from a century ago. She not only discovers secrets that were hidden under the mansion but also wakes the djinn that lay dormant for years. The treasures connect Sana to Akbar's history and his tragic love life. 


In her quest for answers, Sana needs to face the djinn boldly while also fighting her own evils from the past. I enjoyed every single page of this book from the beginning, and both the contemporary and historical tales kept me hooked. I loved the drama surrounding Sana's newfound family and their unique quirkiness. After finishing, I realised it was never a chore to get through this book. It flew effortlessly with its charming and quaint setting along the coastal Durban with a sense of strange eeriness all along. If something disappointed me in the slightest, it was the concept of two women fighting for a man's love and plotting and hating each other in the process. The man obviously gets away with reasons for bringing a new woman into his life when he is already committed to another. I was expecting a twist around it which sadly never happened. But everything else in the book worked great for me and it was completely different from other mystery thrillers I have read. My final say is that setting aside this one factor, this book is wonderful and must not be missed. 



MY REVIEW: 4/5

This is a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRchallenge

#penbooksandscalpel

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

-
Image
Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.   ‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’ Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile. Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was alwa
Read more

CHAPTER 4 - DISTANCE MATTERS

-
Image
'Congratulations on your promotion and transfer. We are looking forward to your full commitment to us. Do get back to this letter at the earliest with your answer.' Read the crafted piece of paper. Ahmed's parents were delighted and jumping with joy. They were chanting 'Alhamdulillah' fervently while Aliza stood confused. She could not make anything of this news because Ahmed's promotion meant everything to her. But his transfer would only mean that Aliza must stay back with her in-laws while he would visit only during weekends. She would happily do so, too, if not for her unsupportive mother-in-law. Aliza wanted to cry, and her eyes brimmed with tears that the world looked like a smudged canvas laying still in front of her. She looked at Ahmed pleadingly and waited until 10 to ask him if he really wanted to go. Asking in front of her in-laws would only mean the end of her good days. Ahmed did not look up because he knew what his transfer meant for both of them.
Read more

CHAPTER 2 - THE BACKSTORY - ALIZA

-
Image
  Aliza is the middle child of her family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. She did not always get her parents' attention because the oldest or the youngest sibling often stole it. She was mostly brought up by her oldest sister, Razia, who made sure she bathed, ate, and went to school on time. After Razia's marriage, her next older sibling Fahim brought home his wife, who had sworn to taunt Aliza all her life. Her younger twin siblings Samir and Ameera were at school, and they often stayed outdoors playing. So Aliza grew up to be the one taking care of her siblings while also managing to thrive herself. After finishing high school, she wanted to join college because her friends were also planning to, and they said studying in college will help a lot in the future. She was also the captain of her school's volleyball team and was a tough player. Aliza thought she could pursue her ambitions after school if she managed to convince her father. But her relatives had
Read more