Title: Spice Road (The Spice Road Trilogy #1)
Author: Maiya Ibrahim
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Books On Tape
Publication Date:  January 2023
Format: Audiobook
Length:  14 hours

Read if you like: Arabian-inspired worlds, first person POV, unique magic system, themes of colonialism and oppression, high fantasy, romantic tension

Rating: 

When I saw Shannon Chakraborty recommend Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim, I immediately added it to my TBR list. Chakraborty has written some of my favourite fantasy novels of all time and if she says something is good, I will take her word for it. That was the right call, since this book was superb.

There was so much to love about Spice Road and I feel like it was such a promising start to a YA fantasy. The world was wonderfully lush and detailed, the characters were interesting and well-layered, and the plot took some twists I wasn’t anticipating but sincerely enjoyed. I feel like Ibrahim has just scratched the surface of the potential of the magic that she’s laid the foundation for, and I’m looking forward to seeing more as this series continues.

The Book Synopsis: Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, secret spice magic awakens affinities in those who drink the misra tea. With an affinity for iron, seventeen-year-old Imani wields a dagger like no other warrior, garnering her the reputation as the next greatest Shield for battling the dangerous djinn, ghouls, and other monsters that lurk in the sands beyond city limits.

Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother who tarnished the family name after he was discovered stealing their nation’s coveted spice – a tell-tale sign of magical obsession. He disappeared soon after, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes, and leaving Imani reeling with both betrayal and grief.

But when Imani uncovers evidence her brother may be alive and spreading their nation’s magic beyond the desert, she strikes a deal with the Council to find him and bring him back to Qalia before he can reveal the city’s location. Accompanied by Qayn, a roguish but handsome djinni, and Taha, a powerful beastseer whose magical talents are matched only by his arrogance, they set out on their mission.

Imani will soon discover there are many secrets that lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes – and in her own heart – but will she find her brother before his betrayals endanger the fate of all of Qalia?

The Review

I loved this book! What a wonderful, unique YA fantasy.

Let me start with the world-building in Spice Road because it was seamless and understandable while still constructing an enchanting Arabian-inspired world. It was so immersive I found myself completely lost in it, and I loved that there was a journey where we got to see a good swath of multiple societies. I find world-building is often the most daunting task of a new fantasy, so I always appreciate it when it’s done intricately but smoothly. I was entranced by this society and felt that the knowledge-building was easy to follow. 

In terms of the world and its societies, the political turmoil, colonialism, and revolutionary aspects weaved through with magic were intriguing and engaging from the start, building into wonderfully complex entities. The main character Imani hails from what certainly feels like a very closed city, and it’s immediately clear that this resistance to any degree of outside forces narrows her perspective. As she ventures out into the broader world in search of her brother, the tidy image that her clans have painted quickly becomes undone under the complexities of the broader forces of colonialism that threaten not just the peoples beyond her borders, but their city sanctuary as well. I enjoyed seeing these concepts build slowly over time and seeing the impacts that they have on the evolution of core characters. 

I will say I felt that Imani was initially painfully naive to anything outside her lived experience, and it does take her longer to evolve than I was rooting for. I did appreciate that she eventually gets there though, and found it was even more powerful in the stark contrast to those around her who choose not to evolve. 

I feel like Ibrahim just scratched the surface on the colonizers and their society, and to a degree, on the magic that Imani and her people wield as well, leaving a lot of strong potential for the second book. I’m looking forward to seeing how Imani’s allegiances impact the plot go forward, and to seeing what becomes of those she travelled with to get to the new land she finds herself in now. I also can’t wait to see how her magic continues to evolve and unfold, as I think there’s some room for some very interesting things there as well. 

This was a great YA fantasy, one with comparable vibes to the Daevabad trilogy while still being a wholly unique world and story. It’s a series I’ll recommend going forward, particularly on audio since the narrator was fantastically engaging.