Nura and the Immortal Palace

Product Information

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 * 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. 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. I really admire how a Middle Grade fantasy manages to include important topics of the vicious cycle of exploitation as well as prevalent child labour practices in parts of the world. Without is seeming heavy on the readers. It shows how carefully crafted this story is! There’s a smooth blend of the shining world in the story with insights into how mere kids are exploited and how the rich turn the poor against each other for their benefit. So while we’re lost in an adventurous tale, it doesn’t fail to shatter the truth about the illusions. I really liked how the Sijj palace mirrored our own world. I won’t get into spoilers so the only thing I will say is that a lot of the circumstances are very similar to our world.

NURA AND THE IMMORTAL PALACE | Kirkus Reviews

The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often informative as amusing, and the whole tenor of appealing wit and pathos will make fine entertainment for reading aloud, too. Though a middle grade fiction, the book doesn’t go all light and fluffy. There are several dark themes and important topics such as the value of education and the prevalence of child labour. The author’s note at the end casts further light on these topics and is a must-read. Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments My thanks to Walker Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Nura and the Immortal Palace”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Synopsis

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. 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 * 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. Set in a rural industrial town in Pakistan and full of hope, heart, and humor, Nura and the Immortal Palace is inspired by M.T. Khan’s own Pakistani Muslim heritage.

Nura and the Immortal Palace - Common Sense Media Nura and the Immortal Palace - Common Sense Media

What I Liked: The plot was fantastic! It was fast paced, there was never a dull moment. I was at the edge of my bed anticipating all the high stakes. Nura’s relationship with her family was so lovely to read about! I loved how close she was to her mother, how she treated her siblings, and how much she cared about her family. The devotion and love she had for her family is something that readers will love reading about. Night Mayor Franklefink has vanished from the Transylvanian Express - and it's up to you to solve the case! Part of the Solve Your Own Mystery seri... This is a story about clutching on to hope despite your situation, about allowingyourself to yearn for more than just the food on your plate or nice clothes to wear –it’s about dreaming big. Because dreaming big shouldn’t feel like a luxury. Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for presenting me with an ARC of this book in exchange of a honest review.The story was so beautiful and sad at the time. I wasn't expecting a middle grade to touch on so many sensitive and important topics. This book advocates the importance of education at every chance it gets along with the opposition to child labor. The world-building of the palace was magical and can easily transport a reader, on the other hand, the way Meera bagh was portrayed transported me to a calm and small village in Pakistan. It made me think that sometimes simple is enough if done brilliantly.

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Author Luke Palmer introduces his new book, Play (Firefly Press) about four boys growing up together, the challenges, the friendships, and what hap... Nura and the Immortal Palace was said to have shades of the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away. (Which, of course, meant that I scrambled to get an ARC as soon as I could.) And let me tell you, it absolutely delivered on this promise. We see what happens when the veneer of beauty and magic is peeled away, revealing the darkness within. This was a theme that was very much present in Spirited Away. Nura and the Immortal Palace, I’m happy to report, does it justice. Child Poverty is an underlying theme of the book, and the Author’s note in the book touches on that. Nura has worked all her life in the mica mines, earning just enough to keep her family afloat – and to 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 she’ll never have to worry about money again.As a child, I was blessed with a loving family, a roof over my head,and access to education that could hone my mind. But once I realizednot every kid shared the same privileges, I started to wonder: what wouldan adventure from their perspective look like? That idea is at the heart ofNura and the Immortal Palace – a story about forgotten children, never seenand never represented, never the protagonists of their own stories. But when a terrible accident traps her best friend Faisal underground, she determines to save him - and crosses over into the magical and treacherous realm of the jinn.