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A Firefly in the Dark
‘By turns terrifying and amusing, this is not a book you want to read before you go to sleep. Or maybe you do...’—Jerry Pinto
Sharmeen’s life is disrupted when, after an unexpected tragedy, she moves into her Nani’s rambling ancestral bungalow with her family. She hates this new her mother, Aliya, and Nani fight constantly; her new schoolmates bully her; and the family retainer, her loving Aziz Bhai, suddenly becomes dominating. The only place where Sharmeen finds solace is the world of Nani’s fantastical tales of Jinn, shapeshifters and other dastardly creatures. But slowly, unseen forces that had lain dormant for centuries start to awaken. Sharmeen meets her own personal Jinn, the prankster Jugnu, who reveals her family’s history, a pact one of her ancestors made with the Jinn-world, and also some not-so-good news—and Sharmeen realizes that it is up to her to rescue the adults in her life…
Mysterious, magical and moving, A Firefly in the Dark is a page-turner and a work of fantasy and soaring imagination that will delight readers of all ages.
Sharmeen’s life is disrupted when, after an unexpected tragedy, she moves into her Nani’s rambling ancestral bungalow with her family. She hates this new her mother, Aliya, and Nani fight constantly; her new schoolmates bully her; and the family retainer, her loving Aziz Bhai, suddenly becomes dominating. The only place where Sharmeen finds solace is the world of Nani’s fantastical tales of Jinn, shapeshifters and other dastardly creatures. But slowly, unseen forces that had lain dormant for centuries start to awaken. Sharmeen meets her own personal Jinn, the prankster Jugnu, who reveals her family’s history, a pact one of her ancestors made with the Jinn-world, and also some not-so-good news—and Sharmeen realizes that it is up to her to rescue the adults in her life…
Mysterious, magical and moving, A Firefly in the Dark is a page-turner and a work of fantasy and soaring imagination that will delight readers of all ages.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 10, 2018
10 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
May 14, 2018
3.5 stars! I haven’t raced through a book like this in a long time but as this one holds magic, old-world charm and secrets of the Unknown- how could one resist.
Finally a work of fiction from an author of Pakistani origin that offers respite from the trending themes of terrorism and/or political intrigue!
Told in a classic 20th-century style of story telling, when ancestral homes, spooky stories and big trees outside room windows were still a thing- this book evokes nostalgia and a fond remembrance for the way things were.
Loved it; more so, perhaps, because it felt great to be 12 again.
Finally a work of fiction from an author of Pakistani origin that offers respite from the trending themes of terrorism and/or political intrigue!
Told in a classic 20th-century style of story telling, when ancestral homes, spooky stories and big trees outside room windows were still a thing- this book evokes nostalgia and a fond remembrance for the way things were.
Loved it; more so, perhaps, because it felt great to be 12 again.
May 14, 2018
Book Depository delivered the copy of Shazaf Fatima Haider's second book before she even had her own copy! And it took one long sitting for me to finish it. Perhaps the only time in last two weeks I was thankful that hubby is travelling and I do not need to get off my couch.
'A Firefly in the Dark' is totally different from her debut book, 'How it Happened'. It is not the kind of subject I would choose to read if I just read the blurb in a bookstore. Jinns and unseen creatures are not my cup of tea but, knowing Shazaf’s writing style, I had to read it. You know what pleasure it is to read when the descriptions are so beautiful and lucid that you start feeling like a part of the story. I had goosebumps and cold creeps at many points and I had to stop after every few chapters to get back to reality and assure myself that I was in my room and not Sharmeen’s. But I would get back to reading soon as it awakens your imagination and leaves you wanting for more.
No spoilers here but, I think anyone who will read it will marvel at the way writer has handled such a complex subject. She has done justice to every character, every idea that she has presented and every setting and backdrop that she has created.
While I loved many parts, I am leaving my most favourite excerpt from the book:
‘Did you know that sounds never die? They hang around in the air, upside down like bats, so soft that even a whisper seems like a shout to them. Every word that is uttered lives forever in the space it was birthed. It has its own frequency. Your ears are not powerful enough to hear them, but, your hearts are sensitive to their energy. That is why houses feel happy or sad - because words lodged in them are thus’
P.S. Do not read it before bedtime
'A Firefly in the Dark' is totally different from her debut book, 'How it Happened'. It is not the kind of subject I would choose to read if I just read the blurb in a bookstore. Jinns and unseen creatures are not my cup of tea but, knowing Shazaf’s writing style, I had to read it. You know what pleasure it is to read when the descriptions are so beautiful and lucid that you start feeling like a part of the story. I had goosebumps and cold creeps at many points and I had to stop after every few chapters to get back to reality and assure myself that I was in my room and not Sharmeen’s. But I would get back to reading soon as it awakens your imagination and leaves you wanting for more.
No spoilers here but, I think anyone who will read it will marvel at the way writer has handled such a complex subject. She has done justice to every character, every idea that she has presented and every setting and backdrop that she has created.
While I loved many parts, I am leaving my most favourite excerpt from the book:
‘Did you know that sounds never die? They hang around in the air, upside down like bats, so soft that even a whisper seems like a shout to them. Every word that is uttered lives forever in the space it was birthed. It has its own frequency. Your ears are not powerful enough to hear them, but, your hearts are sensitive to their energy. That is why houses feel happy or sad - because words lodged in them are thus’
P.S. Do not read it before bedtime
March 10, 2021
(This review is based on personal opinion) I simply loved this book. It was very interesting and I could definitely relate to the part in which the main character listened to her grandmother's stories about Jinn and then getting scared but still wanting to listen to them. The rest I could not relate to lol. Sharmeen (the main character) is pretty nice and it was fun to read her adventures. In reality, we don't know much about Jinn and they are found mysterious but in this book, the Jinn were described as if we know everything about them and they had their own adventures, beliefs and even personalities! I really like that factor. If you are looking for a book with real life Jinn scenarios, then this isn't what you are looking for. Even though this book isn't filled with real life Jinn stories, its still very nice and interesting. Sometimes, a little change in things is nice :)
July 8, 2018
I loved Shazaf’s first book - and while the second one poles apart from the first one ... still enjoyed her breezy style of writing !!
Felt like a little kid learning about the world of Jinns ET al with Sharmeen and my only issues with the book are that 1. I loved Nani and i wish her character was not so short in the book. 2. The ending was way too abrupt and I felt lost with it !!
Enjoyable quick read ... if you are into fantasy as a genre!
Felt like a little kid learning about the world of Jinns ET al with Sharmeen and my only issues with the book are that 1. I loved Nani and i wish her character was not so short in the book. 2. The ending was way too abrupt and I felt lost with it !!
Enjoyable quick read ... if you are into fantasy as a genre!
December 18, 2022
I wanted a good fantasy story set in my world and yet, I got a family drama with enough fantasy mixed in to be able to fit in the genre. The last quarter was what I wanted the whole book to be and that upped the rating from 2 to 3. Even if the drama was well-written or thought out, I might not have been so bored. Alas, our expectations aren't always fulfilled but at least I got to read it.
January 17, 2021
Finished this book in 2 days!
Now you can imagine for yourself how gripping the plot was.
Now you can imagine for yourself how gripping the plot was.
October 30, 2025
As an adult, I very rarely pick YA book, but I'm glad I picked this one.
It's an enchanting world full of magic, mysteries, and myths about jinns. The story is not only about fighting demons from the world we can not see but from our inner world as well.
What striked me the most, and is going to stay with me, is the fact that the book refuses to cast its characters in the binaries of good and evil, heroes and villains. That's very refreshing, especially for the central character of a 12-year-old girl named Sharmeen.
And oh, it busts so many stereotypes about jinns.
It's an enchanting world full of magic, mysteries, and myths about jinns. The story is not only about fighting demons from the world we can not see but from our inner world as well.
What striked me the most, and is going to stay with me, is the fact that the book refuses to cast its characters in the binaries of good and evil, heroes and villains. That's very refreshing, especially for the central character of a 12-year-old girl named Sharmeen.
And oh, it busts so many stereotypes about jinns.
September 4, 2019
Rating: 3 Stars
I'm suitably spooked. The book cover tricrked me into thinking this was a children's book, if not funny, then surely a bit sad and melancholy. The name of the writer tricked me into thinking that this would be a lighthearted affair, suitable for reading before going to bed. I was so off the mark that I'm convinced I need to read more reviews before I buy a book!
A Firefly in The Dark by Shazaf Fatima Haider is a book that brings to life all the horror stories that we ever listened to, be it the ones told by our grandmothers or the ones by older siblings/ cousins who wanted to watch us squirm, or by that crazy school friend who was not quite right in the head! This is not the horror of Hollywood movies or other English books that you have read. This is the horror of your childhood, when you were afraid to go out of the house in the afternoon because you might meet the woman with turned feet, or you hid in your blanket at night because there was something that was always scratching on your window. So, yeah, after reading this, there go my dreams of giving it to my daughter to read. She will probably make my life miserable by refusing to sleep alone.
Sharmeen is an almost-thirteen year old, who comes to live with her maternal grandmother after her life is turned upside down by a sad accident. She is unhappy with this new life where she feels like an outsider both at home and in school. The one spot of light in her bleak existence is the unbelievable stories that her grandmother tells her. These dark and twisted tales are the bone of contention between Sharmeen's mother and grandmother, making the house a battleground.
As Sharmeen begins to realize that these stories are not really stories but have a basis in truth, tragedy strikes again and she has to come face to face with these forces of evil. However, she is not alone, as she meets her own personal jinn, Jugnu, so named because of his first appearance as a firefly. It's a race against time as Jugnu and Sharmeen struggle to fight and destroy this evil before it destroys her whole family.
It was seriously good writing with a bit of humor and lots of darkness, but sadly, it also clashed with my faith and beliefs. It was hard to overcome my prejudices because all the stories and characters were so close to home. When you read mythological stories from other regions and countries, it's easier to dismiss them as fiction and move on, but when faced with stories from your childhood that might have some basis in truth, the mind refuses to accept things that challenge personal belief.
So, yes, it has been quite an experience reading this book. I can't wait for other books by this author because she is definitely one of the few local authors who I think are genuinely gifted writers.
I'm suitably spooked. The book cover tricrked me into thinking this was a children's book, if not funny, then surely a bit sad and melancholy. The name of the writer tricked me into thinking that this would be a lighthearted affair, suitable for reading before going to bed. I was so off the mark that I'm convinced I need to read more reviews before I buy a book!
A Firefly in The Dark by Shazaf Fatima Haider is a book that brings to life all the horror stories that we ever listened to, be it the ones told by our grandmothers or the ones by older siblings/ cousins who wanted to watch us squirm, or by that crazy school friend who was not quite right in the head! This is not the horror of Hollywood movies or other English books that you have read. This is the horror of your childhood, when you were afraid to go out of the house in the afternoon because you might meet the woman with turned feet, or you hid in your blanket at night because there was something that was always scratching on your window. So, yeah, after reading this, there go my dreams of giving it to my daughter to read. She will probably make my life miserable by refusing to sleep alone.
Sharmeen is an almost-thirteen year old, who comes to live with her maternal grandmother after her life is turned upside down by a sad accident. She is unhappy with this new life where she feels like an outsider both at home and in school. The one spot of light in her bleak existence is the unbelievable stories that her grandmother tells her. These dark and twisted tales are the bone of contention between Sharmeen's mother and grandmother, making the house a battleground.
As Sharmeen begins to realize that these stories are not really stories but have a basis in truth, tragedy strikes again and she has to come face to face with these forces of evil. However, she is not alone, as she meets her own personal jinn, Jugnu, so named because of his first appearance as a firefly. It's a race against time as Jugnu and Sharmeen struggle to fight and destroy this evil before it destroys her whole family.
It was seriously good writing with a bit of humor and lots of darkness, but sadly, it also clashed with my faith and beliefs. It was hard to overcome my prejudices because all the stories and characters were so close to home. When you read mythological stories from other regions and countries, it's easier to dismiss them as fiction and move on, but when faced with stories from your childhood that might have some basis in truth, the mind refuses to accept things that challenge personal belief.
So, yes, it has been quite an experience reading this book. I can't wait for other books by this author because she is definitely one of the few local authors who I think are genuinely gifted writers.
February 26, 2022
4.5 STARS
Honestly, this book was pure perfection. The religious inferences made it all the more spicy.
When I first saw the cover, I guessed that this was probably middle grade fiction. And yet, after reading this, I feel as if I read something for people older than me (if you get I'm tryna say, I know you don't but bear on :). The reason being that this book was soooo deep, it literally had so many good quotes that I had to use my bookmarks (not something we do often, we stingy;).
I loveeeee Sharmeen and felt slightly bad for Aziz from the very beginning. Like bro who was the villain?? Why???
Another book of trying to figure out who the villain was and yup we got this quote:
'I think, Sharmeen, that one should not be so quick to label a person as good or bad. As I've told you before, the best of people have a little evil inside them, the most evil have a little bit of good. The wisdom lies in seeing a WHOLE person, not just a part of them.'
'Life would be so much more bearable with distinct heroes and villains, but it was meant to be.' so would this book, honestly
Not me pitying weeds:
'Oh, not ugly. They have their own beauty. But they don't belong in the grass. If you don't pull them out completely, they will grow back stronger and thicker. Pretty soon you'll have a forest of them.'
'The strong must overcome the weak, that is the way of the world.'
I loved how Sharmeen slowly realized that she could not live in a world of Jinn.
'Sometimes, people surprised you far more than any Jinn ever could.' (not me trying to find an excuse to stop being an introvert ):
Inshallah, one day I'll come back and read this so that I understand it much better.;)
Overall, I have no idea what took me so long to read this book (me pretending as if I'm not the slowest reader in the world) but honestly, I felt as if Nani was the villain. Whatever, I feel like exploring more Pakistani authors because honestly, this talent?????? -a patriotic idiot
Honestly, this book was pure perfection. The religious inferences made it all the more spicy.
When I first saw the cover, I guessed that this was probably middle grade fiction. And yet, after reading this, I feel as if I read something for people older than me (if you get I'm tryna say, I know you don't but bear on :). The reason being that this book was soooo deep, it literally had so many good quotes that I had to use my bookmarks (not something we do often, we stingy;).
I loveeeee Sharmeen and felt slightly bad for Aziz from the very beginning. Like bro who was the villain?? Why???
Another book of trying to figure out who the villain was and yup we got this quote:
'I think, Sharmeen, that one should not be so quick to label a person as good or bad. As I've told you before, the best of people have a little evil inside them, the most evil have a little bit of good. The wisdom lies in seeing a WHOLE person, not just a part of them.'
'Life would be so much more bearable with distinct heroes and villains, but it was meant to be.' so would this book, honestly
Not me pitying weeds:
'Oh, not ugly. They have their own beauty. But they don't belong in the grass. If you don't pull them out completely, they will grow back stronger and thicker. Pretty soon you'll have a forest of them.'
'The strong must overcome the weak, that is the way of the world.'
I loved how Sharmeen slowly realized that she could not live in a world of Jinn.
'Sometimes, people surprised you far more than any Jinn ever could.' (not me trying to find an excuse to stop being an introvert ):
Inshallah, one day I'll come back and read this so that I understand it much better.;)
Overall, I have no idea what took me so long to read this book (me pretending as if I'm not the slowest reader in the world) but honestly, I felt as if Nani was the villain. Whatever, I feel like exploring more Pakistani authors because honestly, this talent?????? -a patriotic idiot
September 24, 2024
As I started to read this book, I remember thinking 'what an emotionally charged book coupled with a child's story" . It has been a while since I felt heaviness in my chest, and a strange feeling of anticipation as I did when reading this book. It is NOT a child's story, and not at all unscary at that. Fatima's writing was such that Sharmeen seemed not a character but myself, trapped in a world where no one understands, and where she must protect all that is dear to her. So, without a doubt, I can say that this is a story I cannot easily forget.
Also, this is a new try in Pakistani English fiction for me, and I'm pleasantly surprised. Fatima's other book was among the first in my TBR , have to get to that soon. the amulgation of the stories of Jinn and trees, into a tale in a secondary language is no small feat, for which the author should be duly applauded. To try and mix one culture, one world with different origins and vocabulary, into a foreign language is a difficult task, and the author seems to have aced it.
However, you must be warned, this book WILL spook you,so if you're a person like me, who gasn't even watched (fully) ' Annabelle : coming home" try not to read this at night.
Also, this is a new try in Pakistani English fiction for me, and I'm pleasantly surprised. Fatima's other book was among the first in my TBR , have to get to that soon. the amulgation of the stories of Jinn and trees, into a tale in a secondary language is no small feat, for which the author should be duly applauded. To try and mix one culture, one world with different origins and vocabulary, into a foreign language is a difficult task, and the author seems to have aced it.
However, you must be warned, this book WILL spook you,so if you're a person like me, who gasn't even watched (fully) ' Annabelle : coming home" try not to read this at night.
January 3, 2020
Not taking a liking to Sharmeen's bravery or Jugnu's wit or Nani's fierceness, even Aziz's attempts of saving the people he claims to love proved to be a difficult task, one a reader shouldn't take it upon themself. While reading, I related with Sharmeen a lot, because just like her the reader is shoved into this world of Jinns and Qarins, a world of a friendly and talkable firefly, a gecko and a peacock and suddenly the Gulmohar and the banyan are just not mere trees in the garden and her Nani's bedtime stories are no longer confined to the mundane definition of stories. They are real and our twelve-year-old protagonist has found herself entrapped in them, feigning confidence throughout she has to figure out how to defeat the evil that threatens everyone she loves. The story keeps you on edge, frightening you with the horrific images the author wonderfully articulates.
March 21, 2020
this is my first book from author and it was good this book has only one problem it ends quickly i feel like she didnt do justice to aziz character when he died i feel no affection for him im sorry but that true he has empty void inside him excuse me aren't we all have i would totally recommend for quick reader and it has unexpected thing too like nani's death i was like ..... OMG overall its good book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2021
Good for a teenager in the early teen years. Some bits were enjoyable but overall, not too scary.
May 2, 2024
I'm quite surprised at how this book turned out. I didn't expect much, but this was a fun read! The prose and writing style are great and the imagery the author creates is a 10/10, specifically love how various symbolisms have been integrated into the book. I want more from this author in the horror genre.
March 7, 2021
i really enjoyed that (my ratings are abt my own experience and not objectively abt the book deal w it sorry)
October 14, 2025
This book took me back to my younger days, when my siblings and I sat in the living room waiting to watch a horror episode. I love spooky stories of ghosts/jinns and ancestral homes (add a bonus point; if there’s a big aged tree) - 12 years old Khadija would’ve gone bananas over this book.
It was the perfect mixture of Nani tales, Jinns and family relations (plus not understanding Math problems)
It was the perfect mixture of Nani tales, Jinns and family relations (plus not understanding Math problems)
June 29, 2020
The book is about a little girl, Sharmeen, who finds out that she can connect and talk to mythical creatures. And she tries her best to save her family from falling apart with the help of these creatures. The descriptions are so beautiful and clear that I had goosebumps while reading this.. I swear the book has one moment where I got so scared, that I closed the book, just took some deep breaths and looked around to make sure I was in my own room and not in Sharmeen's life. Maybe I am exaggerating a bit but this jin, and unseen things scares me alot. I loved loved each and every quote in this book. There are so many beautiful explanations and quotations in the book, like this one :
"Did you know that sounds never die? They hang around in the air, upside down like bats, so soft that even a whisper seems like a shout to them. Every word that is uttered lives forever in the space it was birthed. It has its own frequency. Your ears are not powerful enough to hear them, but, your hearts are sensitive to their energy. That is why houses feel happy or sad - because words lodged in them are thus"
The story had emotions, humor, suspense, fear, love and everything. In my point of view the writer has done justice to each and every character. And I am really happy and proud that this book is by a Pakistani author.
"Did you know that sounds never die? They hang around in the air, upside down like bats, so soft that even a whisper seems like a shout to them. Every word that is uttered lives forever in the space it was birthed. It has its own frequency. Your ears are not powerful enough to hear them, but, your hearts are sensitive to their energy. That is why houses feel happy or sad - because words lodged in them are thus"
The story had emotions, humor, suspense, fear, love and everything. In my point of view the writer has done justice to each and every character. And I am really happy and proud that this book is by a Pakistani author.
November 22, 2020
Imagination at its peak! A book full of nostalgia!
So, the main question, why I picked this read?
I was in absolute love with Shazaf's writing style and the theme that she picked in her debut novel "How it Happened?". That book was a roller-coaster of family humour with a small story setting. Shazaf borrowed some elements like family values and scale of the story from the abovementioned novel but the overall theme is entirely different. This one takes your imagination to its highest while transporting you to the world of Jinn, Jineeres, Amluq, and foul creatures. In true sense, if you've ever been a fan of "Umru Ayyar" series then it'll hit the nostalgic chords of your emotions. Apart from the nostalgia, if one's not a fan of good old Umru Ayyar then it'll feel like a book for teenagers or children (Though the back cover declares it as a book for older than 14).
Element of twist and surprise was there and as a reader it kept me hooked to some extent but the big climax that Shazaf built upto seemed like a borrowed script from Exorcist movie. In the end, every plot and subplot seemed balanced and perfectly explained.
Marking it as a three star just because of the nostalgia and the imaginative chord that Shazaf struck in me through her words.
Can't recommend it to everyone though!
So, the main question, why I picked this read?
I was in absolute love with Shazaf's writing style and the theme that she picked in her debut novel "How it Happened?". That book was a roller-coaster of family humour with a small story setting. Shazaf borrowed some elements like family values and scale of the story from the abovementioned novel but the overall theme is entirely different. This one takes your imagination to its highest while transporting you to the world of Jinn, Jineeres, Amluq, and foul creatures. In true sense, if you've ever been a fan of "Umru Ayyar" series then it'll hit the nostalgic chords of your emotions. Apart from the nostalgia, if one's not a fan of good old Umru Ayyar then it'll feel like a book for teenagers or children (Though the back cover declares it as a book for older than 14).
Element of twist and surprise was there and as a reader it kept me hooked to some extent but the big climax that Shazaf built upto seemed like a borrowed script from Exorcist movie. In the end, every plot and subplot seemed balanced and perfectly explained.
Marking it as a three star just because of the nostalgia and the imaginative chord that Shazaf struck in me through her words.
Can't recommend it to everyone though!
September 8, 2018
#bookreview Got this book as an impulsive buy, I had seen it over my feed and have heard about the writer, but the book was just not my type.
The book is written well and the writer has used her imagination to describe something that is far off from reality. But I think I am a decade too old for the genre. Had I been say 10-12 I might have liked it.
The book is basically horror and thriller of sorts, about Jins and a girls quest to save her family. With Nani and her story's, Abba in bed, Amma lost in her world, Aziz the servant with unknown purpose ;little Sharmeen lives in a world a 12 year old generally don't know off.
The writer has described all vividly and the book is quiet a fast read. So if you are a teenager or you know someone,l interested in reading about jinns and the invisible world it would be a good read.
Following is my favourite quote from the book : 'There were different type of possessions. Sometimes you didn't even need a jinn to trap you in your body, all you needed were your own fears and superstitions to hedge you in, keep you from the world.'
The book is written well and the writer has used her imagination to describe something that is far off from reality. But I think I am a decade too old for the genre. Had I been say 10-12 I might have liked it.
The book is basically horror and thriller of sorts, about Jins and a girls quest to save her family. With Nani and her story's, Abba in bed, Amma lost in her world, Aziz the servant with unknown purpose ;little Sharmeen lives in a world a 12 year old generally don't know off.
The writer has described all vividly and the book is quiet a fast read. So if you are a teenager or you know someone,l interested in reading about jinns and the invisible world it would be a good read.
Following is my favourite quote from the book : 'There were different type of possessions. Sometimes you didn't even need a jinn to trap you in your body, all you needed were your own fears and superstitions to hedge you in, keep you from the world.'
October 28, 2020
A Firefly in the Dark by Shazaf Fatima Haider
.
A Firefly in the Dark is an amazing , lively , mesmerizing and the best novel based on magical realism I've read after Harry Potter ; yeah you heard that right ! And the fact that its based on religious beliefs Makes it all the way more interesting and tempting ❤😍
Completed it in 7 hours 😁
.
Synopsis 📖.....
Story revolves around eleven years old Sharmeen who led by some misfortunate accidents ends up at her Nani's
Ancestral bungalow with her family . Things between her mother and nani are not too good and same is at school but the only place where she founds solace is the wonderful world of Nani's stories ; tales of jinn , shapeshifters and other unearthly creatures . She is immensely attracted towards Nani's tales till they invade her real life and her tiresome life suddenly changes at an angle of 360 degrees .
📖...
Loved it ❤
.
A Firefly in the Dark is an amazing , lively , mesmerizing and the best novel based on magical realism I've read after Harry Potter ; yeah you heard that right ! And the fact that its based on religious beliefs Makes it all the way more interesting and tempting ❤😍
Completed it in 7 hours 😁
.
Synopsis 📖.....
Story revolves around eleven years old Sharmeen who led by some misfortunate accidents ends up at her Nani's
Ancestral bungalow with her family . Things between her mother and nani are not too good and same is at school but the only place where she founds solace is the wonderful world of Nani's stories ; tales of jinn , shapeshifters and other unearthly creatures . She is immensely attracted towards Nani's tales till they invade her real life and her tiresome life suddenly changes at an angle of 360 degrees .
📖...
Loved it ❤
August 6, 2023
A gripping and interesting tale. Her writing style reminded me a lot of David Walliams in the first half and then it was quite similar to Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone in the 2nd half.
The only thing that confused me was I couldn't figure out what was the target audience age of this book. It seemed to be for really young kids (Like 1st Harry Potter and David Walliams' books), but at the same time there were things in the book not appropriate for kids that age.
Nevertheless, a really fun read.
The only thing that confused me was I couldn't figure out what was the target audience age of this book. It seemed to be for really young kids (Like 1st Harry Potter and David Walliams' books), but at the same time there were things in the book not appropriate for kids that age.
Nevertheless, a really fun read.
July 9, 2018
Maybe i am the first one to rate it 2 stars...
The book wanted to convey all the fantasies and magical chimes sounding in your ears but maybe i have read a lot on the topics of fantasy , adventure , horror , black magic etc.
I loved her debut book though...i was so impressed by her writing style and her artistry of telling a story that i even messaged her and her debut book had a lot of comedy and it refelected us.
Anyway for me this book is about average and Very Childish...
The book wanted to convey all the fantasies and magical chimes sounding in your ears but maybe i have read a lot on the topics of fantasy , adventure , horror , black magic etc.
I loved her debut book though...i was so impressed by her writing style and her artistry of telling a story that i even messaged her and her debut book had a lot of comedy and it refelected us.
Anyway for me this book is about average and Very Childish...
June 15, 2021
what a lovely, lovely time i had reading this! i wish i had found this book 10-15 years back because my 11 year old self would have loved this book even MORE but i still had a blast reading this as a 25 yr old✨
the story has a sort of old-world charm to it, it reads very much like bed time stories BUT the book somehow manages to steer clear of black and white morality in spite of being essentially for kids - a character who sets off a lot of the bad events is very sympathetic and caring, a character who is basically the mentor essentially caused the ~hurt feelings~ that lead to misfortunes, a character who's initially supposed to be super good and powerful turns out to have some baser motivations mixed in with the good. it was such a refreshing change from what YA has been doing recently.
the story never feels too preachy in spite of having a lot of those moments of "put yourselves in their shoes" etc. and in fact i really loved some of the lines in there. and yes a lot of it is basically narration to give the protagonist the entire history but idk it still felt enjoyable? maybe because my only other experience with djinn in fiction has been the bartimaeus series (which i also absolutely love) and the way this was written was fun.
i breezed through the book and fully recommend it to everyone.
the story has a sort of old-world charm to it, it reads very much like bed time stories BUT the book somehow manages to steer clear of black and white morality in spite of being essentially for kids - a character who sets off a lot of the bad events is very sympathetic and caring, a character who is basically the mentor essentially caused the ~hurt feelings~ that lead to misfortunes, a character who's initially supposed to be super good and powerful turns out to have some baser motivations mixed in with the good. it was such a refreshing change from what YA has been doing recently.
the story never feels too preachy in spite of having a lot of those moments of "put yourselves in their shoes" etc. and in fact i really loved some of the lines in there. and yes a lot of it is basically narration to give the protagonist the entire history but idk it still felt enjoyable? maybe because my only other experience with djinn in fiction has been the bartimaeus series (which i also absolutely love) and the way this was written was fun.
i breezed through the book and fully recommend it to everyone.
August 26, 2018
(This review was published in Dawn’s Eos Magazine on August 26 2018. Read it on Dawn’s website here: https://www.dawn.com/news/1428870/fic...)
The best endorsement I can offer for Shazaf Fatima Haider’s new novel, A Firefly in the Dark, is this: I read her book while on a road trip with a 14-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl; and even before I was done, both kids took turns reading it as well, ignoring the beautiful scenery of Pakistan’s north as it flashed past the windows of our car. They enthusiastically tore through the adventures of Haider’s young protagonist, Sharmeen, and her friendship with the jinn Jugnu, and then fought over the book to reread their favourite bits. Both kids — avid readers of children’s fiction, particularly the Harry Potter/Percy Jackson modes of fantasy and the R.L. Stine school of kiddie horror — were quite enamoured of the fantastical (and occasionally frightening) world Haider has created in her book, which uses local myths and the folklore of jinns to create a story that will be familiar to Pakistani children, yet new and fresh at the same time.
This led me to wonder why A Firefly in the Dark hadn’t specifically been marketed as middle-grade or young adult (YA) fiction, because there is a significant dearth of books for young people coming out of Pakistan. This is not to say grown-ups won’t enjoy the book — I certainly did — and good books in all genres or marketing categories tend to cross over to a wider audience in any case. However, books for children and teenagers are particularly limited in Pakistan. Ferozsons, the most significant publisher of children’s fiction in Urdu, hardly has new titles coming out anymore (most of the titles I find in their catalogue are the same ones I read myself as a child) and the new titles that are published have not kept up with the evolving reading tastes of children. The only initiative of publishing new and exciting literature for children in recent years has been taken by AzCorp Entertainment and their various comic book series in both English and Urdu, such as their Team Muhafiz series. Such a desolate landscape of Pakistani children’s and YA fiction would surely have benefited from more direct marketing of A Firefly in the Dark because the novel is a welcome addition to this category.
The narrative arc of Haider’s new novel follows the classic coming-of-age trajectory common in a lot of children’s/YA fiction: a young person, going through a difficult and transitory period in her life, finds external sources and internal strength to overcome obstacles and come into her own. Twelve-year-old Sharmeen is struggling to adjust to her new life when, after an unexpected tragedy, she and her family move into her Nani’s (maternal grandmother) ancestral bungalow. Stuck mediating between Nani and her mother and lonely at her new school, Sharmeen finds comfort in the stories Nani tells her about jinns, shape-shifters and centuries-old prophecies and pacts. When the creatures in her grandmother’s stories slide from fiction into reality and the young girl meets her own personal jinn, Jugnu, Sharmeen finds herself embroiled in a series of events set off by a pact made by one of her ancestors with members of the jinn-world.
With A Firefly in the Dark, Haider ingeniously incorporates local and cultural myths about jinns into the construction of her wider world. Does a jinn haunt old trees outside your house? Maybe it’s someone your ancestor made a pact with to protect your family. Can lizards sometimes be jinns in disguise? Maybe it’s because jinns are shape-shifters and prefer small, innocuous insects and animals to turn into for the sake of convenience and ease of movement. There is a certain playfulness to how Haider deepens local popular sayings about jinns and creates a back-story and plausible reasons for those sayings to exist in the first place.
The novel’s narrative and style of writing are also reminiscent of the form of storytelling through which tales of jinns have historically been told: oral stories, whispered in the dark by grandmothers to grandchildren or friends trying to scare each other in the middle of the night. In places, Haider’s writing is similar to the style of oral stories: lush language that flows in such a way that you get sucked into it, stories that twist and turn and sweep you up in their momentum. Admittedly, there are moments where the tale becomes a little too convoluted, but it’s easy enough to let that go because Haider’s writing encourages you to become engrossed in the story.
Another strength of the book is its deft balance of suspense, horror and humour — a balance difficult to pull off, but crucial for a book aimed at young people. Haider has already proved she’s good at humour with her debut novel How it Happened and its character of Dadi. She continues her particular brand of snarkiness and wit in this novel, primarily through the main fantastical character, Jugnu the jinn, who is by far the most entertaining-to-read character in A Firefly in the Dark. A prankster jinn who is playful yet world-weary, kind but annoyed at the general ignorance of humans, Jugnu is a delight and his interactions with Sharmeen are the highlight of the book.
Beneath the narrative, Haider’s novel touches upon interesting connections between the idea of jinn possession, being in transition and the reality of a young person — particularly a young woman — coming of age. In a recent interview Haider said, “I wanted to write a novel about a girl who has to grow up. And all young women have to face the spectre of their physical bodies being subsumed by a powerful force — it’s a constant, looming threat. I could write about that using the symbolism that the jinn offered without getting too explicit.” A refreshing element in the novel is its frank tackling of menstruation in a way that is age-appropriate, but which also works to demystify this natural function by removing the thick cloud of shame around it. The author ties Sharmeen getting her first period into the larger arc of her adventure. And Sharmeen’s coming to terms with her transition to adulthood and her changing body is tied in nicely with her acceptance of the powers she holds within the novel’s jinn-filled universe.
The best endorsement I can offer for Shazaf Fatima Haider’s new novel, A Firefly in the Dark, is this: I read her book while on a road trip with a 14-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl; and even before I was done, both kids took turns reading it as well, ignoring the beautiful scenery of Pakistan’s north as it flashed past the windows of our car. They enthusiastically tore through the adventures of Haider’s young protagonist, Sharmeen, and her friendship with the jinn Jugnu, and then fought over the book to reread their favourite bits. Both kids — avid readers of children’s fiction, particularly the Harry Potter/Percy Jackson modes of fantasy and the R.L. Stine school of kiddie horror — were quite enamoured of the fantastical (and occasionally frightening) world Haider has created in her book, which uses local myths and the folklore of jinns to create a story that will be familiar to Pakistani children, yet new and fresh at the same time.
This led me to wonder why A Firefly in the Dark hadn’t specifically been marketed as middle-grade or young adult (YA) fiction, because there is a significant dearth of books for young people coming out of Pakistan. This is not to say grown-ups won’t enjoy the book — I certainly did — and good books in all genres or marketing categories tend to cross over to a wider audience in any case. However, books for children and teenagers are particularly limited in Pakistan. Ferozsons, the most significant publisher of children’s fiction in Urdu, hardly has new titles coming out anymore (most of the titles I find in their catalogue are the same ones I read myself as a child) and the new titles that are published have not kept up with the evolving reading tastes of children. The only initiative of publishing new and exciting literature for children in recent years has been taken by AzCorp Entertainment and their various comic book series in both English and Urdu, such as their Team Muhafiz series. Such a desolate landscape of Pakistani children’s and YA fiction would surely have benefited from more direct marketing of A Firefly in the Dark because the novel is a welcome addition to this category.
The narrative arc of Haider’s new novel follows the classic coming-of-age trajectory common in a lot of children’s/YA fiction: a young person, going through a difficult and transitory period in her life, finds external sources and internal strength to overcome obstacles and come into her own. Twelve-year-old Sharmeen is struggling to adjust to her new life when, after an unexpected tragedy, she and her family move into her Nani’s (maternal grandmother) ancestral bungalow. Stuck mediating between Nani and her mother and lonely at her new school, Sharmeen finds comfort in the stories Nani tells her about jinns, shape-shifters and centuries-old prophecies and pacts. When the creatures in her grandmother’s stories slide from fiction into reality and the young girl meets her own personal jinn, Jugnu, Sharmeen finds herself embroiled in a series of events set off by a pact made by one of her ancestors with members of the jinn-world.
With A Firefly in the Dark, Haider ingeniously incorporates local and cultural myths about jinns into the construction of her wider world. Does a jinn haunt old trees outside your house? Maybe it’s someone your ancestor made a pact with to protect your family. Can lizards sometimes be jinns in disguise? Maybe it’s because jinns are shape-shifters and prefer small, innocuous insects and animals to turn into for the sake of convenience and ease of movement. There is a certain playfulness to how Haider deepens local popular sayings about jinns and creates a back-story and plausible reasons for those sayings to exist in the first place.
The novel’s narrative and style of writing are also reminiscent of the form of storytelling through which tales of jinns have historically been told: oral stories, whispered in the dark by grandmothers to grandchildren or friends trying to scare each other in the middle of the night. In places, Haider’s writing is similar to the style of oral stories: lush language that flows in such a way that you get sucked into it, stories that twist and turn and sweep you up in their momentum. Admittedly, there are moments where the tale becomes a little too convoluted, but it’s easy enough to let that go because Haider’s writing encourages you to become engrossed in the story.
Another strength of the book is its deft balance of suspense, horror and humour — a balance difficult to pull off, but crucial for a book aimed at young people. Haider has already proved she’s good at humour with her debut novel How it Happened and its character of Dadi. She continues her particular brand of snarkiness and wit in this novel, primarily through the main fantastical character, Jugnu the jinn, who is by far the most entertaining-to-read character in A Firefly in the Dark. A prankster jinn who is playful yet world-weary, kind but annoyed at the general ignorance of humans, Jugnu is a delight and his interactions with Sharmeen are the highlight of the book.
Beneath the narrative, Haider’s novel touches upon interesting connections between the idea of jinn possession, being in transition and the reality of a young person — particularly a young woman — coming of age. In a recent interview Haider said, “I wanted to write a novel about a girl who has to grow up. And all young women have to face the spectre of their physical bodies being subsumed by a powerful force — it’s a constant, looming threat. I could write about that using the symbolism that the jinn offered without getting too explicit.” A refreshing element in the novel is its frank tackling of menstruation in a way that is age-appropriate, but which also works to demystify this natural function by removing the thick cloud of shame around it. The author ties Sharmeen getting her first period into the larger arc of her adventure. And Sharmeen’s coming to terms with her transition to adulthood and her changing body is tied in nicely with her acceptance of the powers she holds within the novel’s jinn-filled universe.
January 4, 2021
The book is about a little girl, Sharmeen, who finds out that she can connect and talk to mythical creatures. And she tries her best to save her family from falling apart with the help of these creatures. The descriptions are so beautiful and clear that I had goose bumps while reading this. There are so many beautiful explanations and quotations in the book, like this one :
"Did you know that sounds never die? They hang around in the air, upside down like bats, so soft that even a whisper seems like a shout to them. Every word that is uttered lives forever in the space it was birthed. It has its own frequency. Your ears are not powerful enough to hear them, but, your hearts are sensitive to their energy. That is why houses feel happy or sad - because words lodged in them are thus"
The story had emotions, humour, suspense, fear, love and everything. In my point of view the writer has done justice to each and every character. And I am really happy and proud that this book is by a Pakistani author.
"Did you know that sounds never die? They hang around in the air, upside down like bats, so soft that even a whisper seems like a shout to them. Every word that is uttered lives forever in the space it was birthed. It has its own frequency. Your ears are not powerful enough to hear them, but, your hearts are sensitive to their energy. That is why houses feel happy or sad - because words lodged in them are thus"
The story had emotions, humour, suspense, fear, love and everything. In my point of view the writer has done justice to each and every character. And I am really happy and proud that this book is by a Pakistani author.
June 29, 2018
Beginning the book, you try to identify the good the bad and everything. As the story unfolds and you read jugnu's words you realize that unlike the other books no one is equivocally wrong in this plot and that everyone at some point is a bad person. The tail brimming with mystery, emotions and immense joy.
August 20, 2021
After having read How It Happened by the same writer, this didnt feel at par to it. It us an okayish read, strong start with Nani's stories, entrance of jinns, and an all rounder house help who seems to have multiple faces, but that is it. The story keeps revolving around these 3 things with haphazard behaviors from characters. The end is lukewarm at best.
June 13, 2022
i would really love to have a part 2 of this book, as i cried when jugnu had to say goodbye to sharmeen. This was a really heart touching story.Never saw this type of story in any other books and that's why this book became my favorite. If hope so , in next story can you make jugnu and sharmeen together forever. Please
love from India
love from India
May 18, 2018
Found this book to be very captivating. I finished reading it in a single day. It's a little difficult to put into words what exactly about this book affected me so. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author never ceases to impress.
November 6, 2018
Such a beautiful read, simply fell in love with the story. Original, witty full of imagery and culturally relateable. A sense of sweet melancholy prevails till the end; making for a tale to be told.....
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