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Mirage
(Mirage #1)
by
'Somaiya Daud is a rare talent. A smart, romantic, exciting debut' - Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent.
The crown of Dihya had been stripped from me, my face changed, my body broken.
But I was not a slave and I was not a spare.
I was my mother's daughter, and I would survive and endure. I would find my way back home.
In a star system dominated ...more
The crown of Dihya had been stripped from me, my face changed, my body broken.
But I was not a slave and I was not a spare.
I was my mother's daughter, and I would survive and endure. I would find my way back home.
In a star system dominated ...more
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Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Published
August 28th 2018
by Hodder & Stoughton
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Popular Answered Questions
Jenny
Yes there is, but not an overwhelming amount!
Phoebe Pratt
It does have minor violence but nothing to visual. Would defiantly recommend for those ages
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Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Mirage (Mirage, #1)

Jun 15, 2018
chai ♡
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to chai ♡ by:
Melanie
I am, and I cannot stress this enough, a mess over this book.
I love this book for many reasons: least of which that lately I’ve been full of the restless, dissatisfied energy that seemed to move into my heart after finishing a book, I’ve been chasing that particular high you only get from certain rare stories – the ones that make you want to press the book against your chest and try to soak up the gorgeous literature via osmosis, the ones that resonate with you on a strange personal level, like ...more
I love this book for many reasons: least of which that lately I’ve been full of the restless, dissatisfied energy that seemed to move into my heart after finishing a book, I’ve been chasing that particular high you only get from certain rare stories – the ones that make you want to press the book against your chest and try to soak up the gorgeous literature via osmosis, the ones that resonate with you on a strange personal level, like ...more

“you are not defined by the men in your life, no matter how powerful. You lived before them and you shall live after them. You can’t let them determine your path.”
3 1/2 stars. Now THIS is the feminist YA fantasy of 2018, not Heart of Thorns. It's imperfect, yes, falling into a number of debut author traps, but it's a slow-burning, diverse fantasy with a rich, Moroccan-inspired setting.
Somewhat surprisingly, Mirage is a character-driven fantasy. Most YA fantasy I read is driven by mindless ac ...more

Somaiya Daud didn’t have to come for us like this..... she’s like “here take this amazing multidimensional narrative about colonization and agency and internalized hatred for one’s culture, driven by a fantastic lady lead and her complex relationship with a fantastic lady antivillain, featuring fantastic setting descriptions and a really good romance, and also I write like a Pulitzer Prize winner and this is my debut” and im just. out here eating a bag of chips
I know I just gave you a really lon ...more
I know I just gave you a really lon ...more

I have been waiting for this book and I didn't even know it. Smart, fast-paced, sexy, heartbreaking, with spectacular worldbuilding. The cultural details, from names to clothes to physical descriptions to poetry are so painstakingly and carefully done. It's a sci-fi that feels like a fantasy, which tbh is my favorite genre combo. You will be hearing me yell about this book all year. Add it to your TBRs, try to get your hands on an ARC. It is absolutely fantastic.
...more

Apr 10, 2018
Melanie
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2018,
fantasy,
sci-fi,
own-voices,
buddy-reads,
subscription-box-owlcrate,
young-adult,
arc

ARC provided by Flatiron in exchange for an honest review.
You all should check out this amazing ownvoices review from Em! 💜
“On a small moon orbiting a large planet, in a small farmhouse in a small village, there was a box, and in this box was a feather.”
Mirage is a magical, wonderful, important, gift to the YA SFF world. From characters I fell in love with, to the messages about the importance of your culture and your family, to the most lyrical and beautiful writing. I loved this st ...more

I really appreciate the infusion of Moroccan culture, familial values, and spoken poetry in a story that combines both history, fantasy, and sci-fi together. Listening to the author’s interview at the end of the audiobook was my favorite part because she put so much care and thought into researching for this story and telling it in an authentic way. How certain people are ruled and how specific cultural expressions are outlawed are strongly influenced by her own studies. I am rating this 3 stars
...more
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1557144778p2/15335689.jpg)
Science fiction can be hit and miss for me, so I don’t request ARCs from the genre terribly often, but when I heard the synopsis on this one—and the fact that it has own-voice Moroccan rep, which I’d never seen in a story before—I knew it was one I couldn’t afford to miss out on, and for good reason. I don’t say this lightly in my advance reviews, but honestly, I believe Mirage is going to be one of the best, and most important, releases of 2018.
The crown of Dihya had been stripped from me, m...more

Okay, I got the same book in my Sept Fairyloot Box! This is happening too much, but I loved the book from this box and all the stuff in it. I will leave a link below the picture!

AWESOME GOODIES LINK
I actually enjoyed this book, at first I wasn't sure and then it reeled me in closer to the end of the book! I couldn't give up on a book set in space and stuff! =)
•••••••
This was in my Sept Owlcrate box. I hope I love it as much as my friends have given it 5 stars! I must admit, I love the original ...more

AWESOME GOODIES LINK
I actually enjoyed this book, at first I wasn't sure and then it reeled me in closer to the end of the book! I couldn't give up on a book set in space and stuff! =)
•••••••
This was in my Sept Owlcrate box. I hope I love it as much as my friends have given it 5 stars! I must admit, I love the original ...more

i got this book in owlcrates september box and im so happy because this wasnt even on my radar!
this book was relatively short and so it wasted no time with a slow build up. the story dived straight into the world building which, honestly, was a bit overwhelming. but eventually that overwhelming feeling developed into intrigue. and i felt like this story had a lot going for it - the cultural representation, the sci-fi feel within a fantasy centred story, and the characters.
i really appreciated ...more
this book was relatively short and so it wasted no time with a slow build up. the story dived straight into the world building which, honestly, was a bit overwhelming. but eventually that overwhelming feeling developed into intrigue. and i felt like this story had a lot going for it - the cultural representation, the sci-fi feel within a fantasy centred story, and the characters.
i really appreciated ...more

This review and other non-spoilery reviews can be found @The Book Prescription
Actual rating: 3.25 stars
“Even Your Happiness is rebellion.”
🌟 I don’t usually put synopsis but I felt it was important to understand this review and because I went into the story without even knowing what is it about!
🌟 I know this book will get a lot of good reviews and ratings which is cool and makes me happy for the author. The problem is that this is a debut novel and it felt like one!
🌟 I am not a big Sci-fi reade ...more
Actual rating: 3.25 stars
“Even Your Happiness is rebellion.”
🌟 I don’t usually put synopsis but I felt it was important to understand this review and because I went into the story without even knowing what is it about!
🌟 I know this book will get a lot of good reviews and ratings which is cool and makes me happy for the author. The problem is that this is a debut novel and it felt like one!
🌟 I am not a big Sci-fi reade ...more

This is such a lush sci-fi with an AWESOME premise! Body-doubles and rich backstabby courts and rebellions and the actual most intricately detailed culture and world! (Although lowkey thought it was fantasy?! I think the non-galaxy-starry cover threw me haha.) It's also really important and special to see #ownvoices sci-fi featuring POC characters and culture.
I'm sad there were things that didn't work for me regarding plot logic/writing style...but I still think it's a beautiful book and will a ...more
I'm sad there were things that didn't work for me regarding plot logic/writing style...but I still think it's a beautiful book and will a ...more

At its core, Mirage was a story about culture.
I empathised with Amani, who’d been torn from home and all that was familiar to become a foreigner. I empathised with Idris, who’d lost his heritage and history, who’d been forced to shed his culture and put on another. And I empathised with Maram, whose cruelty concealed a girl whose desire was to belong—and who, because of her biracial identity, was always an outsider and never 'authentic' enough for either.
The motif of language manifests itself th ...more
I empathised with Amani, who’d been torn from home and all that was familiar to become a foreigner. I empathised with Idris, who’d lost his heritage and history, who’d been forced to shed his culture and put on another. And I empathised with Maram, whose cruelty concealed a girl whose desire was to belong—and who, because of her biracial identity, was always an outsider and never 'authentic' enough for either.
The motif of language manifests itself th ...more

Feb 19, 2018
may ❀
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
300-pgs,
buddy-read,
look-at-that-beauty,
fantasy,
sci-fi,
kickass-heroine,
trilogy,
arab,
i-am-trash
THIS WAS REALLY GOOD YOU GUYS IM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW
i really liked the pacing and the plot and the writing style and how the author seamlessly managed to incorporate her moroccan culture into sci-fi fiction, it's official y'all, shes an actual queen
i adored the art representing the cities/places they were traveling, honestly that was the highlight of the book
the characters were interesting, well developed, and i see so much more growth happening in the coming books im HYPED
maram's character in ...more
i really liked the pacing and the plot and the writing style and how the author seamlessly managed to incorporate her moroccan culture into sci-fi fiction, it's official y'all, shes an actual queen
i adored the art representing the cities/places they were traveling, honestly that was the highlight of the book
the characters were interesting, well developed, and i see so much more growth happening in the coming books im HYPED
maram's character in ...more

July 2020 edit: I don't know how this is possible but I loved this book even more the second time around.
CW: Death, colonialisation, cultural appropriation, cultural erasure, violence, physical abuse, threats, attempted murder.
I delayed writing this review until the last possible moment because I simply do not feel worthy of writing it, my words will never do this brilliant book justice. I wasn’t okay when I read it. And I’m still not okay now, two months later. Mirage broke me and put me back t ...more
CW: Death, colonialisation, cultural appropriation, cultural erasure, violence, physical abuse, threats, attempted murder.
I delayed writing this review until the last possible moment because I simply do not feel worthy of writing it, my words will never do this brilliant book justice. I wasn’t okay when I read it. And I’m still not okay now, two months later. Mirage broke me and put me back t ...more

One of the most ridiculously tedious books I have ever read.
I did enjoy the overall setting and some of the characters were mildly interesting, but every. Single. Scene. Felt so insignificant and useless, and if there was a somewhat exciting one, it was quickly skipped over just to resume the talking about tiles. I don't think I've ever read a book that talked about tiles more than this one.
And the climax? Massively underwhelming. I would have dnf'd this countless times had I not held onto the ...more
I did enjoy the overall setting and some of the characters were mildly interesting, but every. Single. Scene. Felt so insignificant and useless, and if there was a somewhat exciting one, it was quickly skipped over just to resume the talking about tiles. I don't think I've ever read a book that talked about tiles more than this one.
And the climax? Massively underwhelming. I would have dnf'd this countless times had I not held onto the ...more

Apr 17, 2018
Beth
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
faves,
arcs,
swoony-swoony,
2018-reads,
book-series,
book-subscritpions,
characters-i-loved,
5-stars
5 Stars!
You do not kneel or bend, I told myself. To anyone. You continue.
You know when you need a book in your life, but you didn't realise what that was until you read it? Well for me, this was Mirage. I got an ARC from Netgalley and then two copies in subscription boxes, so I'm going to say it was a sign that I had to read it.
I'm quite surprised at myself, now I can be honest here and say Sci-Fi isn't usually for me, I'm normally very skeptical and it takes me a while to get into it. For some ...more
You do not kneel or bend, I told myself. To anyone. You continue.
You know when you need a book in your life, but you didn't realise what that was until you read it? Well for me, this was Mirage. I got an ARC from Netgalley and then two copies in subscription boxes, so I'm going to say it was a sign that I had to read it.
I'm quite surprised at myself, now I can be honest here and say Sci-Fi isn't usually for me, I'm normally very skeptical and it takes me a while to get into it. For some ...more

4.5 stars
This was solid. I really enjoyed this. Review to come.
This was solid. I really enjoyed this. Review to come.

About: Mirage is a young adult fantasy written by Somaiya Daud. It will be published on 8/28/18 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, 320 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, and science fiction. This book is the author’s debut and is intended for readers ages 13 to 18.
My Experience: I started reading Mirage on 4/6/18 and finished it on 4/14/18. This book is an excellent read! I love that there’s a village on the moon. The body double is interesting to read, especially w ...more
My Experience: I started reading Mirage on 4/6/18 and finished it on 4/14/18. This book is an excellent read! I love that there’s a village on the moon. The body double is interesting to read, especially w ...more

★ giveaway for a copy of Mirage + free wallpaper download! ★
Mirage was definitely not what I was expecting--but not in a bad way! I was looking forward to reading a high-stakes survival story with lots of action and rebellion (I was totally imagining a fantasy version of The Hunger Games), but it was more along the lines of The Wrath and the Dawn with its slower pacing and intense focus on the romance.
Again, this is not ne ...more
"You are not defined by the men in your life, no matter how powerful."
Mirage was definitely not what I was expecting--but not in a bad way! I was looking forward to reading a high-stakes survival story with lots of action and rebellion (I was totally imagining a fantasy version of The Hunger Games), but it was more along the lines of The Wrath and the Dawn with its slower pacing and intense focus on the romance.
Again, this is not ne ...more

currently being hated by everyone ???? show me your worst, Princess Maram 🌚
buddy read with an angel 💫
~~~
27.8.2018:
Mirage will finally be released tomorrow and I'm so here for an antagonistic character that's also called Maram 🌚🌚🌚🌚 Also, need the physical copy like yesterday IT'S GORGEOUS 😍💜 ...more
buddy read with an angel 💫
~~~
27.8.2018:
Mirage will finally be released tomorrow and I'm so here for an antagonistic character that's also called Maram 🌚🌚🌚🌚 Also, need the physical copy like yesterday IT'S GORGEOUS 😍💜 ...more

Mirage by Somaiya Daud is the first book of the new young adult romantic science fiction fantasy series by the same name. Eighteen year old Amani is from a poor family living in a village on a remote moon when droids show up scanning everyone they come across.
When the droids scan Amani they find something within her that causes her capture and to be whisked away from her home. The next Amani knows she is meeting Princess Maram and finds she is staring into what is practically her own face. That ...more
When the droids scan Amani they find something within her that causes her capture and to be whisked away from her home. The next Amani knows she is meeting Princess Maram and finds she is staring into what is practically her own face. That ...more

Buddy Reading this with my favourite Chris Hemsworth lover
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. I also received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on Mirage are my own, receiving a copy did not impact this at all.
Trigger Warnings: kidnapping, cultural erasure, physical abuse, war themes, murder, forced body altercations, talk of grief and trauma
MY REVIEW FOR MIRAGE WAS FIRST POSTED ON MY BLOG, CHECK IT OUT HERE
An ...more
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. I also received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on Mirage are my own, receiving a copy did not impact this at all.
Trigger Warnings: kidnapping, cultural erasure, physical abuse, war themes, murder, forced body altercations, talk of grief and trauma
MY REVIEW FOR MIRAGE WAS FIRST POSTED ON MY BLOG, CHECK IT OUT HERE
An ...more

I received ARC in exchange for an honest review,
Full review posted
I just arrived back home after a long trip and I have the feeling that I have already forgotten how to write a decent review, so please don’t hate me if this review ends up being a mess. (I have only one free week left before college starts and I’m not feeling ready enough).
................................................................................................
Mirage is one of those books that since the first time you hea ...more
Full review posted
I just arrived back home after a long trip and I have the feeling that I have already forgotten how to write a decent review, so please don’t hate me if this review ends up being a mess. (I have only one free week left before college starts and I’m not feeling ready enough).
................................................................................................
Mirage is one of those books that since the first time you hea ...more

Jul 26, 2020
Umairah | Sereadipity
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites
Mirage was a Moroccan and Amazigh (who are the indigenous people of North Africa) inspired sci-fi (with the feel of a fantasy) and it was quite literally the book of my dreams. I don't think words can convey how much this book means to me but I'll give it a go!
Content Warnings: violence, physical abuse, torture, themes of colonialism
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
I'm half Moroccan Amazigh and reading a book so interwoven with Moroccan and Amazighi culture and history meant the world. From ...more
Content Warnings: violence, physical abuse, torture, themes of colonialism
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
I'm half Moroccan Amazigh and reading a book so interwoven with Moroccan and Amazighi culture and history meant the world. From ...more

i didn't know how much i needed this in my life
...more

Okay. To preface: this is not a bad book. This is a good book. In some ways, in fact, it's great. I just want to stress this because my review might seem overly critical, but most of my reasons are really all about me and my tastes, which seem to be changing.
So what is this book about? Well, the Goodreads summary does a pretty good job explaining about 50% of the book (which is part of the problem, but I'll get to it later). So, Amani is Princess Maram's body double, she predictably falls in in ...more
So what is this book about? Well, the Goodreads summary does a pretty good job explaining about 50% of the book (which is part of the problem, but I'll get to it later). So, Amani is Princess Maram's body double, she predictably falls in in ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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YA Buddy Readers'...: Mirage (Mirage #1) by Somaiya Daud - Restarting April 4th 2020 | 52 | 126 | Apr 10, 2020 01:37PM | |
The Procrastinato...:
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8 | 37 | Nov 02, 2018 01:53PM |
Somaiya Daud was born in a Midwestern city, and spent a large part of her childhood and adolescence moving around. Like most writers, she started when she was young and never really stopped. Her love of all things books propelled her to get a degree in English literature (specializing in the medieval and early modern), and while she worked on her Master’s degree she doubled as a bookseller at Poli
...more
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“You do not kneel or bend, I told myself. To anyone. You continue.”
—
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“The blood never dies. The blood never forgets.”
—
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