The Jinn Daughter

By: Jamie Steinberg

As a jinn, Nadine’s sole job in life is to tell the stories of the dead. Each morning, she rises and collects pomegranate seeds – a/k/a the souls of the dead – that have fallen during the night. Upon eating them, she helps tell their stories and usher them into a peaceful rest. With her beloved daughter Layala by her side, Nadine lives a fairly content life. That is until fewer and fewer soul seeds begin to appear. Nadine’s senses tell her that something is quite wrong, which is confirmed by the appearance of Death herself. As ruler of the underworld, she informs Nadine that it is time for someone to take her place and it is Layala that she wants. Certainly, Nadine will not allow this and thus begins the tortured adventure that is The Jinn Daughter. Author Rania Hanna excels at captivating the reader in Nadine’s desperate attempts to keep her daughter safe and living a happy, long life.

Nadine was very young when she gave birth to Layala and Nadine’s beloved Illyas lost his life in an effort to keep their daughter from dying. Nadine keeps his seed safe and sound so that he can remain a part of their lives and occasionally visit them. Nadine is happy with this life, but she begins to worry when Layala starts spending more and more time away from home. Nadine sends her clay eagle to spy on her daughter and discovers that Layala has met a boy named Rami. To add to her stress, Nadine’s daily rituals are interrupted when she notices the seeds of souls diminishing. Death (Kamuna) arrives with a warning that she needs someone to replace her and take over her mantle and she wants that someone to be Layala. Desperate to avoid this fate for her daughter, Nadine seeks the help of Illya’s wicked father to give his life in exchange for Layala. Sadly, his life of bad deeds has soured his ability to make a viable trade and a distraught Nadine realizes she must lean on Rami to assist in keeping Layala away from Kamuna.

Author Hanna keeps the reader turning page after page rooting for Nadine to keep her daughter out of Kamuna’s clutches. Your eyes also water over the love story between Nadine and Illyas. Truly, this couple loves each other and proves that not even death can part you from a soulmate. I will admit that the ending is not the one that I would have expected, but this wasn’t my story to tell. Just know that tissues will be needed.

The Jinn Daughter is a beautiful tale of how far a mother will go to protect her daughter. It also is a love story that captivates and keeps the reader eager to find out if Nadine can keep Layala safe…at all costs. If you believe in soulmates and you’re a fan of Middle Eastern mythology, be sure to pick up a copy of this compelling story.