From School Library Journal
Gr 4–6—In a poor village in Pakistan, 12-year-old Nura digs for mica in the mines, helping support her widowed mother and three younger siblings, sometimes using her pay to buy herself her favorite sweet treat, gulab jamun. Mining is dangerous; it's how her father died, and Nura's mother wants her to stop. Nura promises she will after one more day, but that is the day the mine collapses and her best friend Faisal, along with several other children, gets trapped inside. When Nura risks her own safety to venture back into the collapsed mine to find them, she is lured into a magical jinn palace full of sparkle and riches beyond her wildest dreams, only to be tricked by the jinn back into the very same sort of child labor scheme she just left. Will Nura outsmart the jinn, find a way to escape the immortal palace, and save the trapped children? With expert pacing, Khan dishes out tidbits of Pakistani culture while readers remain absorbed in the high-action fantasy world, perhaps not realizing they are learning about the holiday Eid, a story from the Quran, or how gulab jamun tastes. While the wrongs of exploiting children evolves naturally as an integral theme of the story, the author tries a two-for-one approach, throwing discussions of education access into the mix alongside the obvious contradiction that it is our underserved heroine who outsmarts everyone at the end. VERDICT A strong purchase for any fantasy collection, but especially those wanting to feature culturally diverse stories.—Hillary Perelyubskiy
Review
"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
"Beautifully imaginative and full of humor, heart, and characters to root for, Nura and the Immortal Palace is a grand adventure of a book."―Christina Li, author of Clues to the Universe
"Both startling and beautiful. Nura will win your heart in the first pages of this magical adventure with surprises at every turn."―J.C. Cervantes, best-selling author of The Storm Runner series
"Nura and the Immortal Palace is a debut that glimmers as captivatingly and intensely as the mica its protagonist mines. Every word is a thoughtfully selected gem, every scene gripping and intensely wrought. The result is an adventure that is dangerously beautiful and will make sure readers are both enchanted and excited for every page turn. M.T. Khan is a wordsmith to watch, and name to remember."―Karuna Riazi, author of The Gauntlet
"M.T. Khan weaves a magical tale brimming with themes of friendship, family, and hope - interspersed with delicious foods and enthralling lore. Readers will root for brave Nura from the gripping beginning to the breathtaking conclusion. Action-packed, heartfelt, timeless!"―Katie Zhao, author of The Dragon Warrior and Winnie Zeng series
"A stunning debut. Khan weaves a uniquely magical tale taking the tropes of jinn and presenting them as tragic, selfish, and all together untrustworthy. Nura, despite her humble origin, rises up to take on all the illusions and deceits of the immortal mischief-makers, and through her trials Khan presents a powerful view of the world we live in, where injustice and subjugation of the poor and powerless is as cruel and destructive as anything a djinni could conjure up. A uniquely powerful tale."―Sarwat Chadda, author of City of the Plague God
"Truly spellbinding. Mesmerizing with every turn of the page, Nura and the Immortal Palace sparkles, even in the darkest of twists."―Julie Abe, author of the Eva Evergreen series
"M. T. Khan has woven a magical, transporting tale with Nura and the Immortal Palace. Guiding us into a mysterious and glitzy world of jinn, serving us sweet bites of gulab jamun, all while shedding light on the chilling reality of child labor in our world, Khan's debut is one that will linger with me long after turning the last page."―Graci Kim, bestselling author of The Last Fallen Star
"A riotous adventure with colour and a lot of heart, featuring an intrepid protagonist who refuses to let anything defeat her."―Nafiza Azad, author of The Candle and the Flame
"An exceptional middle grade debut that shines brighter than any gem—and digs into the ugly truth of child labor. Khan is a gifted writer whose books will be treasured for years to come!" ―Sarena and Sasha Nanua, authors of Sisters of the Snake
"Meticulous plotting and layered lore elevate Khan’s debut, while Nura and Faisal’s friendship grounds the high-stakes story about burgeoning labor consciousness."―Publishers Weekly, starred review
*"This action-packed story set in a Muslim community moves at a fast pace, with evocative writing that brings the fantasy world to life and lyrical imagery to describe emotions.
An enthralling fantasy debut exploring exploitation by those in power."―Kirkus, starred review
"This high-stakes, immersive fantasy will be sure to stay with readers long after they finish it."―Booklist, starred review
*"A strong purchase for any fantasy collection, but especially those wanting to feature culturally diverse stories."―School Library Journal, starred review
"The standout worldbuilding strikes an impressive balance between realism and fantasy, presenting the harrowing experiences of child labor while also joyfully describing a lavish jinn resort with all manner of curious and memorable details in a way that does not diminish the impact of the former."―BCCB
“Along with telling a compelling, multi-layered story, Khan is also skilled at creating complex characters readers will be drawn to…”―Canadian Review of Materials
About the Author
M.T. Khan is a speculative fiction author with a penchant for all things myth, science, and philosophy. She focuses on stories that combine all three, dreaming of evocative worlds and dark possibilities. When she's not writing, she has her nose deep in physics textbooks or glued to her CAD computer as she majors in Mechanical Engineering. Born in Lahore, Pakistan, she currently resides in Toronto, Canada, with a hyperactive cat and an ever-increasing selection of tea. Nura and the Immortal Palace is her debut novel.
