Mira Paperback – June 19, 2022

This story takes you through so many emotions...the ups and downs of hopefulness and tragedy...Anger about the sacrifices of the women and the pain of the men never noticing...Deep sadness for the main character who was a child, overburdened with the opinions, fears and needs of others...Excitement for every rare smile the main character beams with and hopefulness that her life will finally start working out with her favor...Devastation as every possibility for happiness turns into another tragedy.Ultimately, the story ends in tears and for me, the lack of a happy ending contributes to the humanity and relatability of this story.The main character is not some icon for strength and building success and wealth despite her trauma...because she never wanted to be an icon of anything. She just wanted to be herself, and she was exactly that all throughout the book and the story ended in kind with that.Anyone who is:-A complete lover girl-An oldest daughter or parentified child-An other in any way-A people pleaser-On a self love journeyWill relate to and be touched by this story in so many ways-not because it necessarily gives you hope, but because it represents you.Aside from the story, the quality of writing was great save for a few details such as redundant repeated use of a single word or leaving space to desire more detail about certain things-nothing that compromises the ability to read or comprehend the story at all.There are certain non-English words which I felt I needed more information on, but this simply compelled me to do my own research-which I enjoyed and caused me to invest in the story more.All in all: this is a great book that I will definitely be rereading.

This book told a beautiful story of the purest soul to ever exist. It was heartbreaking in the best and worst ways. It was harsh while remaining innocent. This story has all sorts of love except for romantic love and you know what? That’s okay!This book has so many underlying themes that resonant and are eye opening! As someone that knows nothing of bedouin culture or nomadic culture it was fantastical and amazing! I am an awe at the resiliency of humanity and it’s cruelty.A truly magnificent story, one I hope many more people get to experience and enjoy!My only tip is have lots of tissues available and drink lots of water, you’re gonna need to hydrate from all the crying lol

MIRA by Jia LucmanIn a small village in the desert, a little girl’s ability to see what others cannot, becomes a curse to her, rather than a gift. She can see jinn, which are thought of as demons by many, and the weight of superstition makes her fear for herself and her family if she tells the truth. I found this story touching and sad, as it highlights how trapped girls and women were in the society described. The pictures of the caravans, the Bedouins, their culture, and beliefs drawn by Jacman’s words, take you into her world. The choices that the child must make, between friendship and responsibility to family, are painful and destructive to her sense of self, when no choice is completely right. Culture is often the villain in her life, and your heart goes out to her as she struggles to find her own destiny. I enjoyed this sojourn into another land and different culture, with all its mysteries and superstitions. Be sure to read the acknowledgement by the author at the end, to understand how personal this story is for her.

I read this book to support someone I know. The story sounded interesting and when I finally received it; I read it at once. I couldn't put the book down. There was so much emotion in where it needed to be. The sadness, the joy, the need to be wanted, and the craving for adventure. Every word she wrote was perfect. Every detail I could see. There were times I wanted to cry, but I held it in...until the end. I sobbed while my boyfriend looked at me like I was crazy and like a child; I explained why I was crying. This really is a good book to free your soul. Many times, we don't understand what goes through a child's mind and how observant they actually are. It's good to be reminded that the need to belong is just as important as having a job to go through life. URGH! Okay, I'm getting off-topic. The point is...is that it's a brilliant book and you should read it!!! I will be reading other works of this author.

I don’t write reviews often, but I felt like people needed to hear this. I read this book because I saw the author promote it in a Facebook group I’m apart of. She posted a comment talking about how grateful she was. I was impressed to see how many 5 star reviews it had so I decided to give it a chance and I’m absolutely so glad I did. I’ve read hundreds of books and this is by far one my my absolute favorites that will stick with me for a very long time. I will recommend this to everyone I know who loves to read. This story of Mira is heart wrenching. I have never sobbed so hard while reading a book. This absolutely broke my heart in the best possible way. Mira is such a phenomenal soul and just wanted to be loved and I’m very glad to have been able to read her story.

I saw Lucman's tiktok about what the book would be about (re: when Arabian Nights was trending) and finally bought it some time end of April, early May. I finally got around to reading it TWO days ago and wow! Please, you guys. This book will MESS with your feelings. It makes you feel safe, protected, and then BAM! Lucman pulls the safety net away from you and suddenly you're naked and vulnerable (sobbing in your bed at 2 AM). Coming of age, the origin of the evil eye, beautiful imagery, unlikely friendships, and beautifully written passages. I hope this book gains traction so that one day Jia can answer questions about the book! I have a few up my sleeve.

I was sceptical about reading this book as I was grown up with scary stories about jinns, however the way the author has written the characters and truly been honest with the cultural and religious differences we see today is beautiful my portrayed. The prejudice that some people hold to this who look different or have a curious mind is truth telling. The friendships and relations of the characters are relatable and heart warning.Loved reading this, made me cry, laugh and think deeper about heritage and religious beliefs