Review of The Tapestry of Fate (Amina al-Sirafi Adventure #2) by Shannon Chakraborty

Amina al-Sirafi is an irresistible character--spicy, determined, nurturing, cutthroat, loyal, inventive, and unpredictable. In this second novel of adventure, the pirate faces seemingly impossible challenges and must do the unthinkable: rely on others and trust them with her life so she can safely return to her daughter and family.

For there are indeed a great many capable, cunning women that the world would prefer to remember as witches.

I loved every bit of Chakraborty's first novel about willful, sometimes grumpy pirate Amina al-Sirafi and her complicated quest, strategic swearing, strength, fierce loyalty, struggle to balance work and family, and messy, grand, swashbuckling adventures.

In this second book in the series, Amina is obliged to seek a magical artifact on behalf of a powerful group to whom she is beholden. She imagines a fairly stress-free escape across the sea with her pirate crew, an efficient recovery, and a victorious return home. But she finds herself on an island ruled by a sorceress whose powers prevent Amina's escape. With a sinking feeling, Amina fears she may have met her match--although of course Amina never gives up. Add in complications like the solemn promise she made to her daughter before departure to return home quickly, her best friend's lies about Amina's visions and health, and the appearance of Amina's demon of an ex husband, and it's more imperative than ever that Amina find a way out of this deadly, cursed land.

The novel is long enough (496 pages, or 20 hours of audio) that Chakraborty has time to truly sink the reader into Amina's frustrating reality as she discovers the emerging truths about her situation and the mysterious, dark, seemingly sinister land where she and her crew have ended up. Characters surrounding Amina play essential roles, and she must resist her impulse to shoulder all duties and dangers as she's forced to trust and lean on each of them to defeat a witch more powerful than Amina ever imagined. Dalila, the ship's poisoning expert, grows into a prominent role; crew members like Tinbu and Majed are essential stalwart figures; and Raksh the demon, Amina's infuriating, intoxicating, disingenuous, dangerously powerful ex-husband, shows unforeseen layers.

It was not a good place for me to do business when I had a whole slew of ex-husbands, double-crossed business partners, and smuggling rivals who’d be happy to see me hang.

Strong women are at the heart of this story, as are their unfailing loyalties to family and friends, the forcing of impossible decisions, and the facing of excruciating losses. Fittingly, the plot is largely shaped by spindles, fabric, and weaving, often traditionally female concerns. Here, they carry unimaginable power. Along with signature Chakraborty-imagined complicated magical elements; Amina's spiciness, passion, and determination; and unexpected twists and turns, and we've got ourselves the makings of an irresistible adventure story.

I'm in for all the Amina books I can get my hands on, and the cliffhanger at the end of this novel clinches that.

I listened to this novel as an audiobook through my library and Libby.

More Adventure Stories

Shannon Chakraborty wrote the first book in this series, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, and also writes books under the name S. A. Chakraborty such as the Daevabad Trilogy: The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper, and The Empire of Gold.

You might also be interested in these Bossy reviews of novels about pirates and life at sea.