The Kingdom Over the Sea - by Zohra Nabi

About the Book

When twelve-year-old Yara finds a strange set of instructions left behind by her deceased mother, she starts on a journey to discover the truth about her mother's past and her true identity.

Book Synopsis

"Enchanting, immersive, and beautifully imagined." --A.F. Steadman, New York Times bestselling author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

"Perfect for fans of Philip Pullman and Tahereh Mafi" (Booklist), this lavish middle grade adventure follows a girl who must travel to a mystical land of sorceresses, alchemists, jinn, and flying carpets to discover her heritage and fulfill her destiny.

My own Yara, if you are reading this, then something terrible has happened, and you are on your own. To return to the city of Zehaira, you must read out the words on the back of this letter... Good luck, my brave girl.

When twelve-year-old Yara's mother passes away, she leaves behind a letter and a strange set of instructions. Yara must travel from the home she has always known to a place that is not on any map--Zehaira, a world of sorcerers, alchemists, and simmering magic. But Zehaira is not the land it used to be. The practice of magic has been outlawed, the Sultan's alchemists are plotting a sinister scheme--and the answers Yara is searching for seem to be out of reach.

Yara must summon all her courage to discover the truth about her mother's past and her own identity...and to find her place in this magical new world.

Review Quotes

"Enchanting, immersive, and beautifully imagined. Once I'd finished, I couldn't stop dreaming of this magnificent magical world."
--A.F. Steadman, author of the New York Times bestseller Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

"Nabi's debut is a portal fantasy inspired by folktales and stories from Iraq, creating a fully realized fantasy world where injustice occurs just like in ours, and it takes strong-hearted children like Yara to make change. While the pacing makes it slow to reach the main plot, the land is full of adventure, with a secret settlement full of sorcerers, trips on flying carpets, and dangerous conspiracies. Accompanied by illustrations, this new series is perfect for fans of Philip Pullman and Tahereh Mafi."--Booklist "6/1/23"

"That Yara ends up having (unconventional) magic of her own might be expected, but by then readers will have already formed an attachment to the determined, bighearted hero. The setting--an Arab-coded world that simmers with magic--is richly described and populated by complex people and jinn. The ending wraps the action up a bit abruptly but looks forward to more dangers and adventures in the sequel.
A debut that marks the author as an exciting storyteller to watch."--Kirkus Reviews "5/1/23"

About the Author

Zohra Nabi grew up inventing stories for her two younger sisters. She studied law at Cambridge and Oxford universities, but secretly dreamed of being an author. Now she lives in London, browsing bookshops and writing magical adventures. The Kingdom over the Sea is her first book.