The Princess of Dhagabad by Anna Kashina is a lush tale in the tradition of Arabian Nights that centers on the sole heir of the kingdom of Dhagabad as she comes of age. On her twelfth birthday she receives a gift from her long dead grandmother. She has known of the sealed bottle all her life but what is inside goes beyond all her expectations. Hasan, a centuries old djinn is now hers to command. The princess' delightful curiosity pulls Hasan out of his stoic apathy and reminds him what it is like to be human. But as the princess grows up her royal duties threaten their friendship forcing the princess to make some difficult choices.

The descriptions painted in The Princess of Dhagabad are vivid and have a strong eastern fairy tale feel to them, pulling you into the story. The main characters were archetypical with just enough personality to be engaging, often only being called "Princess" or "Sultan" with no name other than their title. The relationship between Hasan and the Princess is foremost in this story as she matures into a woman and he remembers his long lost humanity. My only dislike is that the passages in Hasan's view are written in second person. Each time it pulled me out of the story.

My Recommendation
If you like Arabian Nights and fantasy stories that are a bit different than the tried and true medieval England, The Princess of Dhagabad by Anna Kashina is perfect for you. I look forward to the other books in The Spirits of the Sands series.

The Princess of Dhagabad by Anna Kashina
Published by Dragonwell Press
151 pages

The Princess of Dhagabad by Anna Kashina is available at Amazon.com

My free review copy was provided by the publisher.