There are several other notable characters that I enjoyed nearly as much, such as a thief boy, a kind apothecary, and the wily king at the very end. Yet, the novel is not a two man show either. The dialogue, while formal, befits both characters and the book is most fun whenever the two main characters are together. While Kamran and Alizeh naturally fall in love far too fast for my liking (I enjoy a slow-burn romance or, at least, one that takes longer than a week), they do exchange barbed comments, sincere moments, and save each other from harm multiple times within that week. The two characters have ample interactions–another thing that’s missing in the classic Cinderella stories. His complex family dynamics and interactions with his best friend reveal an internal tension as Kamran is still figuring out who he is supposed to be and who he wants to be. He comes across as a hard, cynical man, who originally suspects Alizeh of being a spy. The character of Prince Charming, who has an actual name in this book (it’s Kamran), is also fully fleshed out as a lone wolf prince who spent the past few years fighting in the army.

Her poor treatment at the hands of her overseer is explained by the tense history between the jinn and humans, and these past conflicts lead to some beautiful world building moments. This Woven Kingdom adds another depth to the Cinderella story by making her a member of a despised race–the Jinn. While she is beautiful, it is these qualities that first catch his eye (in fact, she’s wearing a veil the first time he sees her), and these qualities, as well as her brilliance, that hold it.

In Mafi’s novel, Alizeh shows the prince her character on many occasions. My main issue with traditional Cinderella stories (as well as Disney) is that the prince falls in love with her without seeing her two defining characteristics–the things that make her worth falling in love with. The traditional Cinderella character is portrayed with few personality traits, but those two–hard work and kindness–are the backbone of the character. I loved Alizeh’s determination and perpetual kindness. What I Loved The main characters, especially when they’re on the page together Meanwhile, another has discovered Alizeh’s identity and seeks to help her reach her true potential. When he learns of her true identity and the ramifications that she could have on his family and his kingdom, Kamran struggles between familial duty and his heart. One day the prince, Kamran, spots Alizeh acting suspicious, so he follows her, tracking down the girl who so intrigued him.

The story follows Alizeh, the long-lost heir to the Jinn kingdom who takes jobs as a servant to evade the people who killed her parents and would now kill her.

This woven kingdom 3