Less than 11 weeks away, The Jinn Daughter is getting some buzz. My hometown published an interview with me on The Valley Ledger, a short interview on why I write, how I balance grad school and research with writing, and more.
Here’s a snippet from the interview.
What or who inspired you to be a writer? What was your inspiration for this book? I always wanted to be a writer and a scientist, and now I’m both, which has been such a gift. Every book I’ve ever read has inspired me to be a writer. Much of my love of literature and writing comes from my father, who fed me a steady diet of Middle Eastern food and folklore. I draw from oral stories my dad passed on to me — some of the tales interwoven into the larger narrative of The Jinn Daughter I’ve drawn from stories he told me growing up. My strongest inspiration for writing this book has been my Syrian heritage, a heritage I am proud of.
-Rania Hanna, The Valley Ledger, January 2024
Interested in reading more? Check out the rest of my interview here.
As of today, we are FIVE months away from pub date for THE JINN DAUGHTER, my debut novel.
A stunning debut novel and an impressive feat of storytelling that pulls together mythology, magic, and ancient legend in the gripping story of a mother’s struggle to save her only daughter
Nadine is a jinn tasked with one job: telling the stories of the dead. She rises every morning to gather pomegranate seeds—the souls of the dead—that have fallen during the night. With her daughter Layala at her side, she eats the seeds and tells their stories. Only then can the departed pass through the final gate of death.
But when the seeds stop falling, Nadine knows something is terribly wrong. All her worst fears are confirmed when she is visited by Kamuna, Death herself and ruler of the underworld, who reveals her desire for someone to replace her: it is Layala she wants.
Nadine will do whatever it takes to keep her daughter safe, but Kamuna has little patience and a ruthless drive to get what she has come for. Layala’s fate, meanwhile, hangs in the balance.
Rooted in Middle Eastern mythology, Rania Hanna deftly weaves subtle, yet breathtaking, magic through this vivid and compelling story that has at its heart the universal human desire to, somehow, outmaneuver death.
Some author reviews:
“Lyrical and magical, The Jinn Daughter captivates with its fierce imagination and its visceral prose. Hanna spins a folkloric tale of family bonds and the power that the dead hold over the living. An extraordinary novel that will linger long after the final page!”―Helene Wecker, author of The Golem and the Jinni
“A beautiful, haunting homage to Middle Eastern folklore,The Jinn Daughter is a stirring tale of love, grief, and the depths we’re willing to go to save our loved ones. Hanna’s beautifully drawn, complex characters weave together a story that will find its way into your very bones and leave you wanting more.”―Ehigbor Okosun, author of Forged by Blood
“Hanna seamlessly weaves compelling and complex characters into a lush tapestry of Middle Eastern folklore, creating a tragic, haunting world that is as dark as it is beautiful.” ―Samantha Sotto Yambao, author of Before Ever After
I love the Arabic words woven into the story and the main character being a huntress. The story feels like a fable, like oral tradition, passed down generations about a fabled woman who hunted in the dark woods, the Arz, and who went on a quest to save her village.
This Woven Kingdom
Beautifully wrought, a retelling of the Persia epic, Shanameh, it brings in jinns (my favorite) in a magical and fabled way. Another book that reads like oral tradition, it calls to mind the stories of lore that are both dreamy and instructive.
The Golem and the Jinni
One of my absolute favorites, the story takes place in the Arab Quarters of New York City in the 1800s. In weaves Arab and Jewish mythology, and brings to life a sector of history often overlooked. I felt as if I were there with Syrians, drinking kahwa in the coffeehouse and trading gossip. One of the best written books I’ve read.
An Ember in the Ashes series
Another beautifully written story, including jinns later in the series. The story is part mythology, part dystopian, all bite, and all emotion. I devoured this series, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on subsequent books when I first started reading it.
Reading Between the Dunes 