The Bird King

by G. Willow Wilson

hardcover, 440 pages

Published March 12, 2019 by Grove Press.

ISBN:: 978-0-8021-2903-1

(14 reviews)

From award-winning author G. Willow Wilson, The Bird King is an epic journey set during the reign of the last sultan in the Iberian peninsula at the height of the Spanish Inquisition. G. Willow Wilson's debut novel Alif the Unseen established her as a vital American Muslim literary voice. The Bird King tells the story of Fatima, a concubine in the royal court of Granada, the last emirate of Muslim Spain, and her dearest friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker. Hassan has a secret - he can draw maps of places he's never seen and bend the shape of reality. When representatives of the newly formed Spanish monarchy arrive to negotiate the sultan's surrender, Fatima befriends one of the women, not realising that she will see Hassan's gift as sorcery and a threat to Christian Spanish rule. With their freedoms at stake, what will Fatima risk to save Hassan and escape …

2 editions

Taylor Drew reviewed The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

On having a little faith

4 stars

I feel like everything about this book was erratic and unexpected, but nonetheless I find myself very weepy at the end of it all--I'm not even sure what to say.

It's not very often that I get to read a book originally in English where the white man is the enemy in such a clear and articulated way. Yet the enemy is also somehow something or someone else. It's a hard to describe feeling, but it just reminds me that we all need to believe in something and have a little faith. Be gracious to others, regardless of any differences there may be between you, and just do your best with courage. That's all there is.

Hilo reviewed The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

Review of 'The Bird King' on 'Goodreads'

No rating

Während das muslimische Granada fällt, fliehen ein schwuler Kartenmacher, der geheime Tunnel erscheinen lassen kann, und eine ehemalige Konkubine des Sultans vor der spanischen Inquisition. Eine schöne, von der Mythenwelt des Islams inspirierte magische Welt eröffnet sich ihnen, als sie sich auf die Suche nach der legendären Insel des Königs der Vögel machen.

Mochte die enge Freundschaft der beiden, die von Liebe und Eifersucht umeinander und über ihre jeweiligen Lover geprägt ist! Auch die Art wie Glaube thematisiert wurde, Vergebung, wie Feindschaft dargestellt wurde - die böse Inquisitorin war nicht das abstrakte Andere, sondern kam sich mit der Protagonistin immer mal wieder sehr nah menschlich, aber nie wurden ihre Taten verniedlicht.

Spoiler:
Mir hat wenig gefallen, dass sich zuletzt die Böse als eine herausstellte, die besessen war; die einen Dämon für ihren Christengott hielt. Das war eine zu billige Lösung für mich.

Jason reviewed The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

None

4 stars

This was just a fun and great story. I loved how it took me from 15th century Spain to the shores of...well...you go a long but short journey to the Bird King.

Smoak reviewed The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

Review of 'The Bird King' on 'Storygraph'

3 stars

Started strong, and provided an interesting take on the meanings of faith, freedom, and peace. Ultimately unsatisfying, though, and not as well-formed as Alif the Unseen, with which it shares a universe.

the_lirazel reviewed The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

Review of 'The Bird King' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Wilson's writing and characterization are so, so, so, so good but I need to think more about that ending. Not the very end, but the part just before that.