I’ve noticed an uptick in the number of stories being published that are related in some way to the Arabian Nights. Re-workings of Aladdin seem to be gaining traction, and at least two books published this year are re-tellings of the Scheherazade frame story, which should have huge pull for writers. I’m kind of surprised we haven’t seen more re-tellings of it sooner. Fairy tale re-tellings are perennially popular, though, and now that we’ve exhausted vampires, werewolves, and mermaids, genies are the next logical step – in fact, genies have been trending quietly for a couple of years now, though they’re not exclusive to the Arabian Nights.
All the titles below have some sort of link to the Arabian Nights or Arabic lore in general. All descriptions are from Worldcat except where noted. What others have I missed? Which ones have you read already?
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
In this reimagining of The Arabian Nights, Shahrzad plans to avenge the death of her dearest friend by volunteering to marry the murderous boy-king of Khorasan but discovers not all is as it seems within the palace.
A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
Aladdin is a street rat. There’s really no getting around that. Like most, he’s just trying to survive another day in impoverished Agrabah. Jasmine is a princess, one who is about to enter into an arranged marriage. All she wants is to escape her fate, to see what lies beyond the palace walls. But everything changes when the sultan’s trusted advisor, Jafar, suddenly rises to power. With the help of an ancient lamp, Jafar becomes determined to break the laws of magic and gain control over love and death. Soon Aladdin and the deposed princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion to stop the power-mad ruler. But their fight for freedom grows costly when it threatens to tear the kingdom apart.
Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios (sequel: Blood Passage, March 2016)
Nalia, a gorgeous, fierce eighteen-year-old jinni, is pitted against two magnetic adversaries, both of whom want her–and need her–to make their wishes come true.
Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein (sequel: Circle of Jinn, May 2016)
Behind closed doors, sixteen-year-old Azra is learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny. Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters,” Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn … and that her powers could endanger them all.
A Thousand Nights by E. K. Johnston (October 2015)
Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, so when she is taken to the king’s dangerous court she believes death will soon follow, but night after night Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, leading her to unlocking years of fear that have tormented and silenced the kingdom, and soon she is dreaming of bigger, more terrible magic, power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to rule of a monster.
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury (February 2016)
When Aladdin discovers Zahra’s jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn’t seen in hundreds of years — a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra’s very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. [Goodreads]
The Fire Wish by Amber Lough (sequel: The Blind Wish)
When a princess captures a jinn and makes a wish, she is transported to the fiery world of the jinn, while the jinn must take her place in the royal court of Baghdad.