Another unexpected, unanticipated novel knocks me off my feet and crashes into my favorite novels list.
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years, the wonderfully-titled novel from South African writer Shubnum Khan, is perfect for fans of the gothic, with a hint of the supernatural. Jumping between 2014, and one hundred years earlier, we follow the inhabitants of Akbar Manzil, an estate off the coast of South Africa to rival du Maurier’s Manderley.
In the 2014 narrative, we meet teenager Sana and her father, who have moved into the now-failing Akbar Manzil, joining a variety of interesting characters. As Sana explores the grand house, the dark history of the place unravels, involving an unconventional marriage, an overbearing matriarch, and a pet lion. And let’s not forget about the titular djinn, who observes all of this from the estate’s many darkened corners.
I loved this book so much. The modern misfits who welcome young Sana, the devastating history which slowly unravels, the beautiful writing; it all combined to make a truly engrossing and captivating story. The character of the djinn, as an omnipresent narrator, really helped to draw the reader into the story. The personification of the house was a wonderful touch as well.
A truly special novel, which everyone fan of historical or gothic fiction should read. Highly recommended.
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is released on January 9th.
Thanks to Viking for the ARC.
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