Magic Has No Borders by Samira Ahmed

Abstract

Reviewed by: Magic Has No Borders by Samira Ahmed Danica Ronquillo Ahmed, Samira, ed. Magic Has No Borders; ed. by Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra. HarperTeen, 2023 [352p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780063208261 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063208285 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 9-12 Editors Ahmed and Charaipotra have gathered a host of South Asian authors and illustrators to create a marvelous anthology, with fourteen fantasy and science fiction stories that deeply explore legends, myths, and historical events, all reimagined from different regions and cultures in the South Asian diaspora. Many of the tales center the experience of girls and women who have survived endless challenges and will not let future generations have the same destiny; in Nikita Gill’s “Chudail,” young Asha seeks help from her mother and grandmother when she encounters a legendary witch who makes young girls disappear. Meanwhile, “Infinite Drift,” by Olivia Chadha, immerses sci-fi fans in a historical reimagining with Archana, a time traveler who shares a connection with a soldier from The Battle of Saragarhi. Sabaa Tahir’s “What the Winds Stole” follows a cursed lake peri as she learns to trust humans again when a mortal boy searches for her body, wings, and voice in exchange for his stolen sea glass. Other stories feature reincarnated gods and goddesses falling in love, upper and lower classes exploring their sexuality, and powerful warriors with complex parental relationships changing their fates. Readers will indeed find magic within this breadth of stories. Includes editors’ notes, author biographies, and stunning illustrations. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois