The Jasad Heir
Sara Hashem
Paperback / Ebook
ISBN: 9780316477864
Orbit, July 18, 2023, 400 pgs

I almost opened this review by saying I was in from the first page, but this wouldn’t quite be accurate. I was in from the preface, even before the beginning of chapter one. It’s just a snippet, but it works so damn well. Elegant writing paired with dark but lovely imagery won me over. I’m pleased to say this style continues throughout Sara Hashem’s Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy novel, The Jasad Heir. Yes, there are some of those usual kinds of phrases we see, especially in fantasy novels—the ones which are kind of perfect but perhaps overused—such as “skeletal trees,” but there are also beautiful new lines, marrying the familiar with the fresh, and providing a consistently lovely narrative flow.

One of Hashem’s strengths is placing the reader in the moment, a powerful tool for an engaging story. While immersing the reader in the story, Hashem is also filtering in lots of crucial information. You might not notice, but you are very quickly getting a sense of character, world, and some of the driving and underlying concerns of the protagonist.

“Sylvia” is in hiding under an assumed name. Her situation is not safe, and this is made even more relevant by Hashem’s knack for rendering a character who is both interesting and likeable. Sylvia is a member of an outlawed people, an idea which is always fertile ground for exploring the ways humans have historically mistreated each other. These are motifs to which Hashem adds welcome nuances. Sylvia also has an innate magic, like the rest of her outlawed people, but in her specific case, this magic was locked away years ago by well-meaning grandparents; and they aren’t around anymore to unlock her power. This means our protagonist has to figure things out and scrape by with her knife and wits. Sylvia does have a couple of friends—reluctantly, since being an outlaw means she may have to up and leave at any moment, and attachments are just going to distract her and hold her back—but she is markedly different from those around her in a number of meaningful ways. She sharply feels the kinds of things outsiders often feel. This otherness is leavened by the need to focus on survival; and, of course, that this “otherness” isn’t just about fitting in—it can get her killed.

The idea of magic being outlawed is not necessarily a new one. I don’t know when it started but it has become a fantasy trope, usually used as a device to develop an antihero, to create an immediate sense of tension and stakes, or to infuse a hero’s journey with a sense of righteousness. Even the Star Wars franchise delves into time periods where the Jedi are outlawed. Unlike TV series Obi-Wan Kenobi and many of the novels and stories that utilize this device, Hashem digs into the ramifications of a group of people being outlawed through her narrative, confronting what it means to criminalize a culture, and what it means to reframe their traditions and ways of life to suit that criminalizing agenda: “I was born to a place where magic meant joy. Celebration and safety.” Sylvia’s people have been murdered, her traditions wiped out, or coopted to become lost amongst the traditions of her oppressors—similar to the way the Romans wiped out and conquered different peoples, but stole their food, drink, technology, and even cultural practices, claiming them as their own (Romans not being unique in this practice, but an obvious example). Fantasy is often used to examine or discuss terrible aspects of our reality, and while Hashem’s excellent worldbuilding offers entertainment through imaginative and well-chosen details, it also offers thoughtful perspectives on specific issues, like these, which many readers will find both essential and timely. For example, what does it mean to break the law when your very existence is illegal?

Of course, everything changes, and this includes Sylvia’s circumstances. But Hashem excels at layering in plot elements and mysteries, and taking the story through transitions to open up the plot a bit further. Hashem finds the perfect balance of revealing enough to make the reader feel grounded in the narrative, and then introducing another level of intrigue or danger, which keeps the reader wondering, not to mention eager to find the answers. Sylvia as a character is smart, capable, determined, and as the book progresses, has the kind of difficult decisions to make that we want to see; as well as tangled emotional journeys to navigate, which makes for an even more satisfying story. The action is well-written and there’s plenty of it, and the ideas are crisp. The book does get bloody and loves to swim in the darkness. For my tastes, it’s perfectly dark, and perfectly bloody. This tone goes well with the intensity of the plot, the drama of the twists, and the skirmish of clashing emotions that comprise the complex internal journey of our wonderful protagonist. It’s a fun book, a great read for folks who enjoy fantasy fiction. Recommended!