A young girl in a pseudo-dystopian desert of Africa dares to challenge cultural norms in this absolutely stunning coming-of-age novella steeped in tradition and magic. 

I read it in one sitting. The world-building is beautiful, the writing is flawless, and the mysticism that feels so casual and effortless. But all of it flows together in the most epic backdrop for the protagonist to shine. 

Najeeba embodies that curiousness and defiance present in every teenage girl. We follow her journey and growth over a few years as she tries to embrace a calling, only to be ostracized, berated, and gaslighted until we see the inevitable fire of feminine rage flicker to life within her.