Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/01/2014 Gr 9 Up—In this fresh new twist in the fantasy genre, Lough places a decidedly human spin on the jinni (aka genie) myth, the diabolical creatures of Arabic lore. Zayele, a human princess from Baghdad, forces a wish upon Najwa, a jinni, and the consequences are dangerous and life-altering. The wish causes the teens to switch places and they must contend with the very different worlds to which they are transported. Both main characters are distinctly developed, and even when the switch occurs, they maintain their disparate identities. Lough's stylistic prose is simple and accessible; she employs many elements of imagery and figurative language in easy-to-understand ways that will appeal to younger teens and reluctant readers. A tense and mysterious mood pervades this book, but the pacing picks up too rapidly in the latter part of the novel. The world-building falters, and many teens will be discouraged and confused by the lack of development of background information and the novel's internal mythology. The use of occasional deus ex machina methods also disappoints. An uneven debut.—Amanda C. Buschmann, Atascocita Middle School, Humble, TX - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 07/01/2014 In this Middle Eastern fantasy reinvention of The Prince and the Pauper, a soon-to-be-princess swaps places with a jinn training to be a spy in the decades-long war between the jinni and the humans for survival and supremacy. Najwa, the jinn, is still ­learning the extent of her powers, training under the famous magus Faisal for the Eyes of Iblis corps. Zayele, a daring young girl set to wed the caliph’s son, wants nothing more than to stay with her family. The two girls should be enemies, but when they accidentally meet on the way to the caliph’s palace, Zayele makes a powerful wish that switches their lives and points of view, making each girl a linchpin for their respective sides of the ongoing battle. There’s a promise of romance, though it remains slight in this first installment in a planned series, and the focus remains mostly on the intriguing schemes the girls find themselves in. Debut author Lough’s lovely and lyrical writing fills this fascinating fantasy world with delightful, lush detail. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2014 Najwa has spent nearly her entire sixteen years training to enter the Eye of Iblis Corps, a group of powerful jinni who study the mortal world and use their knowledge to fight the ongoing war with humans. Zayele, a human, wants nothing more than to remain in her small village of Zab, but her father has essentially bartered her off as a bride to the prince in Baghdad, where she’s certain she’ll live her days out in a gilded prison. A reconnaissance trip to the surface of the mortal world brings Najwa in contact with Zayele, who wishes to change places with the jinni, who happens to look exactly like her. The wish is granted, of course, and it sets in motion a series of events that affect the two girls, their warring worlds, and the development of a weapon that would effectively destroy the jinni realm. Debut author Lough proves to be a deft hand at pacing, carefully doling out details of both worlds and the girls’ backstories to create a compelling and captivating experience. Narration alternates between Najwa and Zayele, which is initially confusing given that they’re both in a bit of a panicked state after the switch happens, but as they become distinct characters in their own right, their voices gain strength and clarity. An unresolved ongoing war, the possibilities of not one but two romances, and the promises of more secrets to be revealed hint toward a sequel, a wish that readers will want to see fulfilled. KQG - Copyright 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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