Court of Lions

Amani succeeded in saving Maram, but it cost her everything. Sequestered in the palace as punishment, Amani has no family and no friends. She’s also been torn away from her love, Idris—seeing him would only tempt her to take what she cannot have. That is, until Princess Maram asks Amani to take her place in her wedding to Idris.

Confused about Maram’s intentions, Amani refuses. As they talk, Amani realizes just how hurt Maram has been by everyone in her life. Amani agrees and goes to the wedding in Maram’s place. What Amani doesn’t know is that Maram has been falling in love with one of the royal falconers, Aghraas, and that Amani’s perceived betrayal cuts Maram deeper than Maram knew possible. While both young women torture themselves with love they’re unsure they can have, wedding celebrations await in Idris’s hometown, M’Gaadir.

M’Gaadir changes everything for both of them. The more time Maram and Amani spend together, the more they realize their similarities run deeper than appearances, especially as tension between the Andaalan nobles and the Vathek Empire tightens. With Aghraas’s influence and the discovery of letters containing her father’s horrible secret, Maram grows bolder and agrees to help Amani with the rebel cause. Posing as one person, Amani and Maram strengthen Maram’s political position, relying on both the rebels and the Andaalan nobles to spread word about Maram’s intention to take the throne from her father and free Andaala.

The characters face significant personal challenges alongside their political mission. Idris doesn’t approve of Amani’s rebellious activities because he’s worried she’ll get hurt. Aghraas and Maram can never be seen in public together due to their different social stations. Neither Amani nor Maram has family to rely on for advice or emotional support, forcing them to navigate their complicated feelings and dangerous political situation independently. Maram and Amani emerge as inspiring, determined, and clever protagonists who bravely confront an oppressive colonial system while wrestling with profound emotional turmoil in their personal lives.

Court of Lions focuses on two main characters who rise to face seemingly insurmountable challenges and evolve into people very different from who they were at the beginning of the series. Both Amani and Maram transform into calculating and protective leaders who lead by example, protect their loved ones at all costs, and stand by their moral principles even when doing so puts them in danger.

Somaiya Daud crafts powerful characters in Court of Lions and creates an amazingly complex and fantastical world that weaves rich culture into each poetic chapter. The novel successfully combines political intrigue with deeply personal character development, illustrating how the shaky trust established in the first book evolves into a friendship that can save the world.

Unfortunately, the book has several flaws. Maram and Aghraas’s relationship feels somewhat rushed and isn’t explored thoroughly, leaving readers wanting more depth in their romantic development. The story’s suspense could have been built more effectively. Instead, the king’s assassination is too straightforward, and the series has a disappointing conclusion that doesn’t fully match the complexity of the political maneuvering that precedes it. However, the story delivers plenty of compelling political intrigue, inspiring female characters, and a wonderful science fiction atmosphere that blends fantasy and science fiction together in this tumultuous tale of sisters, sacrifice, and resilience.

The book effectively explores themes of identity and self-acceptance that are inextricably tied to revolution and the dismantling of colonial oppression and power. Overall, Court of Lions is an engaging story with a beautiful message: nothing worthwhile ever comes easily, but what is fought for with determination and sacrifice delivers stunning rewards. The novel stands as a testament to the power of unlikely friendships, the courage required to challenge systemic oppression, and the transformative journey of young women discovering their own strength and agency in a hostile world.

Sexual Content

• Maram is managing one of her mother’s old properties when she meets and grows close to the master falconer, Aghraas. When Maram receives important letters that change everything, she is emotionally overwhelmed, and Aghraas comforts her. “Aghraas’s mouth was soft and still for less than half a heartbeat. [Aghraas’s] fingers tightened around [Maram’s] waist, and Maram pressed back, the line of her shoulders, the length of her body. For half a heartbeat relief roared through Maram, and then a fire caught, as if it had waited all her life in the embers inside her. There was a soft cry—hers or Aghraas’s she didn’t know—and her hands clung to her shoulders as Aghraas lifted her up onto her lap.” The chapter ends before anything else happens.
• Before the rebels try to assassinate the king, Idris apologizes to Amani, worried it may be his last chance to do so. She accepts his apology, and they kiss. “His mouth was hard on [Amani’s], and his hands tightened around [her] ribs—[she] felt as if [her] breath had been stolen from [her].”  When he kisses her neck, she pushes him away, saying she needs time.
• In the aftermath of Maram becoming queen, Aghraas kisses her. “Aghraas bent her head to Maram’s, and her arms came around her waist, and her mouth met hers. She never ceased to be surprised by her warmth or the frisson of pleasure that shot through her from a single touch.” The book ends before anything else happens.

Violence

• While Amani and Idris are in M’Gaadir, the Vathek government takes Idris’s relative, Adil. There is no description of the violence, but Amani and Idris discuss it. “‘Adil is dead?’ Amani whispered. ‘They sent his body to his parents’ estate—it arrived last night,’ [Idris responded].”
• To emphasize her commitment to the rebel cause, Amani explains, “We lived in a village that was not a village. It was a kasbah, abandoned by whatever [nobles] had held it before the conquest. Nineteen families made their home there. Shortly before we left, Vath attacked. We were defenseless. Most villages have a magistrate, or a surveillance force. We were in truth homeless and trying to eke out an existence. [Everyone in the village was] slaughtered, [while the Vathek were] looking for someone.”
• Maram starts distancing herself from Nadine, her father’s steward. Nadine blames Amani for Maram’s distance. Nadine is convinced that Amani is a negative influence on Maram. The next morning, Nadine wakes Amani with a slap. “[Amani] was roused from slumber violently, with a hand that felt like a claw around [her] arm, and pulled unceremoniously from the bed. There was no time to understand who pulled [her] from bed or why. The moment [she] stood a hand struck [her] across the face, sharp and hard. Hard enough that [she] fell again, inches from the fireplace.” Amani has a bruise, but Maram stops Nadine from inflicting more harm.
• Later on, Nadine tries to attack Amani again. “[Nadine’s] voice did not rise, but it took on a cruel edge and her fingers gripped [Amani’s] chin like claws, as if she meant to rip [her] jaw from [her] face. [Amani] tightened [her] hold on [her] skirts. If [she] took her wrist, if [she] fought back, [she] would have lost [her] chance.”
• Nadine confronts Amani once again, growing suspicious about the helpful information Amani has been providing about traitors to the Vathek Empire. Amani fears that Nadine has discovered the information is false and deliberately planted. However, Nadine is merely suspicious and hasn’t uncovered the deception yet. To intimidate Amani into revealing more information, Nadine uses a robot to physically threaten her. “[The robot’s] fingers wrapped around [Amani’s] throat and between one breath and the next [she] was suspended in midair. [Her] vision filled with spots, [her] throat ached, [her] heart pounded. Nadine could not kill [her]—she couldn’t. And yet [Amani] hadn’t counted on [Nadine’s] hatred of [her] and [Nadine’s] rage outweighing her sense.” Amani has bruises but is otherwise fine.
• During the assassination attempt, the king grabs Amani. “[His] grip tightened painfully on [Amani’s] arm.” Afterwards, Amani has bruises.
• Amani breaks herself free from the king’s grasp, but Nadine quickly grabs her. Nadine points a gun at Amani’s head, to warn the rebels away from them. Idris eventually shoots Nadine. “[Nadine] jerked, her hand still tight around [Amani’s] arm, and then released [her] and fell back.” Nadine survives.
• While Idris saves Amani, Maram and Aghraas shoot down the king. “[The king] seemed suspended in midair for a long, agonizing moment, then fell to his knees. A moment later, he toppled forward.” The king dies from his wounds.

Drugs and Alcohol

• When Amani realizes she needs Maram’s help to assassinate the king, she reveals her involvement with the rebels. Maram agrees to join the plot after discovering that the king—her own father—had murdered her mother. Maram says, “He poisoned her so that no one could accuse him of killing the rightful ruler of the planet. She died slowly. And her husband was executed on charges of treason.”

Language

• None

Supernatural

• The prologue describes the magic Amani’s people believe. In the story, “a prince hunting [a magical woman, Tayreet] found her; her body had loosed its natural bird shape and taken on a human one. The prince loved her from the first, and Tayreet him.” These birds, called tesleets, exist as symbols to warn or push people towards certain events. It is implied that Aghraas is one of these birds in human form.

Spiritual Content

• The Andaalans and people on Cadiz have a monotheistic religion. They worship the god, Dihya, and the prophetess, a Jesus-like figure, Massinia. Their religion contains many parables, stories, and prayers that Amani tells to her friends at various points. The prologue concludes with a religious saying, “And from His first creatures He made stars, glowing hot with their fire and warmth. All may see the stars, but few will see their forbears. And those whose eyes see golden fire We say heed Us and listen. For We have sent unto you a Sign. See it and take heed.”
• After Amani’s sequestration in the palace ends, Maram asks Amani to take her place in her wedding to Idris. The wedding has some religious overtones. One wedding ritual includes people crowding around Amani as she steps into water, a baptism of sorts. “‘Be blessed,’ [Nadine and Maram’s sister, Galene] said, as Galene tipped a small vase of oil over [Amani’s] hair. ‘Be blessed’ echoed back from the crowd, reverberating and out of sync.”
• Once the wedding is over, Maram insists that Amani also take her place in the following wedding celebrations in a city called M’Gaadir, which has a deep religious history. Amani explains that, “when at last [the tesleet eggs] landed on our planet and hatched, the first of mankind came from their hallowed shells. And because they were far from the sacred flames of their city, they never became what they ought, and remained mortal. And it was from these people that Houwa came and nursed the kernel of magic in her blood. And it was from this legacy that they chose their name—Kushaila, ‘those among the noble.’”
• Following a busy day with Idris meeting new nobles, Idris tries to relax Amani by taking her to a religious statue. Amani describes it as “a woman sat atop the promontory outside M’Gaadir, the ocean behind her. . . Her daan [a familial tattoo] was a sharp pictograph of a feather, its end situated perfectly between her eyebrows. She cast no shadow.” The statue is of Houwa, a saint among Amani’s people.

by Kate Schuyler