Jayida - by Natacha Pavlov (Paperback)

About the Book

In sixth century Arabia, Jayida--known as the boy Jonder for safety against al-'ayn, the evil eye--collides with Khaled and the mixed-race poet 'Antarah.

Book Synopsis

A rare historical fiction view into pre-Islamic Arabia and the Middle East through three tenacious characters, from a multicultural Christian writer with Christian Palestinian heritage.

"Jayida stands as a magnum opus of historical fiction, a luminous testament to the enduring power of storytelling..." -The Historical Fiction Company 5-star 'Highly Recommended' Award of Excellence

-Longlist 2024 HFC Book of the Year Awards

-2024 BookLife Indie Spotlight

Born in early 525 AD in northwest Arabia, Jayida is secretly raised as a boy for her safety. In defiance of al-'ayn, the evil eye, she grows up as Jonder and soon becomes known for perceptiveness and bravery. But her meeting of Khaled, whose father is the reason for her unusual upbringing, turns her world upside down. Will she risk revealing her true identity and win his love? And whose lives must be sacrificed when her fame finally draws her into 'Antarah's quest, the mixed-race badawi-Aksumite poet of the Banu 'Abs, whose last challenge is to capture her to win his own beloved 'Ablah?

This is the timely retelling of a tale of Sirat 'Antar. Set in the 1500-year-old historical context of Arabian tribal poetry, Roman-Persian-Himyarite-Aksumite relations, and climatic and plague events recorded worldwide, this colorful era is once more revived.

Review Quotes

"Jayida stands as a magnum opus of historical fiction, a luminous testament to the enduring power of storytelling..." -The Historical Fiction Company 5-star "Highly Recommended" Award of Excellence