Nerdette Book Club is back to discuss our June pick The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. The book weaves together fantasy and history in a propulsive plot set on the high seas of the Indian Ocean in the 12th century.

Our protagonist is Amina al-Sirafi, a former pirate who settled down to live a quiet life with her mother and daughter. When a wealthy older woman makes Amina an offer she can’t refuse, she finds herself right back on the treacherous seas. Amina rallies her old crew and embarks on the treasure hunt of a lifetime, encountering all kinds of creatures and devious characters along the way.

Our panelists are Meha Ahmad, senior producer for WBEZ’s daily talk show Reset, and Christina Orlando, books editor at Tor.com. This conversation includes spoilers! If you have not read the book yet, you can find our spoiler-free interview with Shannon Chakraborty in our feed.