Naseem Jamnia
A nonbinary refugee doctor encounters a magical plague in their new home and must use their forbidden magic to find the culprit—before the government cracks down on all the migrants in the city.
"I loved this gorgeous book about blood magic, chosen family and refugees in a hostile city. Naseem Jamnia has created a rich, complex world in a very short space [...] You should definitely savor it." — Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky
"I adored this city, with its vibrant history and super-fresh magic system, but I loved these astonishing complex vivid characters even more. A fun and fast-paced ride that keeps you guessing all the way (and, yeah, it’s tough to grapple with the ugly legacies of empire and oppression and still have fun, but Jamnia pulls it off)."
— Sam J. Miller, author of Blackfish City
A debut fantasy novella set in a queernormative, Persian-inspired world. The first Persian-inspired fantasy by a Persian author for adult audiences.
"A fascinating medical mystery in a rich, complex world I didn’t want to leave." — S.A. Chakraborty, author of the Daevabad trilogy
"THE BRUISING OF QILWA transports you to a lushly-described, beautifully imagined world where magic and medicine meet. Heartfelt relationships temper the grim reality of a flawed world with a creeping, strange new disease. A delightful read." — Neon Yang, author of the Tensorate series
"With prose that reads like lush poetry, THE BRUISING OF QILWA builds an intricate world full of history, magic, and life." — Zabé Ellor, author of Silk Fire
Preorder Now
Save those receipts—a preorder campaign will be announced May 2022!
Twice a month, I send out a newsletter called the Tuesday Telegram. Part personal essays and part writing updates, this is the best way to stay in the loop with what I'm up to.
© 2022, Naseem Jamnia
Photos of Naseem by Jennie Kaplan, 2018, unless otherwise stated