I loved the premise, but thought Aladdin was an idiot from the get-go. He gets three wishes, and he wastes the first one on wishing to go home to escape a fistfight? Why not wish for the ability to travel anywhere anytime, or to win every battle, or a hundred other things that would be actually useful?

I also was unimpressed by the handling of the djinn magic. It's stated over and over that Zarah doesn't have a physical body, she just makes it appear that way, so why would being slapped hurt her? It should be impossible for her to be in any danger from humans.

Where the book really lost me was when Aladdin was supposed to get married to the princess and he says he can't because he's in love with the djinn. BRO. FUCK YOU. The princess can't be queen unless she marries you or the son of the main villain, and you're really going to fuck up your whole entire country and let the evil vizier take over? No thanks. That's not the hero I'm looking for.