Nura and the Immortal Palace

Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize: Best Book for Younger Readers 2023

A magical adventure rooted in Muslim culture and tradition, Nura and the Immortal Palace follows a young girl's journey from modern-day Pakistan into the world of the jinn.

Nura has worked all her life in the mica mines, earning just enough to keep her family afloat—and enjoy the odd delicious gulab jamun from the market. Some day she's going to find the Demon's Tongue, a legendary treasure buried deep in the mines, and her family will never have to worry about money again.

But when a terrible accident buries her best friend below ground, Nura goes in search of him and passes over into the magical and terrible world of the jinn. Across a pink sea and under a purple sky, she finds her way to a palace, where great riches and a whole new life are on offer.

But it's not long before Nura discovers this world to be as unfair as the real one, and that trickster jinns will always live up to their reputation...

"Nura and the Immortal Palace is a debut that glimmers as captivatingly and intensely as the mica its protagonist mines. Every word is a thoughtfully selected gem, every scene gripping and intensely wrought. The result is an adventure that is dangerously beautiful and will make sure readers are both enchanted and excited for every page turn. M.T. Khan is a wordsmith to watch, and name to remember." —Karuna Riazi

"M.T. Khan weaves a magical tale brimming with themes of friendship, family, and hope—interspersed with delicious foods and enthralling lore. Readers will root for brave Nura from the gripping beginning to the breathtaking conclusion. Action-packed, heartfelt, timeless!" —Katie Zhao, author of How We Fall Apart

"With gorgeous, atmospheric writing, M.T. Khan tells a bold tale that challenges greed and inequality as the tough and clever Nura fights the odds from the mica mines of rural Pakistan to a realm of jinn and magic." —Xiran Jay Zhao, author of Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor

"Beautifully imaginative and full of humor, heart, and characters to root for. A grand adventure of a book." —Christina Li