Aicha is a historical-inspired fantasy novel written by Soraya Bouazzaoui, published by Orbit Books. A proposal that takes its inspiration from the Moroccan folkloric figure of Aicha Kandicha, setting the story against the backdrop of the Portuguese occupation of Morocco, and partly grounding it to deliver a story of feminine rage, fight against colonization, and the importance of the loved ones.

Aicha, daughter of a Moroccan freedom fighter, has growth up with the increased hardships imposed by Portuguese colonizers on her people and environment, a society where the occupiers rule. With the sultan's army on its way to end the Portuguese rule, Aicha's people face even harsher conditions, with Duarte tightening the grip over the colonized; injustices that spark a flame inside Aicha, a darker power that threatens to consume her. The story of a fight for freedom against colonization.

We have a plot that revolves around the figure of Aicha, a character that Bouazzaoui puts a great effort into fleshing out; she is a tempest, a really temperamental person whose trigger tends to be the abuses her people are suffering from their colonizers. Each time she lets that rage take over her, we can see her internal conflict with the creature that habits inside her; a rage that usually is soothed by Rashid, her lover from childhood. The romance between those is pretty sweet, actually, and contrasts with how bleak certain parts of this book can be.
Duarte, as the main villain, embodies all the abuses colonizers exert against the local population; and even in his final act, we can see the kind of man that would prefer to destroy a possession if the alternative is giving it freedom. I couldn't have choosen a better character to spark Aicha's flame.

Bouazzaoui has woven a setting that oozes authenticity, putting meticulous attention to reflect the minimal details of daily life in the city: their food, how they practice their faith in secret as it is punished, and all those minor acts that constitute life. It is true that the pacing can suffer a bit as a consequence of this decision, but I can assure that this kind of slow burn has the perfect pay-off (even if it's painful).

I absolutely loved reading Aicha, and if you are looking for an excellent historical-inspired fantasy novel that exudes authenticity, a story of fighting against colonization and for your people imbued in feminine rage.