John Murray pre-empts ‘epic’ Ahmed debut inspired by The Arabian Nights

John Murray has bagged Jamila Ahmed’s debut novel Every Rising Sun, which has been inspired by the classic anthology The Arabian Nights.

Editor Abigail Scruby acquired British Commonwealth rights to the novel in a pre-empt from Stephanie Cabot at Susanna Lea Associates for publication in hardback, e-book and audio in July 2023. 

Every Rising Sun closely follows the original idea of Arabian Nights as it tells the story of 19-year-old Shaherazade who stumbles on a secret that will set the Seljuk Empire on fire: the ruler’s wife has a lover. When Shaherazade tells her tale to the Malik (the king), he descends into a mad rage and marries and beheads a new bride every night. The bloodshed pushes his province to the edge of rebellion. 

Guilty at what she has wrought and fearful of an uprising, Shaherazade volunteers to be the Malik’s next wife, the synopsis continues. She must use her storytelling wiles to survive the night and every night afterwards.   

Scruby said: “[This book is] epic in scale, journeying from 12th-century Persia to Baghdad and Palestine during the magnificent Islamic Golden Age. I was gripped by the very first page of Every Rising Sun, enthralled and delighted to see this legend reimagined and Shaherazade given her long-overdue time in the spotlight. 

“The novel is a vivid testament to the magic and power of stories, and—much like the protagonist at the heart of her novel—Jamila Ahmed’s writing is so pacy, so lavishly written, you’re always left wanting to read one chapter more.”

Ahmed said: “I started writing Every Rising Sun when I was 17, when America was thick in its occupation of Iraq and pundits and politicians barraged us with the barbarity of Islam and images of the ’oppressed’ Muslim woman who needed saving. 

“But that was so far from my own experience as a Muslim girl and how I understood Islamic history, which has always been sophisticated, complex, and vibrant. Every Rising Sun was born of that kernel—an endeavour to bring to life one of the few strong Muslim female characters in popular culture in whom I could see myself, embed her in the rich milieu of Islamic history, and explore this world in a way it has never been before. I am so excited to be able to share this work with the help of Abigail and John Murray.”