Sayyida

By: K'Anne Meinel

Narrated by: Jenna Knight

Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

Sayyida, variously known as a pirate queen, Queen of the Western Seas, or Queen of Tétouan, was a REAL and HISTORICAL figure, but not much is known of her. Sayyida married young, just 16, at the insistence of her father. Her first husband was 30 years older and a friend of her father’s. Al-Mandri sensed his bride’s intelligence and taught her about his business affairs and diplomacy. Together, the couple rebuilt Tétouan, which had been destroyed by the Reconquista, and when her husband died in 1515, she became the Governor or Queen of Tétouan in her own right. Later, Sayyida was pursued by the King of Fes, Ahmed al-Wattsi, and accepted his marriage proposal, but on her terms: He had to travel to her kingdom to marry her, not the other way around. 

Sayyida’s love of the high seas and her appetite for battle and conquest often clash with her duties as wife, mother, and queen. As hardworking as she is, Sayyida feels an emptiness in her life. Will Aya, her new slave, silence this longing? Join us as this fictional version of a real woman takes you into her world and captures your heart....

©2016, 2018 K'Anne Meinel (P)2019 K'Anne Meinel

Interesting Story

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and the fact its based on a real person made it all the more exciting. The narration was good and the story flowed really well.

A fascinating story

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story itself is so engaging. And the narration is done very well.

At the risk of being a tease (but not a spoiler!), what happened with Aya near the end, and Sayyida’s misunderstanding of it, made sense - it was one of only a few ways it could happen, number one. And number two, it highlighted - subtly - the seeming irony that just as Sayyida’s husband doesn’t understand her, Sayyida doesn’t understand Aya.