Even before Disney took a hand in it, I’ve been a fan of the Aladdin story. It’s what led me to pick this book up. At first, though, A Whole New World seemed a pure retelling of the Disney version. While the description is strong, there are limitations to the written medium that meant the focus felt off. Certain types of interactions don’t translate well from the visual medium and would have done better to be replaced with scenes that drew on the qualities of a written version.

I saw enough strengths to keep going, but my expectations had been lowered.

Right about then, though, this story takes on a life of its own, first with small deviations and then a whole cloth rewrite that really works. It converts a story softened for small children with humor to replace intensity into one for older teens and young adults with tangible stakes and moral dilemmas all the way to a completely rewritten ending that makes sense and is true to the story. Though there are nods to the humor of the movie and the love story is at a similar level, the political, moral, economic, and social aspects are brought to life with sometimes horrifying detail.

The other aspect borrowed from the movie that didn’t translate well in my opinion is the way the text is peppered with oddly modern words and concepts. From the genie, they make him seem not bound to mortal time, which allows for humor, but doesn’t fit the rest of the story, and when these concepts come from other characters it broke a very strong illusion of a pre-industrial, magic-enhanced, Arabic world.

At the same time, the recognition of personhood in non-humans is beautifully done, first with pets and then both the genie and flying carpet. Real growth moments exist for Jasmine and Aladdin in the story, but she’s the one who goes through a lot of slaps in the face at first and even throughout the story as illusions born of isolation come crashing down. She has to consider the real people who are affected by decisions made in the palace.

There is no question about who is evil embodied, not with Jafar as a power hungry, insane wizard attempting to win by force what can only be earned. But there are many gray areas as well, with lessons to be learned among the community that comes together to oppose Jafar. This isn’t a strict hero/heroine story though Aladdin and Jasmine are the clear leads. They don’t win simply by out-talking Jafar as in the movie, nor is the effort to end his evil a magically simple one.

People die. Good people, bad people, and everyone in between. And those who don’t die must face harsh decisions between compliance and starvation while the costs of inflation are clearly illustrated from the perspectives of rich and poor alike.

Ultimately, community is the only hope for two people who have been alone, if for different reasons, most of their lives. Even Aladdin and Jasmine face choices where they must define where the lines are that cannot be crossed, and they don’t always choose well. They are not infallible, and struggle with both the costs and the reality of even their wise choices.

This is most definitely a mature version of the Disney story that, while providing a fun, intense, and evocative tale, also demands the reader choose sides and contemplate where those uncrossable lines lie for themselves. This makes the story deeper than at first appearance and well worth the read.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.