Willow Smith criticized for representation of Muslims in new book

DUBAI: US singer Willow Smith was criticized by fans this week for her portrayal of Muslims and Amazighs in her novel, “Black Shield Maiden,” due to be released on Oct. 4.

The 21-year-old, who is the daughter of US actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, released a preview of her first novel, which she wrote with author Jess Hendel. 

However, fans are not happy.

Tell me I’m not crazy for being horrified by how the Amazigh (indigenous North African group) & Muslims are portrayed (third pic) this is a preview from Willow Smith’s new fantasy book (first pic)- I saw EXPLICIT Muslim rep (second pic) & thought omg so cool! Then I read on pic.twitter.com/VEhSs8keuv

— S. Mughal / (@readswithsid) February 19, 2022

The book follows a young African warrior who was stolen from her home and brought to the world of the Vikings, where she meets a princess.

In an exclusive preview released by publishing company Penguin, the article states that “the Amazigh are dangerous on their best day. They have little regard for anyone who doesn’t worship the Muslim god — and even their own tribes are always at war with one another.”

“The representation of Amazigh people in Willow Smith and Jess Hendel’s forthcoming fantasy novel is unacceptable,” wrote one fan on Twitter, while another said: “Why do we get portrayed YET AGAIN as savages?”