The Girl King
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
"Absolutely fantastic." -Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series
"Heart-pounding." -Buzzfeed
* "Masterful." -School Library Journal, starred review
In this dark, sweeping fantasy perfect for fans of Girls of Paper and Fire and Wicked Saints, Princesses Lu and Min find themselves on opposite sides of a war to rule their Empire.
Sisters Lu and Min have always known their places as the princesses of the Empire of the First Flame: assertive Lu will be named her father's heir and become the dynasty's first female ruler, while timid Min will lead a quiet life in Lu's shadow. Until their father names a new heir--their male cousin, Set.
Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu goes in search of allies, leaving Min to face the volatile court alone. Lu soon crosses paths with Nokhai, the lone, unlikely survivor of the Ashina, a clan of nomadic wolf shapeshifters. Nok never learned to shift--or to trust the empire that killed his family--but working with the princess might be the only way to unlock his true power.
As Lu and Nok form a tenuous alliance, Min's own hidden power awakens, a forbidden, deadly magic that could secure Set's reign . . . or allow her to claim the throne herself. But there can only be one emperor, and the sisters' greatest enemy could very well turn out to be each other.
This sweeping fantasy set against a world of ancient magic and political intrigue weaves an unforgettable story of ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The struggle for succession in a powerful empire pits two sisters against each other after their father, the emperor, shocks everyone by announcing the girls' cousin as his heir. Princess Lu always assumed she'd become the Empire of the First Flame's first female ruler, and she has no desire to be betrothed to her degenerate cousin, Set. When her challenge for dominance fails and Set attempts to assassinate her, she's forced to flee north, seeking new allies among the empire's subjugated populations, including the residents of the secretive city of Yunis, long thought to be destroyed. Meanwhile, Lu's younger sister, Min, forges her own alliance with Set while exploring her newfound magical abilities, which might reshape the empire. With the sisters on a collision course, their separate tales seem destined to end in tragedy. It's easy to get lost in the multiple narrative threads with so much going on in this tale, and Lu's journey feels more developed and nuanced than Min's. But with its Asia-inspired worldbuilding, lush descriptions, and a weighty sense of history, this sprawling fantasy is still a strong debut for Yu. Ages 14 up.
