Gifting Fire

The enthralling sequel to Stealing Thunder returns to the South Asian–inspired fantasy world of Daryastan, where trans heroine Princess Razia Khanum finds her newly vested power slipping through her fingers. The Zindh province where Razia has been installed as governor is in the throes of a rebellion, and, worse, Razia’s father is attempting to force Razia into an arranged marriage to her rapist, Karim Shah. Separated from her lover, Prince Arjun, Razia must face her worst fears and exploit every tool at her disposal to ensure her own freedom and the safety of her people. With fast pacing and a consistently strong emotional core, Boyden further develops the series’ themes of power, sacrifice, and father-daughter relationships, while moving beyond the questions of gender and social expectations that many readers may expect from a story with a trans protagonist. The immersive world of Daryastan is further developed to add both grit and beauty, and, in Razia, Boyden has created a smart, scrappy, and tenacious trans woman protagonist whose exploits are a delight to read. Lovers of non-Western fantasy and readers looking for empowering women- and trans-led stories will be thrilled. [em]Agent: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger Literary. (Apr.) [/em]