The True Queen

Cho returns to the alternate 19th-century England of Sorcerer to the Crown with a standalone tale full of delightful characters and devious plots. Sisters Sakti and Muna wake on the island of Janda Baik with no memories. Mak Genggang, a powerful witch, casts a spell revealing that Muna and Sakti are cursed. When Sakti begins fading, Mak sends Muna and Sakti through the land of Fairy to the magic academy for women run by England’s Sorceress Royal, where they hope to find a cure. But Sakti gets lost in Fairy, and Muna must learn to navigate high society alone, uncover their lost past, save Sakti, and defeat the curse. Cho effortlessly layers a shrewd commentary on colonial hypocrisy and patriarchal double standards atop a riveting adventure set in an immersive magical society. Readers who take pains to ignore the heavy-handed hint in the title will enjoy the witty dialogue, touch of romance, and surprising twists and turns of Cho’s entertaining historical fantasy. Agent: Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Assoc. (Mar.)