The
Girl King
Sisters of majesty
Release 10 January
Writer Mimi Yu
Publisher Gollancz
Price £10.99
Two sisters fi nd themselves on
opposite sides when their father,
the Emperor dies. Lu is expected
to inherit the throne, but before
his passing, her father declares her
cousin Set as his heir, with Lu as
his betrothed. She goes on the run,
leaving young sister Min behind,
who discovers she has a power that
is possibly the key to Set’s plans. Lu
fi nds an ally in Nokhai and they set
off for the city of Yunis, which is
also the focus of Set and Min.
Fantasy literature is rife with
usurped heirs and in Mimi Yu’s
debut, she doesn’t stray too far
The Winter
Of The
Witch
A fantastic fi nale
Release 10 January
Writer Katherine Arden
Publisher Del Rey
Price £12.9 9Katherine Arden returns
to the world of medieval Moscow
with the fi nal instalment of her
Winternight trilogy where Vasya is
in the middle of two worlds. On one
side, the fast-spreading modernity
of Rus as Christianity takes hold. On
the other (the world of the free folk),
the demons and spirits that guard
a people who no longer believe in
them. She also has to navigate the
tricky relationship of the Bear and
the Nightingale, one brother she
loathes, the other she loves.Using Russian folklore as the basis
of her tale, Arden has expanded the
world from Vasya’s home village to
the wider geopolitical landscape of a
Moscow under the threat of invasion.
The Winter Of The Witch takes this
even further, bringing in the worlds
of the demons too. Arden weaves
these worlds together with the
themes of change, faith, and loyalty.
The characters all have their own
motivations too. Sasha, Vasya’s
brother, is caught up in all of
them and has a satisfying arc, as
does Vasya who’s a great central
character: strong and vulnerable,
wise and naive, all at once.
The closing third of Vasya’s tale is
perfect reading for this time of year.
It is at once intimate and expansive,
with thrills, romance, and emotional
moments. If you haven’t started the
trilogy yet, do yourself a favour and
tuck yourself up with all three books.
Becky Lea
from well-known tropes. However,
Yu creates a rich East Asian-
inspired environment where her
characters can roam. The magic
system is clearly related, as is
the history of this world and the
inherent problems in its hierarchy.
In amongst the swift plotting
Yu fi nds time to confront the
consequences of the imperialism
that Lu and Min have benefi tted
from. For Lu, she is faced with the
real cost of her inheritance and
the warmongering emperors who
came before her. Likewise, Min’s
path is a relatable journey of a
downtrodden girl discovering that
she’s not as easily manipulated as
people think. Set is perhaps the
only character who feels thinly
sketched as the entitled villain.
The Girl King is an accomplished
debut with a richly detailed world
and a political intrigue.
Becky Lea
BOOK CLUB
The Girl King // The Winter Of The WitchWWW.SCIFINOW.CO.UK Tell us what you’re reading on Twitter or Facebook | 087