Usborne Books, 2021, softcover, 414 pages, condition: new.
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurityand Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alakinear-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empires greatest threat. Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life shes ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to benot even Deka herself.
Namina Forna is a young adult novelist and the author of the New York Times bestselling fantasy YA series The Gilded Ones. Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, she moved to the US when she was nine and has been traveling back and forth ever since. Namina's books have been translated into 25+ languages, nominated for several awards, and optioned for film and TV. Namina herself is an accomplished public speaker, especially on the topics of feminism, storytelling and challenging dominant narratives.
"Are we girls or are we demons?"
Reading is a struggle when you pick up a highly anticipated book, your expectations have reached Mt Everest levels, and you have to hold your breath until the very last page, hoping it won't disappoint. But the feeling when it actually smashes the ceiling? Priceless.
So what's it all about? A deeply patriarchal society that abuses women and girls. A ritual that every girl has to go through in her 15th year. A priest will cut her - if she bleeds red, she is deemed pure, if she bleeds gold, she is deemed impure. If she is lucky, she is then killed on the spot. If she isn't, she will be sold, tortured, enslaved, and killed over and over again. Because girls with golden blood are demons, they will heal, and are almost impossible to kill.
Deka's blood runs golden. As a consequence, her village's elders put her in a cellar and kill her. Nine times. And every single times Deka's body heals itself. One day a mysterious woman frees her from the cellar and takes her to the capital and training grounds for others like her: Alaki, girls with cursed blood, healing properties, incredible strength and speed. The emperor has decided they shall be turned into deadly warriors that will rid the country of its enemies: Deathshrieks, pale monsters that attack villages all over the empire, steal their girls and kill every man in sight. And Deka shall lead the demon girls into battle. She is an anomaly even among her fellow soldiers. Her powers are depthless and she soon becomes the emperor's hero.
