THE DANDELION TREE

A woman braves the spirit realm to break the curse that threatens her and her sister in this installment of Gelpi’s fantasy series.

Twenty-year-old Princess Kharis Ghan of the Empire of Zahar never wanted to be the “Djinnshirukh,” the human vessel for the fire demon Akumi king. Her beloved sister, Saya (the “Sorukhipa”), acts as Kharis’ protector and, ultimately, will have to serve as her executioner during the inevitable ritual for a new vessel. This is a tradition that Kharis vows to break, which is why the sisters have come to Zahar-Eliza, an ancient temple; they hope the temple’s Grand Library will have the key to lifting the curse. In the meantime, Kharis trains to control her aura, along with her anger and her magic, which comes as a result of housing the fire demon. She prepares to enter Andaheimur, a spirit realm of immortals—most notably the Akumi king, whom she plans to confront. Just getting into the realm is a challenge, but it’s made even harder by another character’s thirst for vengeance. As in preceding series entries, Gelpi favors a character-driven narrative over action. Kharis sets clear-cut goals in this outing, which include saving her niece, who’s stuck in Andaheimur. The admirable, ever-tormented protagonist maintains a seemingly unbreakable bond with Saya as well as her mysterious connection to Itzu, a voice in her head that may or may not be a sign of the madness that past Djinnshirukh have succumbed to. The author’s skillful descriptions detail such moments as evading a monster’s “snapping claws” or encountering a person with an unexpectedly translucent “thin as gauze” body. While the novel shines a light on its expansive world’s murky history, especially regarding the immortals, plot threads continue to dangle by the end—there’s a fourth installment planned.

Dazzling characters navigate this magic-infused tale of gallantry and resolve.