The spirit of resistance comes alive in this first installment of King’s feminist fantasy series.

Within the walls of Morura Keep, women exist solely in service to men, whether it be as kitchen slaves or breeders. The lucky ones belong to high lord Tuenor, who keeps them out of reach of other men, except occasionally to dance or entertain allies. Mirriae is the daughter of one such woman, and when she learns that her mother, whom she has never known, is to dance one night, her brother MiKal helps her sneak into the performance to watch. One scheme leads to another when MiKal discovers a secret entrance to Balystra, the City of the Dead. After entering Balystra, Mirriae, who (secretly) can hear the voices of the dead, inadvertently awakens Ithia, the dead consort of the god of winter. (“The woman wore rich velvet, and jewels glinted from her as if she were night enchanted to life and covered in stars that gleamed red and bloody.”) This incident changes her life forever, placing a target on her back for the men who wish to crush or exploit her but also granting her the power to break free of her societal chains and perhaps free others in the process. This is a story about the subjugation of women and the many ways people come together to rise against oppressive systems. For such a large cast of characters, each one is impressively well developed. Mirriae is the crown jewel. While she’s always had an awareness of her society’s injustice and longed to be free of it, some aspects of the misogynistic culture were ingrained in her from a young age; readers will find that following her journey of self-actualization as she breaks down that sinister conditioning and takes control of her own story is both satisfying and empowering. While the fantastical proper names and complex politics can be difficult to penetrate at first, the worldbuilding really comes alive as the story goes on, both accentuated and grounded by its connections to the skillfully rendered characters. The large-scale conflicts of the world complement the smaller, more intimate personal journeys of the characters, culminating in a powerful conclusion that will leave readers wanting more.

A nuanced narrative of resistance and a promising introduction to an immersive fantasy world.