Author: Natasha Ngan
LGBTQ+ Representation: Two main characters in f/f relationship
What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Lei (part of the Paper caste, the lowest class in Ikhara) lives a peaceful life in her country village until she is kidnapped and taken to the palace of the Demon King to become one of his concubines. The first time Lei is summoned to the cruel, violent king, she fights him instead of submitting to him. Lei falls in love with another Paper Girl, Wren, who is hiding a dangerous secret.
What I think: I knew the book was going to contain scenes of violence and sexual assault, but I still was taken aback by the beginning, which contains a plot event that has been a deal-breaker for me in the past. I did not give up the book, since this event is necessary to give Lei a reason to take the kidnapping soldiers seriously but come on. Some of us have NEVER gotten over these two books (do not click on my links unless you want to be spoiled).
The world in this book definitely has hints of the middle ages but with high fantasy magic: kind of like Mulan meets Game of Thrones with humans (Paper Caste), humans with some animal/demon characteristics (Steel Caste) and fully-demon Thundercats-like highest class (Moon Caste). The king gets his choice of eight concubines a year in reality-show like competition of eligible maidens of the Paper Caste, who are guaranteed work in the palace after their year of pleasing the king.
Lei does not enter the competition; she is kidnapped because of her "golden eyes." I kept waiting for her eyes to have some kind of significance, but they are not addressed in this book (maybe in the sequel?).
The relationships between the Paper Girls reminded me (strangely, I admit) of the girls in Miss Congeniality. Sweet, earnest Aoki is the Miss Rhode Island among hardcore pageant girls (and come to think of it, this scene wouldn't be out of place). Blue is the snobby one who wants to get ahead, and Wren is the outsider.
Wren and Lei bond after Lei is imprisoned by the king, and they form a romantic relationship and fall in love pretty quickly--maybe too quickly, but this makes sense for a girl like Lei, who is naive, feels alone, and has just been assaulted. Of course she would fall for Wren quickly (this is not meant as an insult of Lei--there's nothing wrong with being naive and innocent and falling in love!)
I cheered when Lei fights back against the king, but my heart sank when the king gets his revenge. Wren's secret past and assassination conspiracy is discovered by Lei late in the novel, and if I could change on thing about this story, I would have her discover the plot earlier so that more time could have been spent on training and preparing.
But on the other hand (I'm typing my stream-of-consciousness 😉), it worked very nicely to have Lei thrown in at the last minute with the conspiracy. Would she have had second thoughts had she had time to prepare? Would Wren had even let her participate if they hadn't fallen in love? Would Lei have gotten caught much sooner?
The Demon King (a bull-like demon) and his loyal servants are NOT the self-absorbed, stupid, arrogant adults who underestimate the plucky teenagers who end up saving the day as in other YA novels. The Demon King is smart, manipulative, careful, and very violent and cruel. Lei barely makes it out of the book alive and then her future looks like it might be safe for the moment--
UNTIL YOU READ THE LAST PAGE, when, if you're like me, you'll say a very bad word out loud!
Let's just say that Ngan announced the title and synopsis of the sequel on Twitter yesterday, and I am going to reserve the book ASAP because OMG.
This book is on the 2019 Rainbow Book List.
My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): Yes, there's violence and sexual assault, and a very, very, BAD villain. This is not a wimpy bad guy nor a bad guy "redeemed by love" story. The romance is sweet; the girls kick a**; the cliff-hanger and unanswered questions (why is Lei chosen in the first place?) make me eager to read the sequel.
I was constantly singing the song "Paper in Fire" by John Mellencamp as I read the book.
Memorable quotes/passages from the book:
- "'Ruling is like shaman's magic. You can only give when you have taken.'
'Pehaps,' I reply in a level voice, 'it's about balancing who you take from'" (hardback edition, pg. 203). - "I don't want an easy life. I want a meaningful one" (pg. 233).
- "When the world denies you choices, you make your own" (pg. 316).
- "Because what beautiful assassin doesn't wear perfume and a slinky dress?" (pg. 344).
Other reviews: All About Romance and GLBT Reviews
This book is available from the Greensboro Public Library.
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