Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences.

Today we are featuring GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE by Natasha Ngan.

In the kingdom of Ikhara, social standing is determined in large part by which caste people are born into. At the top are animal-like demons and at the bottom are those born fully human––the Paper caste. Girls of Paper and Fire follows seventeen-year-old Lei, who was born into the Paper caste. At the start of the book, Lei is content to work in her father’s shop, but her heart is heavy with the loss of her mother, who was kidnapped by the king’s soldiers in a raid seven years earlier. The book kicks into high gear with another raid, one in which Lei is targeted due to her unusual golden eyes. Brought to the palace as a gift for the king, Lei soon finds her life is no longer her own.

This is a gripping, important story that examines the implications of oppression and offers a heroine who not only refuses to submit––physically* or emotionally––but also has the courage to pursue love on her own terms. The lush fantasy setting was inspired by the author’s childhood growing up in Malaysia, and the LGBTQ romance culminates in a beautiful story perfect for those seeking literary windows and mirrors.

Girls of Paper and Fire is scheduled for release on November 6th; I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel hinted at in the closing pages, which I hope will expand on the “Fire” hinted at in the title but never fully explored in this otherwise mesmerizing story.

*This book could be triggering for those with pre-existing trauma

From Natasha’s website:

Natasha Ngan is a writer and yoga teacher. She grew up between Malaysia, where the Chinese side of her family is from, and the UK. This multicultural upbringing continues to influence her writing, and she is passionate about bringing diverse stories to teens. Natasha studied Geography at the University of Cambridge before working as a social media consultant and fashion blogger.

She recently moved to Paris, where she likes to imagine she drifts stylishly from brasserie to brasserie, notepad in one hand, wineglass in the other. In reality, she spends most of her time getting lost on the metro and confusing locals with her French.

She is represented by Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary. Her YA novels THE ELITES and THE MEMORY KEEPERS are out now from Hot Key Books, and GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE will be published in October 2018 by Jimmy Patterson/Little Brown (US) and Hodder & Stoughton (UK). Head on over to the Books page for more info!

Natasha is also co-owner of fashion, travel and lifestyle blog Girl in the Lens.