"A fascinating fairytale of memory, the power of storytelling, and magic! Lisa Stringfellow has crafted a fantastic story of a young girl seeking to save her kingdom from the usurper that would destroy it. This coming-of-age story of self discovery is a gift to young readers, who will see themselves mirrored in a heroine worth rooting for!"
-- P. Djèlí Clark, author of Abeni's Song

"Such a cool, different, princess-in-a-tower story; I loved the world Lisa built and the determined young heroine who has to save it." -- Tui Sutherland, author of the New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series

Stringfellow (A Comb of Wishes)...communicates incisive ideas surrounding war and oppression via sparse prose, while Igbo mythology-fueled worldbuilding and Amara's bond with her mother form an immovable fulcrum around which the story revolves. -- Publishers Weekly

It's difficult to be different and even harder to be brave, but this book is easy to enjoy. -- Kirkus Reviews

The magical, spare narration adds a lyrical quality to each step along the way, ending with a satisfying conclusion of an authentically realized waif-to-queen transformation tale. -- Booklist