cover image The Isle in the Silver Sea

The Isle in the Silver Sea

Tasha Suri. Orbit, $30 (512p) ISBN 978-0-316-59508-7

World Fantasy Award winner Suri (The Jasmine Throne) weaves a haunting tale of sapphic love and cyclical fate in an alternate Britain sustained by stories that play out again and again via reincarnation. In this folklore-rich realm, incarnates are born to fulfill specific tales, none more tragic than the Knight and the Witch, doomed lovers who fall for and die for each other across countless lifetimes. When the latest incarnations, Vina, a knight of the Queen’s court, and Simran, a forest witch, begin their fated romance, they’re determined to break the cycle and find a happy ending—especially as a mysterious assassin begins killing other incarnates, threatening the Isle’s very existence. Suri crafts a rich, atmospheric world steeped in faerie bargains and medieval folklore and uses her magic system to explore themes of colonial erasure and who gets to control their own narrative. Though the romance feels less developed than the intricate worldbuilding and the book’s ambitious scope might have benefited from being split into a duology, Suri’s gorgeous prose and inventive premise create an immersive experience. Readers craving sapphic fantasy with folkloric elements will find this hits the spot. Agent: Laura Crockett, Triada US. (Oct.)