The Scorpion Queen

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Deep within the imperial palace at Timbuktu, Amie has suffered a devastating loss. Once the daughter of a prosperous salt merchant Amie's life was cruelly overturned in a matter of months. At sixteen, Amie now finds herself disinherited, framed for a scandalous crime, and forced to serve Princess Mariama of Mali . Her father, Emperor Sulyeman, has created a series of impossible trials for his daughter's suitors. When they fail, he publicly boils them alive, littering Mariama's path to marriage with ninety-nine corpses. At first, Amie's life at court is drudgery-the chores are difficult, the servants despise her, and Princess Mariama is prone to mood swings-but the more she learns about the princess's circumstances, the closer the two girls become. Amie and her intended, Kader, plan to escape Timbuktu and make a new life far away from the shadow of death that has fallen upon the emperor's court, but she finds herself increasingly drawn to the princess in ways she doesn't understand. When a mysterious discovery forces her hand, she must choose between fleeing with the boy she loves or helping the princess to end the trials forever. Amie will need to draw on all of her strength and courage to make the perilous journey through the desert to seek the aid of an exiled god in a final, desperate attempt to take charge of her own destiny.

Reviews

The Scorpion Queen is a sweeping fantasy novel imbued with darkness but full of heart. Mina Fears breathes life into a sprawling and treacherous world in this compelling debut. Youll find yourself fiercely rooting for Amie, a valiant protagonist torn between her first love and the alluring princess fighting to end her father's brutal marriage trials. I loved this story. -- Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching and An Academy for Liars
Brimming with court intrigue, spellbinding magic, and a world as beguiling as it is deadly, Fears delivers a compelling story that lures you in from the very first page, along with an unforgettable heroine who will stop at nothing to carve out her own destiny and fight for the life she deserves. An atmospheric and utterly transportive debut. -- Deborah Falaye, award-winning author of Blood Scion
Fears sparkling debut The Scorpion Queen is a fascinating insight into courage, sacrifice, and survival. Aminata is a fearless heroine we deserve. -- Roselle Lim, author of Night for Day and Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club
The pace is thoughtful, with slow and detailed world-building giving way to a headlong dive into a desert quest to find a magical hammer that can potentially end the trials Mariamas father has created. * The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, December 2024 issue *

Author Bio

Mina Fears earned her BA and MFA in Fiction from Columbia University. Originally from Michigan, she remains in New York City to support corporate communications for tech and finance brands. The Scorpion Queen is her first novel.