Ms. Mayer's debut novel is a rich and unconventional tapestry that contains both modernist sentiments and classical inspirations. Asaria, the conflicted heroine, narrates the compelling tale with passion and eloquence. She becomes entangled with desperate rebels, a shadowy guild of assassins, and eventually the monarchy itself. Despite the limitations of society, she begins to recover from the darkness of her past and find love. But a dark secret threatens to destroy her happiness, and forces from within and without drive her to madness. Her journeys through a breathtakingly beautiful medieval landscape are marked by romance, adventure, and tragedy.