True Queen

Fairyland’s future lies in doubt . . .The enchanted island of Janda Baik, in the Malay Archipelago, has long been home to witches. And Muna and her sister Sakti wake on its shores under a curse, which has quite stolen away their memories. Their only hope of salvation lies in distant Britain, where the Sorceress Royal runs a controversial academy for female magicians. But the pair travel via the formidable Fairy Queen’s realm, where Sakti simply disappears.To save her sister, Muna must learn to navigate Regency London’s high society and trick the English into believing she’s a magical prodigy. But when the Sorceress Royal’s friends become accidentally embroiled in a plot – involving the Fairy Queen’s contentious succession – Muna is drawn right in. She must also find Sakti, break their curse and somehow stay out of trouble. But if fairyland’s true queen does finally return, trouble may find her first . . .The True Queen is Zen Cho's spelling binding second book. It's set in a sparkling version of Regency London, with a fairy tale twist. And although it's set in the same world as her award-winning novel, The Sorcerer to the Crown, this reads as a standalone. ‘A sheer delight from beginning to end'Samantha ShannonA joyous mash-up of Jane Austen and high fantasy’M. R. Carey

Totally immersive, an utterly enjoyable experience. Here East, West and the Realm of Fairy meet: three vivid and vastly different societies steeped in the paradox of belonging and alienation. A story full of humour, heartbreak, and hope — Cho captivates once more, I sat up all night racing to finish it (again). Another magnificent outing from Zen Cho, this is like a Blandings castle with dragons (and I can't think of higher praise!). I selfishly hope for a new novel in the series every year from now till the end of time. Clever, funny, and compulsively readable - I loved it!, A joyous mash-up of Jane Austen and high fantasy, A sheer delight from beginning to end. Cho perfectly conjures the opulence, absurdity and conflict of the period, and her magical societies are so wholly interwoven with history that you’ll start to believe there really was a Sorceress Royal – and that centuries ago, you really could travel through Fairyland from one side of the world to the other, Just finished this beauty – intricate, inventive and joyful. What a five-star treat!

Zen Cho was born and raised in Malaysia and now lives in Birmingham. She was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer for her short fiction and won the Crawford Award. Her debut novel, Sorcerer to the Crown, won the 2016 British Fantasy Society Award for Best Newcomer.