The Scorpion Queen

November 15, 2024
In imperial Mali in 1359, a 16-year-old girl finds magic, danger, and love while working for a princess. Aminata Aqit cannot wait to escape the royal palace. Ever since her older sister, Haddy, told a lie that ended Amie's engagement, Amie has been stuck working as a chambermaid for Princess Mariama Keita, the only daughter of Emperor Suleyman. The pampered daughter of a successful Songhai salt merchant, Amie finds it difficult to adjust to the dawn-to-dusk work in Timbuktu. Sweet-natured Penda and outspoken Jeneba, her fellow chambermaids, provide advice and comfort as she learns the ways of the Malinke court. However, she can't adjust to the emperor's Trials: Any man seeking Mariama's hand in marriage faces a challenge in the desert. Those who fail are placed in a pot of boiling water. Disgusted and depressed, Mariama seeks to end the Trials before the 100th suitor dies. When Amie finds a magical map leading to the home of Hausakoy, god of metalworking, Mariama believes it offers a solution to her father's brutality. Amie's faith in family and friends is tested as she, Penda, Jeneba, and the final suitor venture into the Sahara. The oppressive imperial regime affects the lives of both Mariama and Amie, forming the foundation of their bond. Over time, Amie questions her sexuality and feelings for Mariama in a beautifully organic way. Strongly developed themes of betrayal and trust add depth to the vivid worldbuilding. Unfortunately, unresolved plotlines in this stand-alone work ultimately leave readers hanging. Masterful storytelling let down by a lackluster ending.(Fantasy. 13-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 21, 2024
When 16-year-old Amie’s sister accuses her of an affair that she herself committed, Amie is disowned by her family, forbidden from marrying her lover Kader, and forced to work as a handmaid for Princess Mariama of the Mali empire. The princess is plagued by guilt and endures night terrors about trials implemented by her father, Emperor Sulyeman, who requires her potential suitors to complete an impossible task. If they fail, they are publicly boiled alive, with the promise that anyone who survives may marry her. As Amie adjusts to life at the castle, she plans to run away with Kader after a year. But the closer she gets to Mariama and the more she uncovers about the Scorpion Order, a secret sinister organization of sorcerers plotting to oust imperial rule, the less likely escape—and survival—become. A slow start soon yields pulse-pounding twists that breathe life into Fears’s compelling debut. Political intrigue, terrifying gods, mesmerizing magic, and a complex love triangle coalesce in a dark and brutal historical fantasy helmed by a disgraced heroine determined to forge her own path. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency.

January 1, 2025

Gr 8 Up-In imperial Mali, in the city of Timbuktu, Aminata Aqit has lost everything. Betrayed and blamed for an act that her sister actually committed, Amie, 16, has been disowned by her wealthy merchant family, forbidden from marrying her rare love match, Kader, and given over to work in the palace as a chambermaid to Princess Mariama. The princess's hand in marriage is the prize for the winner of her father the Emperor Sulyeman's impossible challenge, which has led to 99 suitors being boiled alive. It's Amie who bonds with her and comforts her as she reels over their deaths. It's also Amie who discovers a magical map that could lead to a solution at the home of a god deep in the Sahara. Will she survive the perilous journey? Will she succeed? These are the questions that keep pages turning. At just 320 pages, this stand-alone is more accessible as a shorter fantasy compared to the more voluminous epics of the genre; it's a nail-biting ride to the end. VERDICT Recommended for libraries where shorter-length stand-alone fantasy does well.-Kayla Chamberlain

Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2024
Grades 8-12 The youngest daughter of a successful salt merchant, Amie was once betrothed to Kader, a man she loved, until her name was tarnished by none other than her sister Haddy. Now Amie spends her days as a serving girl to Princess Mariama of Mali. Little is as it seems when it comes to Haddy's motives--or about the princess, who is tormented by the impossible Trials her father, the emperor, has decreed to find her a suitor. Ninety-nine men have failed; all have been boiled alive for it. When Kader is presented as suitor one hundred, Amie and the princess devise a plan using a magical map to save Kader and end the Trials for good. Taking place in 1300s Timbuktu and inspired by a Malian fairy tale, the book's Trials with their sinister nature are undeniably intriguing. At times, too much is thrown at the characters, and the affectionate relationship between Amie and Princess Mariama can be haphazard, but readers seeking a story with a courageous girl at its center will appreciate Amie.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2025
In imperial Mali in 1359, Aminata, a rich merchant's daughter originally betrothed to a noble she loves, loses everything after a false accusation leads to her disownment and the cancellation of her engagement. Now she must work as a servant to Princess Mariama, daughter of Emperor Suleyman, a ruthless man who forces the princess's suitors to undergo impossible Trials that result in their being boiled to death. The only thing keeping Amie afloat is a plan to elope with her beloved, Kader. However, she finds herself increasingly drawn to Mariama, a charismatic young woman who intends to end the Trials for good. When Amie embarks on a quest to steal a hammer from an exiled god -- both the key to ending the Trials and an opportunity to run away with Kader -- she is torn between her promise to her first love and her loyalty to the princess. Romance, court intrigue, and a classic fantasy adventure combine as Fears draws readers in with lush world-building and a flawed but sympathetic protagonist whose passion and resilience sustain her. This solid foundation becomes the springboard for a fast-paced quest arc full of perilous and thrilling encounters, testing Amie's courage and conviction at every turn. The ending feels a bit abrupt, but it sets the stage and builds anticipation for a potential sequel. Shenwei Chang

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)