The Bookweaver's Daughter is an #OwnVoices YA fantasy--a tale
of magic, Indian lore, and radical female friendship, written by debut
author, Malavika Kannan, when she was 17 year old. Malavika is an
Indian-American novelist, feminist writer, and political activist raised
in the suburbs of Central Florida and currently a freshman at Stanford
University.
In the ancient Indian kingdom of Kasmira, stories don't begin with
"once upon a time."
Instead, Kasmiris start a woman's story with those who came before her:
her parents, grandparents, ancestors. For fourteen-year-old Reya
Kandhari, her story always starts the same: with the fabled line of
Bookweavers, tracing centuries back to the lost Yogis--the mythical
guardians of Kasmiri culture who created the world itself. As a result,
Reya's entire life has been shaped by words. Words of mystique and
mythology. Words of magic that allow her father, the Bookweaver, to
bring his stories to life. Words of power that make him the target of
tyrants who will stop at nothing to destroy magic in Kasmira.
Living in disguise as a peasant in the fields, Reya's sole focus is
protecting the Bookweaver's secret. But when her father is taken, Reya
must flee deep into the jungle, alone with her best friend Nina and one
ancient book. Grappling with Reya's newfound magic, the two girls find
themselves in the center of a war of liberation where magic reigns
unchecked, and destiny takes a dark turn. As the stakes get higher, Reya
realizes that her father's legacy contains more power than she ever
imagined. For Reya Kandhari is more than just a fugitive--she is a
symbol of revolution. And that makes her a threat.
In a tale of magic, Indian lore, and radical female friendship, Reya
must pass the final test: the Bookweaver's daughter must weave her own
destiny. The fate of Kasmira depends on it.
