โAbsorbing and thoughtful...full of page-turning drama and vibrantly drawn charactersโ Claire Heywood, author of Daughters of Sparta
A propulsive retelling inspired by the Greek myth of MedeaCalcutta, 1757.
Bengal is on the brink of war. The East India Company, led by the fearsome Sir Peter Chilcott, are advancing and nobody is safe. Meena, the Nawabโs neglected and abused daughter, finds herself falling under the spell of James Chilcott, nephew of Sir Peter, who claims he wants to betray the company . . . for a price.
Caught between friend and foe, Meena and James escape Calcutta, their hands stained in blood and pockets filled with gold. In Ceylon, theyโre cleansed of their sins by Meenaโs beloved aunt Kiran, before the young lovers set sail for the Dutch controlled Cape of Good Hope, with the promise of a new life.
Yet past resentments and present betrayals begin to pile up as they struggle to overcome their differences. And as Meena yet again finds herself in a foreign land without anyone to turn to, she is forced to find out what she is willing to sacrifice when love turns to hate.
The perfect read for fans of The Song of Achilles, Ariadne and Pandora
โExtraordinary... Selvarajah skillfully interweaves the familiar story of Medea with something vivd, vibrant and brand newโ Sarah Underwood, author of New York Times bestseller Lies We Sing to the Sea
โA clever and compassionate retelling of the Medea myth . . . an ending worth of the great Greek playwrightsโ Laura Shepperson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Heroines
โMythic, rageful and timely... a devastating must readโ Tasha Suri, author of TikTok sensation, The Jasmine Throne
โA beautiful and unique retelling of Medeaโ Sunday Times bestselling author Sophie Irwin
โPowerful and entrancingโ USA Today bestseller, Andie Newton
โA vivid picture of a dark and difficult world... an emotional journey of a womanโs strength and determination despite all the oddsโ Siya Turabi, author of The Last Beekeeper
Rani Selvarajah studied Classics at the University of Cambridge and has a MSc degree from SOAS University of London. She works in feminist policy and research, having worked in the non-profit sector for over a decade. Raniโs debut novel, Savage Beasts, was longlisted for the Mo Siewcharran prize and she is from north-west London and lives with her partner in Berlin.