Queen of Faces
Perfect for fans of outcast hero sagas like Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, Queen of Faces is a lavishly built world that tackles the big questions, while also keeping the action flowing and developing its own unique magic system and characters.
In a world where the rich swap to robotic bodies out of vanity, Paragon Academy reject Ana, having suffered disastrous bodily harm, is currently inhabiting the cheapest model of body available, which is burning out fast. Without the money to replace it and in trouble with the powers that be, she takes a gamble on a mercenary life.
Lord builds a complex world that mirrors the inequalities in our own from poverty and racism to transphobia. The magical elements have very well-thought-out rules, always a plus in fantasy, with magical ability being aligned to personal growth and different types of magic linking to different skillsets. Mirroring a real-life inequality, knowledge and having time to study is the key to your place in the world and magical abilities, so magic is often linked to those in power or with money.
My favourite aspect of this book is the idea of writing your own story or ‘turning the page’, particularly the way in which two of the main characters manage to do so. Queen of Faces also takes a very interesting look at the body as just a vessel, particularly in relation to gender identity. This novel adds something unique to a common East-West trope and this reviewer is certainly excited to see how Lord develops further over time.
