Penguin Teen has released the cover for the upcoming novel THE LIBRARY OF FATES.
The Library of Fates will be Aditi Khorana’s second novel after the acclaimed Mirror In The Sky. Penguin Teen has just released an exclusive look at the cover of the book, which is set to debut in July 2017. In Aditi’s words, her new novel will be more about what it’s like for someone who has always “belonged” to lose everything. This contrasts her first book, which was about searching for that belonging.
Penguin Teen also did a Q&A with Aditi to celebrate the cover reveal. Check out both below!
Q: How does publishing your second novel feel different from your debut novel?
A: It’s just as exciting but perhaps without some of the nail-biting now that I’ve been through the process once. And honestly, it feels like a debut because Library of Fates is such a different book in many ways than Mirror in the Sky. They fundamentally deal with similar issues of parallel lives and female friendship (themes I’m obsessed with) but Library of Fates is a fantasy, set in ancient India, rather than in a small town in contemporary Connecticut!
Q: What do you hope readers will take away from The Library of Fates?
A: That even a young girl with nothing left has agency and strength and the power to transform herself as she transforms the world. That we all do, as long as we are on the right side of history. So make sure you’re on the right side of history. Make sure you’re on the side of justice, and that you understand that not only are we all equal but that we’re equally powerful no matter what our circumstances. It is a revolutionary act to be a woman or a person of color or a member of any marginalized group in this society today and to have the audacity to speak your mind. Have that audacity, speak your mind. Do what you need to do. You are not alone.Q: How would you describe the main character, Princess Amrita?
A: She is the most resourceful characters I’ve ever written. She figures things out on the fly. She has an enormous capacity to survive and to love. And just like the most powerful and brilliant women I know, she is willing to change direction when necessary. She is flexible, open to growth rather than holding on to outworn ideas. She consistently puts aside her ego for the greater good without losing a sense of who she truly is and I think that’s her most admirable trait.
Check out the source article for more of the interview. Book description:
No one is entirely certain what brings the Emperor Sikander to Shalingar. Until now, the idyllic kingdom has been immune to his many violent conquests. To keep the visit friendly, Princess Amrita has offered herself as his bride, sacrificing everything—family, her childhood love, and her freedom—to save her people. But her offer isn’t enough.
The unthinkable happens, and Amrita finds herself a fugitive, utterly alone but for an oracle named Thala, who was kept by Sikander as a slave and managed to escape amid the chaos of a palace under siege. With nothing and no one else to turn to, Amrita and Thala are forced to rely on each other. But while Amrita feels responsible for her kingdom and sets out to warn her people, the newly free Thala has no such ties. She encourages Amrita to go on a quest to find the fabled Library of All Things, where it is possible for each of them to reverse their fates. To go back to before Sikander took everything from them.
Stripped of all that she loves, caught between her rosy past and an unknown future, will Amrita be able to restore what was lost, or does another life—and another love—await?