For She is Wrath

By Author / Illustrator

Emily Varga

Genre

Romance & Relationships

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Macmillan YA

ISBN

9781035045037

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

16-01-2025

Synopsis

Discover the number one YA bestseller! Emily Varga's debut For She is Wrath is the epic romantasy about a girl escaped from prison and hell-bent on revenge, and the boy she loved who put her there.

Betrayed by her ex-lover and falsely imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit, Dania counts down the days until she can exact her revenge - if only she didn't have a life sentence to serve with no hope of release.

But when a fellow prisoner lands in the middle of her cell with a proposition and the keys to a dangerous Jinn treasure, Dania takes the chance to escape and pursue her path of vengeance. Armed with all the power she could want and a brand-new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her and her family.

But the one person standing in her way is the very man who signed her life away in the first place, and retribution becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse. Because sometimes betrayal isn't as simple as it seems and revenge certainly isn't as easy - not when your heart is involved.

'An electrifying dark fantasy I couldn't put down - Varga wrote the enemies to lovers second chance romance of my dreams!' - Judy I. Lin, author of A Magic Steeped in Poison. "I finished this in one sitting as I couldn't put it down!" - Reader review. "This book delivers action, heartbreak, friendship, vengeance, redemption, and love." - Reader review.

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Reviews

Linda

364 days, that's how long Dania has been in a hell-hole of a prison for a crime she didn't commit. She is counting down her days until she can exact revenge on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved - and still can't forget. However, first she has to escape and that's not going to be easy…

Noor, a fellow prisoner, unexpectedly appears in Dania's cell and together they form a plan to escape. Now Dania has hope, as Noor holds a secret that will get them both what they want … vengeance.

This debut novel, which is set in Pakistan, (and which is also a re-telling of The Count of Monte Cristo ), grabs you with drama from the first page, and then sadly slows down. This is a story that has left me wanting for more, more about the Djinn, and the zoraat seeds, the magic of their world, more about the Thohfsa, why is she so brutal? More of Noor's back story and more anger and emotion from Dania, who as soon as she saw Mazin once again, almost forgave him for his betrayal!

This just could be me, as the book does have lots of positives, the banter and growing friendship between Noor and Dania is delicious, although without them bouncing off each other, I think the story would not have moved forward; I would have loved even more from them. I'd also have liked more about Pakistani culture, which was woven throughout the plot and was very interesting.

As the book moves forward, Dania's outlook changes. She has had a lot to deal with (especially an unexpected further betrayal); betrayal can make you bitter and twisted, however, through the many twists and turns in the story, she manages to take a step back and see things through 'new eyes' and realised that you don't have to forsake happiness in favour of destruction; it's a choice that she no longer wanted.

Overall, this is a good read for those who like a vengeance plot without too much violence and gore. The 383 pages are perfectly suitable for the 13+ reader. If you love a strong female protagonist, magic, friendship, betrayal and of course love and trust in your books, then this could be the next new read for you. Give it a go and I hope that you enjoy it.

400 pages / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian