Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping fantasy about a teenage girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.And don’t miss Elizabeth Lim’s new novel, the instant New York Times bestseller, Six Crimson Cranes!
“All the cutthroat competition of a runway fashion reality show and the thrilling exploits of an epic quest." —The Washington Post
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia makes the ultimate sacrifice and poses as a boy to take his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors in a cutthroat competition for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the unthinkable final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the sun, the moon, and the stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this fantasy novel is not to be missed.
"This is a white-knuckle read." —Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Tempests and Slaughter
You know how some books you get lost in and don’t even notice the little things? This wasn’t one of those books for me. I had planned to wait until the while series was published and then binge it. But then my brother asked me if it was appropriate for my niece so I picked it up from the library to find out.
And I was paying too much attention to what might or might not be good for a 10 year old to read that I never got lost in the story.
To be fair, I don’t know that I would have anyway. The characters aren’t very deeply developed and the writing, while interesting at times, is pretty simplistic for my tastes. And maybe that’s why the main character reads young. I mean she’s supposed to be 16 or 19 but she sounded 12 to me, especially through the trials. I had to keep reminding myself she was considerably older but it never really stuck.
And Edan was amusing enough, but he didn’t have a lot of development either, especially for someone who’s 500 some-odd years ild.
The little things I couldn’t get over? They’re traveling with trunks and two horses. How dies that work? The horses are really big and can carry one on each side? Or like behind the saddle, which seems wildly uncomfortable? There’s no mention of them pulling anything to carry the trunks. And also, they keep stopping or kissing without any mention of them first dismounting. Once she jumps off her horse and then he takes her arm and he’s just standing there. Was he already walking? Was his dismount not worth mentioning? Then they’re traveling along and then they’re kissing in a way not feasible while astride separate horses and yet, no mention of dismounting or previously walking or anything that makes any sort of sense.
See, little things but they bothered me.
Also, it’s a little contrived. The first time Edan tells her to run away she just has to go back? But minutes later he tells her to run again and she does and of course as a result terrible things happen. I get it, as an author you needed terrible things to happen. But as a reader it just feels like Maia is being stupid.
