The Kingdom of Little Wounds
Age 16+
Historical Fiction Fantasy & Magical Realism
A young seamstress and a royal nursemaid find themselves at the centre of an epic power struggle in this stunning young adult debut.
Game of Thrones meets Grimm's Fairy Tales in this astounding novel, where women become pawns in the struggle for power. On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian kingdom of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favours sets a devious plot in motion. Here in the palace of Skyggehavn, things are seldom as they seem – and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of budding young seamstress Ava Bingen and crafty servant Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can, weathering desperate desires and crushing consequences on a journey to ultimate redemption.
Creators
Susann Cokal is the author of two adult novels, Mirabilis and Breath and Bones, and her short stories and literary criticisms have been widely published in literary journals and The New York Times Book Review. The Kingdom of Little Wounds is her first novel for young adults and won a 2014 Printz Honor. Currently an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, she lives in Richmond, Virginia, USA.
