Ms Forna is political royalty from Sierra Leone and this is her debut novel – and a formidable one, at that.  It is a YA feminist fantasy that isn’t afraid to combat patriarchy head-on.

Deka is a sixteen-year-old living in a village and has come of age ready to participate in the very old tradition of Ritual of Purity.  In this world, young women in their early menses will display a change in the color of their blood.  If red, they are deemed perfectly normal, human women.  If gold, however, they prove they are not normal, mortal women.  You might think the natural result of this would be instant execution; but no.  Instead, they are subjected to months or even years of deliberate torture – bloodletting to enrich the priesthood is part of it.  They are made to endure horrendous torture as they are killed again and again, and they heal again and again; unless the priests accidently discover their personal “final death.”  And their family denies them; counting them as dead.  This is Deka’s fate; one she never imagined would be hers.  She is eventually rescued by a mysterious woman who gives her a choice.  She can submit to this fate; or, she can join a new, special army of recruits just like herself and fight for the Emperor.  Of course, she chooses the latter; even though she could never have imagined the outcome.

Being in the company of others who had been subjected to the same abuse, and learning skills that she never imagined she’d be capable of, was the most belonging she’d ever felt.  But even with the Emperor’s support, most people cannot look beyond the women’s “un-pureness” and see only abominations.  Each young woman is paired with a soldier recruit who is to be their guardian in battle; not all of them are accepting, either.  Deka is fortunate in her pairing. But Deka has other secrets that no one can know; even in this group she could be ostracized for her extra abilities.

The cities and villages are under siege from murderous creatures called Deathshrieks.  And Deka and her fellow female recruits are the only ones who are able to kill the monsters.  At first, Deka is proud of her honed abilities and the idea that she is contributing to the general welfare.  But, as she works with the captured Deathshrieks and learns how best to dispatch them, she starts to suspect the Emperor isn’t telling them everything.  And when she discovers the true nature of the Deathshrieks, she has to make a deadly choice, one that could finally get her executed.

As a YA novel, it was a quick and easy read.  That doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it; this is an excellent story.  As a debut novel, this reader was impressed with the author’s skill.  Ms Forna has an excellent grasp of character development and dialogue.  I would like to see more world-building.  The plot was well-done, if a little transparent to this world-weary reader.  I imagine young readers will not be so jaded and enjoy it much more.  I am looking forward to reading Book 2 next month.  Stay tuned. ~~ Catherine Book