Maiden

“The Great Dragon’s yellow gaze bore down upon her. You will be the first sacrifice, it said. You will be mine.”

Maiden is a captivating feminist fantasy adventure from Georgia Leighton.

Utilising an interesting structure of five parts and three alternating perspectives over an extended timeline, Leighton tells the story of three women whose fates intertwine.

Princess Cressyda is the adopted daughter of the King of Calestra whose status is tenuous, even more so when her eldest brother eventually takes the throne; Alinore is Cressyda’s orphaned companion who dreams of becoming a knight like her father; and Maylie is a mountain healer, hiding more than one secret.

Maiden is very much a character driven story. Each of the protagonists show more have a distinctive voice, and their own journey that both binds and separates them. The structure allows the reader insight into the development of their personalities and the forces that shape them as Leighton explores themes such as friendship, duty, sacrifice, privilege, and female agency.

The plot, while also including court politics, magic, romance, and secrets, builds to the 300th anniversary of the Maiden Sacrifice. Every Spring in the kingdom of Calestra, an 18 year old maiden with mountain blood is selected to satisfy a centuries old treaty with the Great Dragon. This occasion proves to be pivotal for Cressyda, Alinore, and Maylie as they face their destiny.

Most of the action in the novel is confined to the last few chapters, and while I think Leighton could have made a bit more of it, the ending is both dramatic and satisfying.

A rewarding story, I enjoyed Maiden and would recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy with strong female protagonists and a feminist sensibility. show less