The Bird and the Blade

A sweeping and tragic debut novel perfect for fans of The Wrath and the Dawn and Megan Whalen Turner. This young adult novel is an excellent choice for accelerated tween readers in grades 7 to 8, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom.

The Bird and the Blade is a lush, powerful story of life and death, battles and riddles, lies and secrets from author Megan Bannen.

Enslaved in Kipchak Khanate, Jinghua has lost everything: her home, her family, her freedom . . . until the kingdom is conquered by enemy forces and she finds herself an unlikely conspirator in the escape of Prince Khalaf and his irascible father across the vast Mongol Empire.

On the run, with adversaries on all sides and an endless journey ahead, Jinghua hatches a scheme to use the Kipchaks’ exile to return home, a plan that becomes increasingly fraught as her feelings for Khalaf evolve into an impossible love.

Jinghua’s already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand—and if they fail, they die.

Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of . . . even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.

• A Breathtaking Turandot Retelling: Set against the vast backdrop of the 13th-century Mongol Empire, this lush historical fantasy reimagines a classic tale of love, sacrifice, and deadly games.
• Forbidden Love: She’s a slave with a secret. He’s a prince who must marry a powerful princess to save his people. Their developing love is a betrayal that could cost them everything.
• High-Stakes Political Intrigue: With enemies on all sides and an empire on the brink, every choice is fraught with danger. Jinghua must navigate a treacherous world of lies and alliances to protect the boy she loves.
• A Lyrical and Tragic Romance: Fans of The Wrath and the Dawn will be swept away by this beautiful and heartbreaking story of a girl who must choose between her own freedom and the life of the prince she can never have.