2022-04-13
Ever since the serpentine nagas fled Prithvi, the human world, to escape from the eaglelike garudas, they’ve used stolen dreams to satisfy their craving for mortal experiences.
Seventeen-year-old Tanvi, who is Indian American, was only a child when she was spirited away to Nagalok, a world influenced by Hindu mythology. In exchange for forgetting her most painful memories, she became a dream runner. Each night, she travels to Prithvi to harvest dreams that are sold to naga nobility. The promise of a wish-granting boon, earned according to the quality of the dreams, ensures that Tanvi and her fellow runners remain adequately motivated. Presiding over them is Venkat, a human boy with a rare dreamsmithing ability, who is the adopted son of the naga court historian. Though his role only requires him to assess dreams and parcel out boons, Venkat can’t help feeling concern for the runners, who all eventually suffer burnout. When Tanvi begins behaving oddly, Venkat worries that she has also reached her limit. But the truth is worse: Tanvi is dreaming during her sleep, something no runner should be able to do. The central mystery unfolds in careful layers amid evocative descriptions of Nagalok’s wonders. As the darkness beneath the opulence reveals itself and the threat of garuda invasion intensifies, Venkat and Tanvi must choose between comforting illusions and unpleasant truths in order to save themselves and those they love.
A lush fantasy. (Fantasy. 13-18)
Shveta Thakrar spirits you away to a richly imagined dream of a fantasy!” — Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Iron Widow
“Utterly unique, The Dream Runners uses magnificent world-building to explore how much of our own stories we can change.” — Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here
“The Dream Runners is a novel greater than the sum of its (already vast and sparkling) parts—an emotionally resonant and supremely satisfying read.” — Camille DeAngelis, Alex Award–winning author of Bones & All
“Multifaceted characters, a splash of romance, and complex, intriguing worldbuilding deliver an engaging fantasy read.” — Publishers Weekly
“A lush fantasy.” — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Star Daughter: "Take a journey to the heavenly courts in this luscious, shimmering fantasy, so dripping with beauty and imagination you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.” — New York Times bestselling author Laini Taylor
"My favorite tales are the ones that sneakily draw you out of one world and slip you into the next. This is one of those. I emerged from Star Daughter dusted with constellations and wonder. Thakrar's imagination is a feast for the senses." — Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen and The Gilded Wolves
“Nothing short of dazzling.” — Booklist
"Absolutely magical and captivatingly lyrical." — Sandhya Menon, New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi
“Shveta Thakrar's prose is as beautiful as starlight.” — Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author
“An enchanting story about love, family, finding your voice, and searching for home. Thakrar’s sparkling command of language weaves magic on every page. This book is a joy, and will speak to anyone who yearns to belong.” — Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn and Kingsbane
“A magical debut full of wonder, wit, myths, and adventure. Reading Thakrar's words is like swimming through the most beautiful imagination—every page is a delight." — Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire
"A gorgeously written tale of magic and family, of finding and fighting for your place, Star Daughter has a heart that shines as brilliantly as its celestial court." — S. A. Chakraborty, author of the bestselling Daevabad Trilogy
“Full of wonder and enchantment. Thakrar has crafted an excellent story about the power of the younger generations to carve their own path amidst the traditions and expectations of their elders.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Shveta Thakrar’s writing shines as bright as any star." — Laura Sebastian, New York Times bestselling author of the Ash Princess series
“Luminously beautiful, with a mythic heart.” — Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand
“Absolutely magical. Thakrar weaves her words so tightly around you that you are completely immersed in her world, a victim of its lyrical starsong.” — Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecy series and editor of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
“Radiant. Readers will be enchanted by Sheetal and the starry court.” — Kristen Ciccarelli, internationally bestselling author of The Last Namsara
“A wondrous delight, Shveta Thakrar’s debut is a feast for the senses." — Cindy Pon, author of Want and Serpentine
“Star Daughter is a love letter to every desi girl wanting to believe in her own magic.” — Tanaz Bhathena, author of A Girl Like That and Hunted by the Sky
“A dreamy, diasporic, diverse fantasy. A story about stars, yes—and about family, friends, falling in love, and finding your voice, your place. Places. A shimmering debut.” — Tanuja Desai Hidier, author of Born Confused and sequel Bombay Blues
“A luminous debut. Star Daughter’s sparkling coming-of-age tale of transformation and love is among the best kinds of fantasy: one that reminds us to reach for the stars while keeping our feet firmly on the ground.” — Fran Wilde, Nebula Award-winning author of The Bone Universe series and Riverland
“A stunning tale of self-acceptance, family, and liminal spaces.” — Jacqueline Koyanagi
