Part of Wayward Children
First published 2025
Nadya grows up with three mothers: her birth mother, her poisoned homeland, and her adoptive parents. Born missing an arm, she feels complete until her adoptive family forces a prosthetic on her. The device feels wrong, foreign against her skin. She cannot explain why it troubles her so deeply, so she wanders restlessly through her days. One afternoon, Nadya tumbles through a mysterious door and lands in Belyyreka, the Land Beneath the Lake. This underwater realm teems with child-eating amphibians, massive turtles, and ships that sail equally well above and below the surface. Here, the river people recognize what Nadya truly is: a Drowned Girl who has finally reached her proper home. The waters accept her as she is, arm missing and spirit whole. But Belyyreka harbors its own perils. Nadya must fight to protect this world that embraces her completely, defending the belonging she has searched for her entire life.
Genres: adventure, coming-of-age, fantasy, young-adult, young-adult-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, introspective, lyrical, whimsical
Tropes: coming-of-age, fish-out-of-water, found-family, portal-fantasy
Setting: Belyyreka, Land Beneath the Lake
147 pages · Hardcover · Tordotcom
Content warnings: ableism